Exped Schnozzel Pumpbag UL Review

Overview

The Schnozzel Pumpbag UL is a roll-top bag with a short, elephant-trunk valve at one end. Loft it with air, seal the top, roll down, and the bag acts as a bellows that pushes air into a sleeping pad. It is built for backpackers who want to stop huffing into their pads and keep breath moisture out of the insulation. The trade-off is that it is designed around Exped’s valve, so anyone on another brand’s pad needs an adapter and a bit of tinkering.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Type	Pump bag / roll-top waterproof stuff sack
Weight	40–60 g (1.4–2.1 oz) depending on size
Volume	20 L (S), 42 L (M)
Material	75-denier recycled polyester with TPU polyether film laminate
Closure	Roll-top; capped Schnozzel outlet
Pad compatibility	Exped pads directly; flat-valve pads (Sea to Summit, REI) work; other valves need the Universal Valve Adapter or FlatValve Adapter
Price	$49.95 (M)

Performance

Inflation. The pitch is simple, and owners say it holds up. Section Hiker’s reviewer reports that a full-size pad takes two to three bagfuls with the 42 L version, and that the process leaves no one gasping at 10,000 feet. A Trailspace reviewer filled an NeoAir XLite in 1.5 to 2 bags. A buyer using it on a Nemo Tensor said it worked as well as Nemo’s own Vortex pump sack. The connection is a little looser than the Vortex’s, which makes it easier to seat and release.

Moisture. Blowing a pad up by mouth puts warm, wet breath inside it. Over a season, that can leave condensation in the pad, which Exped cites as a reason for the bag. For thru-hikers who inflate every night for months, a dry fill is a real benefit. It also saves the evening lightheadedness that comes with blowing up a big pad at elevation.

The second job. This is where the bag earns its weight. Exped says the bag’s net weight is “essentially zero” because it replaces a stuff sack. The claim is only a slight exaggeration. Owners on REI describe it replacing a single-purpose pump bag, a clothing sack, a quilt sack and a pad sack in a single pack. One of them reports that a quilt, a pad and clothes fit together with room to spare. Taped seams keep the contents dry, and the closed outlet cap makes the bag airtight enough to hold compressed down for days. The 42 L size is large enough to serve as a pack liner. Section Hiker’s reviewer uses it that way. One owner has used it as an improvised inflatable pillow.

Build. Current production uses a 75-denier recycled polyester with a TPU film laminate. The older versions of this bag used thinner ripstop nylon, and owner reviews from that era describe it as durable enough for years of liner duty. Exped backed that version with a five-year warranty. The fabric on the current model is heavier-duty on paper, but the weight stays in the 40–60 g range.

Compatibility. This is the one area where owners need to do some work. The bag fits Exped pads and pads with flat valves, including Sea to Summit and REI models. For other valves, Exped sells a Universal Valve Adapter and a FlatValve Adapter, and publishes 3D-print files for additional adapters on Thingiverse. Older Trailspace feedback describes a homemade adapter from bicycle-tube tubing for a Therm-a-Rest classic valve. That approach works, but it is a fix, not a feature. Check the valve on your pad before you buy.

Choosing a Version

The two versions differ in volume and in what they are good for.

• S (20 L, about 40 g / 1.4 oz): Enough air volume for a short or torso-length pad, and a good size for a quilt or a small stuff sack in the pack. It is not big enough to serve as a pack liner. A full-length pad needs more fill cycles than with the M.
• M (42 L, about 60 g / 2.1 oz): The size most owners review. It inflates a full-length pad in two to three bagfuls and holds a quilt, clothes and a rolled pad together. It is large enough to line a pack. The extra 20 g buys the dual-use flexibility that makes the bag worth carrying.

Anyone with a regular-length pad should take the M. The S makes sense only for a short pad or someone who wants the smallest possible stuff sack.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Inflates a full-size pad in a few squeezes, with no breath moisture inside
• Weighs 40–60 g and replaces a stuff sack, which cuts its effective weight
• Doubles as a waterproof pack liner in the 42 L size
• Taped seams and roll-top keep contents dry
• Adapters extend compatibility beyond Exped pads
• Made from recycled fabric

Cons

• $49.95 for the M is a lot for a bag
• Non-Exped pads with unusual valves need an adapter
• A pad needs a couple of fill cycles; a small, dedicated pump sack may be faster per cycle
• The roll-top needs a few seconds of technique to seal the air in

Who Should Buy This

Anyone carrying an Exped pad, or a flat-valve pad from Sea to Summit or REI, who wants a dry fill and is willing to let a pump bag replace the stuff sack and pack liner they already carry. That includes thru-hikers who inflate nightly and do not want to breathe into a pad for six months. Skip it if you are happy blowing up your pad by mouth, if your pad has an unusual valve and you don’t want to buy an adapter, or if you already carry a liner and would not use this as a stuff sack.

Verdict

The Schnozzel Pumpbag UL does what it says: a quick, dry fill, and then a second life as a waterproof sack that offsets most of its weight. At $49.95, it is an expensive stuff sack, but a well-matched pad makes it the most useful 60 g in the pack. Buy the M for a full-length pad and check your valve first.