FOX High Pressure Digital Shock Pump

[Webot]

This is an easy to use high pressure pump, which has a simple readable digital gauge, with a large numerical LCD readout. The gauge can show in four different pressure scales, and has many excellent features; the foremost is the superb bleed button that allows precise air pressure adjustments. I have thoroughly enjoyed using this device over the last several months, and it has been incredibly useful and functional for making suspension pressure changes in my vast array of test shocks and forks.

The FOX Digital High-Pressure Pump is constructed with an alloy body, and has an alloy pump handle, a large plastic digital gauge, and a swivel mounted rubber hose with a Schrader valve connector and an air bleed button. The LCD digital gauge outputs in four pressure scales: psi (pounds per square inch), bar (100 kPa- from Greek baros meaning weight), kg/cm² (kilogram-force per square centimeter), and kPa (kilopascals), the latter is the SI (International System of Units). It reads up to 300psi in small increments and retails for $70.

Features and Impressions
The extra long Schrader connector makes it easier to connect and thread onto forks and shocks, which is especially nice on finicky valves and those that have deep recesses. It always drive me batty trying to attach up a simple pump to a Schrader valve, and more than a few cuss words have been tossed out of my mouth using the standard variety connector. The hose swivel makes is handy to get the proper angle for reading the gauge and attaching the connector, and it also extends the life of the hose since it's not bent at odd angles, and therefore the rubber isn't repeatedly pinched and crimped. After three months of use, the swivel has been bombproof and hasn't leaked or shown any signs of wear. The swivel rotates 270° around its connection point, and stops up against the gauge housing at its maximum rotation. The hose is flexible enough to squiggle around things, yet its thick enough for durability and robustness.

The air release or bleed button functions nicely, and you can punch it hard for dumping big chunks of air, or use a delicate tap to drop micro amounts, and it's surprising how easy it is to perform any adjustment required. Adding air can take a longer time at higher pressures as the pumps chamber is narrow so you can't produce a lot of volume for each stroke. On the other hand, this allows delicate adjustments of the pressure, so small and precise additions can be done. The stroke was nice and smooth while pumping the handle, and I didn't have any issue bringing my rear shock up to 150psi. There is a nice thumb indentation just in front of the gauge so that you have something to hold onto for stability while pumping.

A short tap and hold of the On button gets the digital gauge booted up, and it will auto set to whatever was the last scale that was being used. Hitting the button again cycles through the pressure scales: PSI, BAR, kPa and KG/CM². When reading pressures in psi, the readout is in increments of 0.5 from 0-199.5 psi, and then it increments to 1 from 200 to 300 psi. The other scales stay at the same increments for their entire range. I am not sure you'll need the other scales (maybe the bar), as they seem superfluous, and I certainly have never used any of the others? The readout stays on for around 1 minute without any usage, and will then auto shutoff, and I found that more than enough time to check the readout, and sit on the bike to check sag, etc.

Output range:

• 0-300 PSI (Increments of 0.5 for 0-199.5 psi, Increments of 1 for 200 to 300 psi)
• 0-20.70 BAR (Increments of 0.05 Bar)
• 0-21.10 kg/cm2 (Increments of 0.05 kg/cm2)
• 0-2065 kPa (increments of 5 kPa)

The pump is not a lab rated unit, so the accuracy is sort of ambiguous, but it's in the ball park, meaning its close enough for comfort. What the pump has is rock solid stability (no drift) over time and usage. Once you have become accustomed to the pump, and what its particular readings are in relation to your bikes, just use those as a standard of accuracy. Most any pump on the market has accuracy issues, but what counts instead is the repetition of what value x means, and that every time you use the pump again, the value of x is still the same pressure (accurate or not). This pump nails that repetition on its head. A truly accurate pump isn't portable or practical for normal usage, since it requires a larger battery, gauge, internals, and costs substantially more. What really matters in the long run is that required sag gets set and/or that the suspension feels proper.

I really liked the digital gauge, since it was a no brainer to know exactly what the numbers stated, as there was no guessing trying to interpolate between the markings on the gauge and the needle. As my eye sight has gotten poorer with age the analog gauge designs are tougher to use and read. The 0.5 increments for psi allowed very precise settings, making it easy to bleed or add air to meet requirements. You get instant reinforcement of what the pressure is with this design and format. Easier readability, plain and simple, and the large size of the LCD numbers was a bonus.

Measured Specs:

• Weight - 217 grams
• Length - 240mm
• Stroke length - 120mm

At 217 grams it weighs slightly more than some other pumps on the market, and at $70 it costs nearly twice as much, but it is more durable (so far) and the design and features are certainly very user friendly. Most of the analog competition retails from $35-$50, and weighs between 180-220 grams. The battery for the digital gauge is not serviceable or rechargeable, but FOX implies that the battery will outlast the shock?

Bottom Line
The FOX High Pressure Digital Shock Pump is a pretty nifty unit, and the pressure gauge's LCD display has large easy to read numbers that give instant reinforcement of its output. This design is much handier and user friendly to read then a traditional analog gauge, and the small .5 psi increments allow for minor alterations in pressure. The pump has some great features, including an extra long Schrader connector, which makes it easier to thread onto the valve and connect it into deep recesses. The highlight of the pump is the bleed button that allows very minute amounts of air to be dropped for precise pressure adjustments.

The pumps chamber is narrow and the lever has a short stroke, so it can some time to get a shock to higher pressures, but that also makes it easier to add small amounts. The pump is a bit more expensive than the competition, but it offers a lot of great creature comforts, including the bleed button and digital output. I do wish the battery was serviceable, but FOX claims it will outlast the pump?

This is a great functional pump, with an excellent Schrader connector and superb bleed button, and the user friendly digital readout with large numbers is pretty sweet for dialing in your suspension precisely.

Pros

• Easy to read digital LCD gauge
• Long Schrader connector
• Durable
• Superb bleed button

Cons

• Not the cheapest on the market
• Battery not serviceable or rechargeable
• Short and low volume stroke - slow to fill shock/fork

Overall Rating: 4.5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers


FOX HP Digital Shock Pump Spec:

• MSRP: $70
• Accurately check and set suspension pressures
• Connects to Schrader valve suspension products
• Auto shut-off after 1 minute
• Pressure release button to allow air to be removed while getting to the right psi
• 270 degree rotating hose with an extended Schrader valve tip
• Four Pressure Scales/Displays - PSI | BAR | kPa | KG/CM²
• 0-300 PSI (Increments of 0.5 for 0-199.5 psi, Increments of 1 for 200 to 300 psi)
• 0-20.70 BAR (Increments of 0.05 Bar)
• 0-21.10 kg/cm2 (Increments of 0.05 kg/cm2)
• 0-2065 kPa (increments of 5 kPa)

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