I knew I was one lucky guy when my better half presented me with two gifts in one day, a Coleman Twin ComfortSmart QuickBed™ and the Coleman 4-D Deluxe QuickPump™. Coleman packages the air mattress and pump separately and the battery-operated pump is designed to only work with airbeds equipped with either Coleman’s Double Lock Valve™ or Boston Valve systems. To those who feel this gift may have been uninspired, you never lived with an avid fisherman.
I convinced my wife “real men drive trucks”, which set the stage for what turned out to be the first of (what she considers) many macho-man purchases. The Dodge Dakota’s extended club cab houses my CB-radio, flashlights, spotlight, assorted volunteer committee paperwork, a small cooler and other necessities leaving little room for anything else including passengers. I needed some kind of secure storage for everything formerly stored in the trunk of my car.
I decided on a Lear High-Rise Topper and put the full six-foot bed of my truck to good use. With the topper providing so much additional storage space, I bought an AC/DC converter to power fans, a radio and television combination unit and a drip coffee maker; all nice luxuries to have on hand for fishing trips. With my wife taking notes, I measured the truck’s bed, hoping to have enough room to use a standard size air mattress during overnight trips to my favorite fishing spot, Lake Okeechobee. Armed with the exact dimensions, Helen located the ideal air mattress and portable air pump.
The QuickBed comes with Coleman’s patented DoubleLock Valve system; designed to prevent air leaks at the valve site when both locks are engaged by closing the attached valve cap and pressing the valve sleep into the inflated mattress. With the valve sleeve extended and the attached valve cap left open, the internal lock disengages facilitating air intake or release.
Coleman designed their 4-D Deluxe QuickPump (Model 5999C300) specifically for use with their QuickBed’s Coleman Double Lock Valve™ and other Coleman air mattress Boston Valve systems. The included documentation states the 4-D is intended as an “Airbed only pump for convenient inflation and deflation of inflatable beds”. The unit came packaged with one Coleman® Double Lock Valve™ adapter, a single-page graphical tutorial and a small PVC repair kit that includes patches and a tube of adhesive. The manufacturer offers a one-year limited replacement warranty with dated proof of purchase. The four D batteries that are required to power the QuickPump are not included in the package.
Setting up the compact QuickPump for use involves unhinging the base, inserting the four batteries into the black plastic casing, locking the base back into position and inserting the valve adapter into either of two sockets. The vacuum (intake) valve adapter socket is located on the top of the unit and the air-pump adapter socket is on one side of the unit, positioned near the top of the casing so the unit sits flat on the floor while pumping air into the mattress. Each socket’s assignment is molded into frame adjacent to the opening for reference purposes. I found the valve adapter secures into the sockets with a quarter turn after insertion and removes easily by reversing the process.
Inflating and deflating the mattress was a simple task; the D-4 air pump was designed to work with my Quickbed’s DoubleLock Valve system. The adapter locked securely into one end of the pump and once I realized the “double lock valve” on the mattress needed to be fully extended before the secondary internal lock would disengage the process took only minutes. Just as the adapter locked into the pump, it securely fit the mattress valve sleeve once it was extended. With one flip of the toggle switch, the mattress filled and just as easily as the adapter attached, I was able to slide it off and close the attached valve cap. The final step, pushing the valve sleeve into the mattress, engaged the secondary interior lock.
The two available options for deflating the mattress worked equally well. Trying the simplest method first, I extended the valve sleeve, popped open the cap and helped release the air by manually compressing the mattress. The second technique begins the same but instead of pushing the air out manually, I locked the adapter into the vacuum outlet on the top of the D-4 air pump, fit it into the extended mattress valve sleeve and flipped the switch. Deflation completed in a minute with minimal assistance. I learned through experience that I could speed up the process as it deflated by folding or rolling the mattress, starting with the end opposite the pump.
In an ideal world, Coleman would provide a waterproof case for the QuickPump. I would like to find something that protects the pump and adapter and holds a fresh supply of batteries. Presently, my only option is to store the QuickPump in its original packaging and keep a sealed 4-pack of D batteries on hand in the same general location.
Initially, I thought the idea of owning a D battery-powered air pump was less desirable than having a rechargeable model or one that has a cigarette lighter adapter that runs off the truck’s battery. In fact, the 4-D version of the QuickPump operates well and should I decide to use the air mattress in our home or in a tent when camping, I will not have to think about whether I charged the rechargeable unit or how I will maneuver the mattress from the truck to where I plan to use it.
I'm glad I kept quiet about any misgivings I had about the Coleman 4-D Deluxe QuickPump. Even though this is another limited use product, it fills a need I have and does it well. My wife found the twin-sized QuickBed at a local discount department store on sale for $18.00 and the 4-D Deluxe Pump on sale, for $16.00. For much less than the price of one night’s stay in a motel, I have an instant bed, ready for use on a whim. Other than a boat filled with the fresh catch of the day, what else could anyone want out of life.
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