Park Tool INF-2 Shop Inflator [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

Setting up tubeless tires with an air compressor is one of the best ways to make your bike mechanic life easier, and the Park Tool Shop Inflator is a great complement to any compressor, making tire setup a breeze. Our friend Michelle recently upgraded her shop with the INF-2 and hasn't looked back. Read on for more!

Overview

The Park Tool Shop Inflator was recommended to me after an unfortunate incident I had using an air compressor with a Presta valve adapter and digital pressure gauge. It was just like "the great sealant massacre of 2020" that a popular YouTube channel referred to. My garage looked like a crime scene where a smurf had exploded (finish line sealant has a bluish tint.) So....I decided to spend the money on the INF-2 instead of hearing aids.

The Park Tool Shop Inflator is another quality item from the blue collection. It feels great in your hand with a perfect ergonomic design like all their other tools. It performs flawlessly just as expected from this brand. The Presta/Schrader head is able to rotate to any angle you need to fit appropriately between your spokes while at the same time allowing the built-in pressure gauge to be easily read. The flat shaped trigger handle makes it simple to control the amount of air being added and has a convenient opening and hanging hook so you can access it quickly. The bleed valve works in real-time so you can see how much air is being let out by looking at the gauge.

This tool makes the entire process of airing up your tires quick and painless.

Especially when you are waiting to hear the "pop pop" of seating a tubeless tire. And it snapped right into the standard air hose on the compressor. Bonus!

The swivel head is a great feature as some gauges don't allow for this and make it extremely difficult to use. The closest product I found that allowed for this was the Topeak Digital Pressure Gauge but of course, this cannot inflate your tire. You must inflate it with either a hand pump or use an air compressor with a Presta valve adapter and then check where you're at periodically. Hence the potential for a "sealant massacre" of your own.

Final Thoughts

The Park Tool Shop Inflator is a great tool worth investing in if you want to make efficient use of your time. Not only does it perform faster and better than the combination of a hand pump/pressure gauge or combination of an air compressor/Presta valve adapter plus a pressure gauge but it is also much safer. The trigger control is such a great feature that everyone would benefit from it. The fact that you only need one tool to inflate your tire with either a Presta or Schrader valve, check the pressure, and bleed air out if needed is necessary for the shop in my opinion. It is definitely one of the best investments I've made for my bike.