I'm still in the very early stages of planning a long-distance tour but I've been doing some thinking on tire inflation.

What are everyone's thoughts on CO2 cartridges versus carrying a hand pump? I can see the benefits of less weight but are the cartridges really cracked up to what they're supposed to be or am I better off investing in a quality hand pump instead?

One downside I can immediately foresee is needing to stock up and potentially running out of cartridges while on tour. Any other pros and cons?

CO2 cartridges are good for races, and that's about it. Get a road morph g for 25 bucks. CO2 has smaller particles and will escape through your tire overnight, so if people are carrying these on tour they are usually backup in case their pump fails.

I agree. CO2 usually leaks out, for whatever reason, within 24 hours. This is a pain on a tour. Go with the hand pump.

My rant on cartridiges is people leaving them by the road. I suppose it's racer wannabes trying to shave an ounce or two.

You need to pump your tires every few days, since air escapes normally anyway. You'd burn through tons of CO2.

Also, last I checked CO2 inflators don't have PSI gauges, a critical feature on a tour.

CO2 is basically only good if you need to inflate your tire as quickly as possible and need to carry a very small pump.

Pump...one of the Topeak Morph Series with the gauge. CO2 carts aren't available in the middle of nowhere. Why carry both when the pump will do the job. You aren't to win the TDF on time are you?

Aaron

Agree all around. CO2 is worthless on tour. It seeps out pretty much overnight. It doesn't work as well for topping off tires every couple days. You need to be prepared for multiple flats, it can happen. If you take enough cartridges for me to feel safe on a long tour they would weigh more than my pump. And to make matters worse I doubt that you can fly with them.

I'd get a Mountain Morph or Road Morph pump.

Build some arm strength to match your touring quads...Road Morph G.