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Review: Milkit Booster - Tubeless Tire Inflation Reservoir

Jun 8, 2018
by Richard Cunningham  
Milkit Booster tubeless inflation system


Milkit is a small Swiss brand and its name derives from its first product: a special Presta valve stem along with an injector that allows tubeless users to check, fill, and top off their tubeless sealant without dismounting their tires.

Their "Booster" is an aluminum pressure bottle, designed to assist the tubeless tire inflation process. It comes in either a one-liter or a smaller, .6-liter size that is reviewed here. Boosters come with a screw-on inflation device that is pressurized with a hand pump up to 160psi (11 BAR) and then used to burst-fill a tubeless tire and seat the beads.
Milkit Booster Details
• Aluminum bottle, plastic inflation head
• Standard Presta filler valve
• Inflates Presta valves only
• Handy, push-to-inflate feature
• Doubles as a water bottle (fits standard cages)
• MSRP: $48 USD (small .6 liter) $50 USD (large 1 liter) Includes bottle, inflation head, screw-on cap and stash bag
• This product has been recalled, please Contact: Milkit

Doubles as a water bottle: Because Milkit's Booster canister is only filled with air, it can also be safely used as a water bottle (it fits neatly into standard cages) and it comes with a very Swiss looking screw-on cap for such purposes. The device needs no hoses or flip valves - just push its nozzle onto a Presta valve stem to start filling the tire. MSRP is $48 USD for the small .6 liter Boost and $50 for the one-liter size, a comparable price to alternatives currently on the market.


See it in Action:

Views: 5,999    Faves: 2    Comments: 0


Features and Performance

I have used a number of compact compressed air reservoir bottles with various hoses and valves, and most have done an admiral job of seating tubeless tires. I was interested in the smaller of the two Booster bottles, because of the possibility that it also could be stored in a water bottle cage or a hydration pack and used as a sort of refillable CO2 inflation device. As such, the feather-light aluminum bottle was relatively secure in two different bottle cages: an SKS carbon and a Topeak reinforced plastic model. At close to $50, however, I'd use a Velcro band to secure it in the cage.

Milkit Booster tubeless inflation system
Milkit Booster tubeless inflation system
Charge the Booster with any floor pump through its top-mounted Presta valve


Back to the nuts and bolts, Milkit's futuristic-looking inflation head is very effective. The bottle is pressurized through a conventional Presta valve, so you should be able to charge it with any cycling hand pump. The small .6-liter cylinder is rated up to 160psi (11BAR) and maxes out in about two dozen strokes of a high-volume floor pump. The push-to activate filler nozzle surprised me by making an airtight seal every time I filled a tire. With no hoses, valves or flip levers to deal with, Milkit's Booster is the most user-friendly stand-alone reservoir system I've used to date.

I was doubtful that the smallish bottle could launch a pesky tire. It did take two tries on a historically difficult rim and tire combination, but the task wasn't any more difficult than it was using my trusty Topeak reservoir pump. As witnessed in the video, however, every other combination that I tried popped on in one very easy trial. This pipsqueak pressure vessel delivers the goods.

Milkit Booster
Push the valve head onto the wheel's valve stem to instantly charge the tubeless tire.
Milkit Booster tubeless inflation system
Check to ensure that the cage's hooked front piece is long enough to secure the bottle. This one isn't.


Did I use the Booster as a water bottle? No. But it could be handy to fill up and bring along the next time I am guiding a ride - someone usually has to plug and remount a reluctant tire. Similarly, Milkit's Booster could do double duty as an inflation device and water storage for adventure riders. Is it more effective than a CO2 cartridge? Yes, and unlike a CO2 cartridge, if you botch your first try, you can air up your Booster and have another go at it.


bigquotesMilkit's Booster tubeless inflation device is lightweight, simple to use and very effective. If I were using it exclusively at home, I'd spend the extra two dollars and buy the larger-volume one-liter version to give me the upper hand on reluctant tire/rim combinations. As a take-anywhere tool, however, the .6-liter Booster will be hard to beat.RC


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104 Comments
  • 138 1
 That awkward moment when you take a sip of water and start to inflate
  • 12 0
 And knock out a few teeth
  • 19 15
 Blow your colostomy bag!
  • 9 0
 3-in-1 Tire inflation, water bottle and enema.
  • 37 2
 I bought one of these, used it a few times, then it blew up. The insides were fired out towards my face. Pretty scary, I'm very lucky to have gotten away with it.
  • 6 0
 Damn. Since you're talking about insides, I assume it was the inflation head that blew up and not the bottle?
  • 6 0
 Well...that sounds like quite a serious flaw. Care to elaborate? What was Milkit's response?
  • 4 9
flag MmmBones (Jun 8, 2018 at 2:36) (Below Threshold)
 Typical RC approved product
  • 11 1
 Thanks for sharing. To be honest I'd be scared to even try one without having heard stories like those. It is a pressure vessel, subject to fatigue (considering it is aluminium). It will also receive some "minor" damage through impact etc. That it works the first time is no guarantee you'll be safe the next time. It is only a matter of time for it to burst.
  • 4 1
 I’m a pressure survivor for an insurance company. Pressure is dangerous stuff, i’m Really surprised that there is no safety valve on them, i’d be failing them
  • 12 12
 @MmmBones: what was he supposed to do with it other than use as prescribed? Send it to his nerd soul mates at Syntace to run destructive testing on zeir bezt beinchmahking machine in ze vörld? Pole should install such device inside their frame.
  • 2 1
 @vinay: honestly, there shouldn't be any problems with it as long as you don't ever exceed the max psi. Compressors last for decades. That this product failed for someone is really bad, something is very wrong here.
  • 3 0
 @Pedro404: yeah it spat the guts out of the back of the head, towards my face, with 140psi behind it.
  • 9 0
 To elaborate: The bottle is fine, it was the inflator that blew up. It fired the inside parts out of the back of it when i pushed it onto the tyre valve. No reaponse from milkit yet. The shop i got it from offered me a refund and replacement. I'll take the refund, but they can keep the replacement.
  • 4 4
 @WAKIdesigns: perfecting the SWAT frame!
  • 2 0
 @mnorris122: modern compressors have Pressure relief valves. Guess why? There have been many instances failures without.
  • 1 0
 O crap!
  • 3 0
 Waiting for version 2. Thanks for beta test.
  • 4 1
 @fielonator That is scary, What did the maker have to say about the failure?
  • 4 0
 @allballz: yeah, because airplanes aren't gigantic pressure vessels, and they're never made of aluminum.
And where do get that steel has an infinite fatigue limit. I'm assuming you have never heard of work hardening. Seeing as I've had several steel frames fail due to age/fatigue, plus if you ever have seen an old MGB or Midget with fatigue cracks on the door skins due to fatigue.
As far as I know, nothing has an infinite fatigue life, not steel, not aluminum, not carbon.
  • 3 0
 @BikesBoatsNJeeps: Yes, aircraft are pressure vessels made from aluminium. They are subject to fatigue, which is why they require regular inspection and at times need to have their skin panels replaced. There have been bad accidents before they figured that out.

Aluminium has no fatigue limit, steel has. Which means below a certain stress, steel is not subject to fatigue. Aluminium always is.
  • 1 0
 @chribi: wow - you cant make this stuff up!
  • 1 0
 @chribi: Thanks for the link, should appear on the PB main page too. Considering there have been incidents already, I suppose they could have done the recall a good while earlier too.
  • 1 0
 @allballz: yea but steel is heavy af imagine carrying a 5kg steel water bottle around on your daily ride? IT WOULD BE SHIT that's why you use aluminium alloy
  • 1 0
 @maximetroadec: what? A waterbottle sized billet of steel wouldn’t weigh 5kg. I have stainless steel water bottles at home and they aren’t noticeably heavier than alu...
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Well educated PBers don't do silly research like that. They read articles. Sponsored articles. So they know. Steel heavy, aluminium light. Don't even try to pick up a steel product, it is too heavy. Aluminium? Oh yeah, light as a feather. See, feathers are light too. Like aluminium.

They even read other articles. Sponsored articles. So they know. Aluminium heavy, carbon light. Don't even try to pick up an aluminium product, it is too heavy.

See, as long as you read and don't think, everything is possible. Your bandwidth is the limit of what can be achieved.

That said, a larger waterbottle (like 750ml) sized billet of steel would exceed 5kg. It is just that for a water bottle to be a waterbottle, it needs to be a thin walled container, not a billet.
  • 1 0
 @RichardCunningham: They just recalled all units (at least in Germany, guessing also in Switzerland). Here a link, unfortunately in German:

www.mtb-news.de/news/2018/06/14/rueckruf-milkit-tubeless-booster-produkte
  • 2 0
 @santoman: The recall is also stated at the bottom of the article. Though I actually believe it should be at the top. No one read the bottom of an article. People read the top, then scroll down to see how long it is, then they move on to the comment section.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: you're right. I read the original article before the recall statement was added and did not see it when I came back to mention it.
  • 9 1
 I just bought a small home compressor £100/$130. Works each time every time first time. I never use expensive tubeless kits. Ghetto tubeless on non tubeless wheels n tyres as I find wire bead tyres seat on the bead just as well if not better. Lazy yes. Effective yes.
  • 2 1
 No kidding. You can get a small compressor for $60 or so if you shop around and get a deal online. I've actually got two compressors, a small very portable one that I bought for about $100 10 years ago I use for inflations, and a mid size high pressure unit for air tools.

Though, the portability of this pressure bottle is pretty handy.
  • 2 0
 harborfreight has sales all the time...https://www.harborfreight.com/3-gal-13-hp-100-psi-oilless-pancake-air-compressor-61615.html get those pings in a moment.
  • 2 0
 I'd consider this just because if I'm camping out for a bike trip I may not have anywhere to plug a compressor in, but i always have a floor pump.
  • 18 0
 Theyre a pain on the trail tho. So heavy, tough to fit in a waist pack, and then the miles and miles of extension cords...
  • 1 0
 @P-I-Engineer: $39.99! Thanks! I normally just run a couple block to use my buddies but for that price I'm swooping one after work today!
  • 1 0
 I have an old tankless Cambell Housefield that was under $100, and a 12V little guy in the car that was super cheap too. Funny thing is, I always use my floor pump
  • 1 0
 Am I the only one that has used a plastic coke bottle and plastic tubing for 5 years with no issues??
  • 7 0
 F* that. Sigg bottles are not pressure vessels.
no safety valve on the injection moulded plastic head. #
that looks pretty shonky.

A disposable drinks bottle (with the five bumps forming the bottom) are rated to over 200psi. I suspect you would be better off using one of them (as many people do)
  • 1 0
 @allballz:

Funny thing is, the majority of the bike industry doesn’t start out at ME’s. They were either ex mechanics or ex racers. Check the credentials on Cesar Rojo founder of Unno bikes and designer of Intense M29 and Mondraker forward geometry. He was a pro DH racer. YT industries and Box components started out that way too. So they don’t have the mentality of “big and strong can’t go wrong.” But in all honesty most people who have a “jimmy rigged” plastic bottle don’t put 140 psi like the OP did. Phil Metz (youtuber and former racer) pumps his to around 60psi to seed his tires. You keep on expecting 320psi. But what bike at you using this for? A road bike? And Like others I have completely seeded a mtb tire bead with a floor pump. And I didn’t go anyway near 140psi. Maxxis Minions on wtb rims.
  • 7 0
 I run ust Easton rims and maxis tires. All I have ever needed was my floor pump, and I don't really have to pump that hard to seat the tire. I would rather just purchase more user friendly products then need gimmicky thinks like this. I appreciate inventiveness but no thanks.
  • 2 0
 Same here. Stan's rims, Maxxis tires. They require no more effort than pumping up a tube. The right equipment requires no further gimmicks.
  • 1 0
 I've never had to use a compressor to seat maxxis tires. They've inflated instantly on ethirteen, we are one, spank, and countless other rims without a hitch.
  • 8 1
 Nah.. I'm carrying a bottle of WD40 and Zippo lighter instead. Works every time Wink
  • 4 0
 seems like a sub-fantastic video as the beads did not seat until the floor pump was used. When you aren't quite seated yet, not all tire/rim combos are going to hold air fast enough to grab the pump and take over. If the bottle won't seat the beads, its not really doing its job. Maybe other tire/rim combos seated without additional floor pumping?
  • 2 0
 That's pretty typical of booster bottles and booster pumps. It usually takes a floor pump to top off the installation and get the beads seated. The booster provides the high volume rush of air that a floor pump alone cannot to shock the beads onto the rim flanges and make the initial seal.
  • 3 0
 Got them in the shop, and been using one.

Pros,
small and very handy to take to race/travel (fly) with, took it with me when at Albstadt and came in very handy when having to swap tyres (new Schwalbe Rocket Rons) after it pissed it down on the Saturday.
Cheapest thing I seen that does a good job. (compare to Air Shot or big volume/tubeless designed track pump)
No hose or switch to faff with.
No waste like with Co2 cartridges or having to take to recycle centre.
Reusable
Quick

Cons,
Tapered body/tip where the presta valve doesn't hold the track pump head very well when I get to higher pressures.
(But to be fair my track pump is a bit worn. and putting a schrader adaptor on it soles that issue.)
Had to replace the presta valve already.
Can't tell if it is pressured or not with out putting a press gauge on or pump.

I been tubeless from the early Stan Olympic rim/converting kits, (and even early road tubeless convert) so many years experience with tubeless systems etc. I have converted a old fire extinguisher many years ago, which made my life a lot easier, still going and use it in the workshop when doing customers tyres etc. (just a bit bulky)
Did have a air composer but didn't have the "rush" of air that is needed.
(also taking the inner core/valve out helps a lot.

What puts most people off is the faff of "popping" the tyre onto the rim and having issues with track pumps etc.
and the price of Airshot etc, so something cheaper and smaller does tick a lot of boxes for people.
  • 3 0
 Honestly pinkbike, you need to consider taking down this review or not endorsing this product out of public safety until you can verify whether it meets the relevant CSA, TSSA or ASME codes for pressure vessels. I took a thorough look on their website and found nothing. I am among a number of Professional Engineers who have highlighted the dangers of aluminum pressure vessels in this thread. When I worked in the natural gas and hydrogen gas fueled vehicle industry there wasn't a single aluminum vessel rated or certified as a pressure vessel for gas storage. There still isn't. Although vehicle tanks have much higher pressures, the unpredictable failure modes came from the cycling between full and empty and not max pressure. Even a low pressure application like sodastream requires their proprietary canister so they can monitor cycle life and filling pressure. I can't imagine giving customers a pressure vessel to fill themselves without a safety valve. Give the Engineers at Powertech Labs down the road from you a call for their opinion on this since they test and certify such vessels.
  • 2 0
 I find taking the valve core out first then inflate to 60psi, take the head of and putting the valve core back in works every time so far with Specialized or Maxxis tyres. Having said that I haven’t tried Schwalbe tyres though.
  • 2 0
 Yep, same here. First time it was a bit messy, because noob gotta noob. But every time after then I had zero issues with different rims and Maxxis or Specialized tires with just floor pump. I would say the key is to go around the tire and spread the bead apart with hands. Then remove the valve core and pump fast couple of times. Once the bead catches on and holds air, you have won.
  • 1 0
 Works on everything except for Schwalbes Wink Had problems sealing even Schwalbe CX tires :/
  • 2 0
 Got the small bottle kit. Tried re-seating 29" Hans Damf and Nobby Nic 2.35 after adding sealants. I only removed one side of the bead to ease the re-seating process. After removing the valve core, I pumped up to 150psi.

Nobby Nic : took 2 inflation of the the MilkIt to seat the bead.

Hans Damf : Would not seat after 6 tries at 160psi. Ended up using my ghetto 2 liter Coke bottle inflator at 100psi.

My guess is if I had the 1 liter MilkIt bottle, it would have worked. The small bottle doesn't have enough air to inflate high volume tires.
  • 2 1
 Maybe I'm missing something, but why did the user need it when he had the Joe blow high pressure pump. No way I'd have a high pressure aluminum can near me on the go and definitely not pointing at my junk as seen in the video. Crazy! Honestly just don't see the need when small co2 cartridges are cheap, safe, effective, and efficient.
  • 5 0
 High volume pumps can be used as regular pumps too. In this case, they are using the [high volume] pump in "regular pump" mode to inflate an external reservoir to demonstrate how this product is intended to work. Many people do not own a high volume pump for seating tubeless tires. This product might be a good alternative for those who do not wish to buy an entirely new pump but still wish to inflate tubeless tires. While co2 inflators are quite useful, having options that suit different needs are quite nice and it's possible that this inflator delivers a larger volume of air in one burst than a standard MTB co2.
  • 1 0
 Uhhhhhhhhh it was a demonstration?!?!??!?!
  • 1 0
 I have the MilkIt head and have tested it on a cheap Sigg-style bottle (Quechua branded). The bottom of the bottle bulged out very slightly and when I hit 140psi the head popped off the bottle with a slow hiss. Inflated again to 140psi it held fine and inflated a tube fine as a test. MilkIt's recommended pressure is 160psi but in emails I had with them they said that 80-100 will be enough, and that's about as high as you'll be able to pressurise the bottle with a mini pump anyway. I'll be using it for real at about 100psi when I change rubber in a couple of weeks and carrying the head in my backpack as I always carry a Sigg-style bottle on long rides anyway.
  • 1 0
 I have the one litre version of this. Works well and is very lightweight. There are some mistakes and misunderstandings in comments. Firstly, there is a safety valve. It’s that metal disc right behind the thumb position on the valve holder. Secondly 160 psi in that bottle is bugger all in terms of stress loading on a well finished Ali cylinder like this. There is an indexing notch in the base which is the only stress raiser in the device, but it’s quite thick wall and appear to be shot peened and anodised. The adapter doesn’t work well on short stem Mavic style valves, but is fine otherwise.
  • 1 0
 It was the "safety" valve that almost took my head off then. More of a nylon bullet than safety valve.
  • 1 0
 Product has been recalled in UK by the distributers. Quote from article on Singletrack's website:

"Madison, the distributor that imports and sells milKit products in the UK, has just gotten in touch with us to let us know that there is an immediate recall on the new milKit Booster tubeless tyre inflator. The advice from Madison is for us journalists who have samples of the Booster inflator is to “stop using this product immediately, and throw it away”.

more at Singletrack: singletrackworld.com/2018/06/product-recall-milkit-booster-tyre-inflator
  • 2 0
 STOP USING THE BOOSTER
STOP USING THE BOOSTER
STOP USING THE BOOSTER

THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL.
More details are over at singletrackworld.com/2018/06/product-recall-milkit-booster-tyre-inflator
  • 3 0
 "most have done an admiral job of seating tubeless tires"-- Is Ricky from TPB our new correspondent?
  • 2 0
 Worst case Ontario you need to use your high pressure pump.
  • 4 0
 Looks like a Giant Trance and the picks show a 29” wheel. Tell me more
  • 6 7
 I've done 10's of tubeless set ups now and not once have I needed anything more than a track pump and a bit of fast pumping.

Are these inflators (this brand or any other) really needed? Or it's is just a lazy way of doing it?!
  • 3 0
 @jlawie some combos are bloody stubborn on the first setup, but 8/10 I also manage with a normal floor pump
  • 1 0
 That's what I thought...until I bought some Conti tyres. I had to get a booster device. Same goes for a mate of mine. Always just track pump and then he got a tyre which just wouldn't pop in place. It does happen.
  • 2 0
 Depends on the rim/tyre combo. With most that I have a track pump is well enough but with some there’s no hope whatsover without an inflator or a compressor.
  • 2 4
 Same,really don't understand what's hard about setting up Tubeless with a track pump
  • 2 0
 In my experience it depends on so many things being right. Tyre and rim combo. Condition of both those things. How many layers of rim tape. Is your pump awesome or old and knackered? Sealant? What is the current phase of the moon? For example I popped a Spesh Butcher on a dented old Flow rim the other day and it aired up straight away, no problem. I then spent nearly an hour trying all the tricks to get a Purgatory to seal on a Hope Tech Enduro. It went on the end, but it was messy and took more than a bit of fast pumping. A product like this (or a compressor) would probably have helped a lot!
  • 2 0
 You're lucky. The sweat pouring off me after twenty minutes of unsuccessful pumping and applying washing up liquid and turning the tyre this way and that... (Nukeproof Generator rims and Schwalbes thankfully long gone) had no desire to go for a ride anyway after all that.
  • 5 0
 @vesko: Surely it's cheaper to bin the conti tyres and replace with Maxxis rather than buy an inflation device? Always used Maxxis, never needed an inflation device.
  • 1 0
 try the older generation DT Swiss E1900 with any tire. They are so loose that even with a booster its relatively difficult.
  • 2 0
 Im guessing this is aimed at trailside repair.
  • 2 0
 I've got the same track pump. POS, I can see why you need the extra boost from elsewhere.
  • 3 0
 It triples up as a milk frother for your midride cappuccino !
  • 1 0
 I have yet to be able to not seat a tubeless tire with a regular ol floor pump.

This device is cool for say bikepacking/riding if you can carry the .6 liter bottle easily.
  • 0 0
 STOP USING THE BOOSTER
STOP USING THE BOOSTER
STOP USING THE BOOSTER

THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL.
More details are here singletrackworld.com/2018/06/product-recall-milkit-booster-tyre-inflator/#comment-89526
  • 0 0
 STOP USING THE BOOSTER
STOP USING THE BOOSTER
STOP USING THE BOOSTER

THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL.
More details are here singletrackworld.com/2018/06/product-recall-milkit-booster-tyre-inflator/#comment-89526
  • 2 1
 looks like a SIGG bottle. All I need now is the special end cap and I’ll be set.
  • 2 0
 they're available alone in EU. check some online shops around you, maybe they have them too.
www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=271932;menu=1000,5,71
  • 2 0
 This is a SIGG bottle...
  • 2 0
 wait is it "MILK IT" or "MIL KIT" ? Big Grin
  • 1 0
 To sketchy for me. One dent or imperfection in the bottle and it’ll go off like a bomb. I’ll pass Eek
  • 2 0
 Least satisfying tubeless inflation video ever.
  • 1 0
 @redsled137: I always set my beads with a cig dangling out of my mouth next to a gas can
  • 1 0
 does anyone else never have an issue setting up tubeless with a standard floor pump?
  • 1 0
 How does it allow one to "check, ...., and top off their tubeless sealant without dismounting their tires"?
  • 1 1
 Finally a reason to have a water bottle holder on my frame.... wait never mind a classic pump or CO2 cartridge will work instead.
  • 2 1
 They named it after what it needlessly does to your bank account, shrewd!!
  • 1 0
 i think they're still cheaper than alternatives - except the DIY from fire extinguisher one Wink
  • 2 2
 Just get Schwalbe Procores. None of this inflation problem nonsense. Pump tyres up as slow as you like
  • 1 4
 Im sorry, how is it more 'effective' than a MUCH cheaper Co2 canister?
It seems in this author's zest to get a job with this company as a PR man, he failed to mention the fact that Co2 canisters, in addition to being a LOT cheaper than this thing, they're also MUCH smaller. You could carry a fricken case of the things, and still take up less space than this thing does. They're also easier to use.
  • 3 0
 without wanting to come across as a massive hippy, the CO2 canisters are pretty wasteful. An afternoon spent trying to seat a particularly tricky tyre and you can end up surrounded by the damn things. That said, I do carry two, just in case. I don't think this toy would replace them as it is. looks like it needs work
  • 1 0
 @OllyR: What you said... and you get a second chance without wasting another cartridge
  • 1 0
 In the UK you will only get 13 Co2 canisters for the price of the 0.6L booster. Which not that many if you swap tyre a bit or do fair bit of racing and trying out diff tyre set ups.
  • 1 0
 Yep. Definitely milkin' it.
  • 1 1
 Wait, he used the Milkit first, then used his own pump to pump up the rest? Whats the point then!?
  • 1 1
 Where can I buy this in US or Canada?
  • 3 5
 Or,just use the track pump you already own.
  • 9 0
 never inflated schwalbe tubeless huh?
  • 1 0
 @strasznyzbigniew: yep
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