Highlander AirTrek: inflate, paddle, deflate, pack

Operating pressure is 12 psi minimum, 15 psi maximum (over 15 voids warranty). Storage pressure no more than 10 psi. Never use an air compressor — it voids warranty. Always use the included hand pump or a 12V SUP inflator for the last 10-20% to avoid overshoot. Deflate fully, dry, and roll (don't fold) for pack-down. Use the boat frequently; long-term storage may cause adhesive failure.

The Highlander 100, Highlander 120, and Highlander 140T all run the same inflate / paddle / deflate / dry / pack loop. This is the comprehensive walkthrough — pumps, valves, target pressure, on-water pressure shifts, deflation, drying, and roll-pack. Run the loop correctly every time and the boat lasts for years.

⚠️ Pressure rules first

State	Pressure
Operating (paddling / pedaling / fishing)	12 psi minimum, 15 psi maximum
Storage (between trips)	No more than 10 psi
Above 15 psi	Voids warranty — do not pump higher
Air compressor	Prohibited — voids warranty

The Highlander User Manual is explicit on all of these. For the full reasoning, see Highlander inflation pressure: 12-15 psi operating, 10 psi storage max.

What you need

A real digital pressure gauge

The single most important piece of gear after the pump. The cheap analog gauges built into entry-level pumps read low by 1–2 psi, which means you'll either underinflate (boat feels squishy, loses tracking) or overinflate trying to chase a number that's already past spec.

A separate digital gauge is cheap (~$20) and pays for itself the first time. Any reputable double-action gauge with a Halkey-Roberts adapter works.

A pump that gets to 15 psi

Three tiers, ranked by what the manual recommends:

Dual-action hand pump (included with the boat) — the only pump that's safe to use through the full 15 psi range without risk of overshoot. Last 3 psi takes effort, but it gets there reliably.
12V electric pump or rechargeable inflator — fine for the first 80–90% of inflation (per the User Manual), then finish with the hand pump for the last few psi to avoid blowing past 15.
Air compressor — DO NOT USE. Explicitly voids the warranty. Compressors push too much air too fast and blow past 15 psi before you can react.

A clean, flat surface

A tarp, a clean dock, sand, or grass — anywhere without sharp gravel or embedded rocks. The drop-stitch fabric is tough, but you're saving wear by laying out on the right surface.

Identifying the valves

Each Highlander has a single primary inflation valve in the floor — the big Halkey-Roberts twist-lock valve. The pump's coupling threads into that valve, and you inflate the entire boat through it (single-chamber design — see Highlander single-chamber construction).

A few smaller secondary valves on the seat and (if equipped) the elevated perch handle independent seat inflation — those use the same Halkey-Roberts coupling, just smaller chambers that take 30 seconds each.

Important: The valve has two positions:

UP position — valve button popped up, air goes in (inflation mode). Set the valve here before connecting the pump.
DOWN position — valve button pressed in and twisted 90°, air comes out (deflation mode). Set here when you're packing up.

To switch: open the valve cap by twisting counter-clockwise. Press the inner pin and twist 90°. Make sure the valve is clear from debris, sand, or dirt before releasing.

Target pressure: 12 to 15 psi

The User Manual specifies 12 psi minimum, 15 psi maximum for proper operation:

12 psi — minimum for full drop-stitch rigidity. The boat tracks and pedals correctly at 12. The deck is firm but a thumb can still slightly press in.
13–14 psi — sweet spot for most use. Stiff deck, full performance.
15 psi — maximum. Deck is rock-hard, thumb does not depress. Do not pump beyond this.

Under 12 psi the deck flexes underfoot, tracking suffers, pedaling efficiency drops. Above 15 voids warranty and risks seam stress.

The inflate sequence

Lay the boat out flat. Roll it open on a tarp or clean ground.
Open the valve cap (twist counter-clockwise) and confirm the valve is in the UP position (inflation mode). Make sure no sand or debris in the valve seat.
Connect pump. Attach the pump hose to the pump and secure it tightly. Attach the other end to the valve and twist 45° clockwise to lock.
Inflate. Keep arms extended and bend your knees to use body weight, not just arm strength. Less fatigue.
Watch your gauge. The Highlander gauge doesn't register until 4 psi — under that, keep pumping for 2-3 minutes.
Reach 12–15 psi. Aim for the middle of that range for general fishing; max 15 psi only if you specifically want maximum stiffness.
Walk around the boat. Sides should feel uniformly hard. Soft spot anywhere = top off or check for a slow leak before launching.
Inflate the seat / perch valves. 30 seconds each.
Close the valve cap — twist clockwise to lock in place.

Typical full inflation time per the User Manual: 5–10 minutes depending on board size and pump.

If you used an electric pump: stop at 80–90% (roughly 11–13 psi) and finish with the hand pump to avoid overshoot.

On the water — pressure shifts

The Highlander's pressure changes with temperature. A boat inflated at 60°F in a cool garage and trailered to a 90°F lake in full sun will arrive a touch over-pressure as the air heats up.

What to do:

Hot launch day: inflate to 12–13 psi in the cool morning, let it rise into operating range under sun load. Don't start at 15 if it's about to get hotter.
If the boat feels rock-hard beyond rock-hard at the launch: crack the valve briefly to release air, then re-close. The User Manual is explicit: "Do not leave your board under direct sunlight as this may cause over-inflation."
If the boat feels soft mid-day in cooler conditions: pull onto the bank, hook up the pump, top off back to 12-13.

A handheld digital gauge in your dry bag costs you nothing to bring along.

Installing the Traverse Pedal Drive on a Highlander

If you're adding the Traverse PDL to your Highlander (sold separately), the install sequence per the User Manual is:

Remove the AirTrek Window from the AirTrek Pod (unscrew).
Install the Traverse PDL Drive mounting collar onto the AirTrek Pod using the provided hardware.
Inflate to 25% before inserting the AirTrek Pod (with FRONT arrow pointing toward the bow), then continue to full inflation.
Follow the Traverse Pedal Drive and Rudder System installation instructions included with those kits.

See the Traverse Pedal Drive manual and Traverse Rudder System manual for the drive + rudder install details.

At the end of the day

Rinse if you were in salt

Hose down the hull, the drive, the rudder, the seat — anything that touched salt. Salt in the valve threads is what causes valve drag and slow leaks over time. A 90-second freshwater rinse adds years to the boat.

Deflate

Open the valve cap. Twist counter-clockwise. Make sure it's clear of debris.
Push the valve button to DOWN position — press in and twist 90°. Air starts releasing.
Open seat / perch valves at the same time so everything deflates in parallel.
Deflate by hand — roll the board from nose to tail to squeeze the air out. The drop-stitch holds residual pressure longer than people expect; walking the air out manually speeds things up.
Remove the AirTrek Pod prior to rolling and packing.

Dry before pack

This is the step most people skip and most boats get killed by. Do not bag a wet hull. Mold and mildew grow fast inside a rolled, wet drop-stitch boat — once the smell sets in, it doesn't come out.

Options:

Air-dry flat in the shade for 30–60 minutes if it's a dry day. Walk around with a microfiber towel and wipe pooled water off the deck.
Towel-dry if you're in a hurry — get the deck, the seat zone, and the underside.
Pack damp + open at home if you have to roll wet to leave the launch. Unroll and air-dry the boat in the garage within 24 hours.

Roll, don't fold

The drop-stitch fabric is designed to roll along its long axis, not fold across creases. Folding creases the threads inside the drop-stitch and weakens the panel over thousands of cycles — much faster wear than rolling.

Start from the nose end (the bow). Tip from the User Manual: "Start to fold from here" — the rolled direction goes from nose to tail.
Roll tightly in a single steady motion, using the provided strap to secure the rolled ISUP.
Try to roll wide and even rather than tight and uneven — even tension lasts longer than tight tension.
Once rolled, slide into the backpack with the disassembled paddle and folded seat. Do not overtighten the zipper.

The backpack has roller wheels for transport — drag it like a suitcase.

Storage

Short-term (between weekend trips)

Inflated at ~5 psi in a garage or basement is fine if you want it ready to go.
Do not store at full 12–15 psi long-term — that's a constant stressor on seams.
Do not store outdoors in direct sun — heat builds pressure and ages the fabric.
Working pressure in shade: keep below 50–60% of max (so under ~9 psi) when sitting unused in shade.

Off-season (a month+)

Fully deflated
Fully dried
Rolled (not folded)
Bagged with valve protected
Indoors at moderate temperature — the User Manual specifies between 0–40°C (32–104°F). Basement, garage, attic if not extreme.
Out of direct sunlight

⚠️ Use the boat frequently

The Brand Book and User Manual both call this out: "Use the board frequently as long-term storage may cause adhesive failure." Drop-stitch boats are designed to be used, not warehoused for years. If you know you won't be paddling for an extended stretch, pull the boat out periodically (every couple months minimum) to flex the seams.

See Maintaining your Cajo — wash, store, off-season for the broader maintenance checklist.

Cold-weather behavior

Pressure drops with temperature. A boat inflated to 14 psi at 70°F and used into 40°F water will drop to roughly 11–12 psi as the air contracts. That's normal physics — not a leak.

Top off at the put-in if you've trailered into significantly cooler weather. If pressure keeps dropping after top-off, that's a leak — see the patch/repair article.

"Is my boat leaking?"

Drop-stitch fabric holds pressure for weeks under normal conditions. If you inflate to 14 psi, walk away for an hour, and the gauge reads 13 — that's a temperature shift, not a leak. If you inflate to 14 and an hour later it's at 8, you've got a leak.

Common leak sources:

Valve seat dirty — sand or salt in the threads. Hose the valve clean, try again. Fixes 80% of "slow leak" reports.
Valve pin left in deflation position — if air releases from the valve as you disconnect the pump, push the pin down and turn it until it lifts up into the inflation position (this is in the User Manual FAQ).
Pump hose loose — sometimes the leak is at the pump connection, not the boat. Disconnect the pump after inflation and listen at the valve.
Puncture or tear — every Highlander ships with a repair kit. The User Manual documents a 6-step patch procedure using AQUASEAL glue, acetone, and a hairdryer. See Highlander patch and repair.
Seam separation (rare on Cajo) — visible fabric pull at a seam. File the claims form.

Safety quick reference (from the User Manual)

Max load capacity: 286 lbs (130 kg)
Minimum user age: 14+ (manual states "Not for children 14 years old and below")
Safe distance from shore: 150 m (492 ft)
PFD: mandatory at all times
Conditions to avoid: white water, breaking waves, offshore current, offshore wind
Swimmers only

Quick reference

Step	Target
Operating pressure	12–15 psi
Storage pressure	≤ 10 psi
Inflation time (hand pump)	5–10 min
Inflation time (12V to 80%, hand finish)	3–5 min
Gauge starts reading at	4 psi
Max load	286 lbs
Min age	14+
Air compressor	Prohibited (voids warranty)
Roll direction	Nose to tail, along long axis

What's next

If something doesn't feel right — sticky valve, soft spot you can't top off, slow leak — start with the Highlander patch and repair guide for small punctures, or the claims form for anything seam-related. We diagnose every report individually.