Alyssa Miller

Solid plan. To make it stick do a two-minute night-before setup: lay out stretch mat and clothes, pre-measure coffee and breakfast ingredients, pack your bag, and park your phone on a charger outside the kitchen so screen-free is automatic. For toast, clean the crumb tray and lock in one tested “safe” shade, and add an if-then rule (if it’s 7:35 or later and switch to no-cook) so you never run long.

I do this on a beach with sand blowing everywhere, so step one for me is always to make sure the valve pin is up and clean. I dry fit the bayonet adapter first to feel that quarter turn lock and confirm the O ring is snug, then I attach the hose to the adapter and only then power the pump. Keeps surprises down. Let the pump run on high volume until the board is fully shaped and springy when you press the rails. On my gauge that is usually somewhere around 4 to 6 PSI. Then switch to high pressure and let it creep up to your target. For a 10 six all around board 12 to 15 PSI is the sweet spot. I stop closer to 14 or 15 when carrying a kid or a cooler, and lower if I am just messing around near shore. Never over the rating printed by the valve. When you are done, stand over the connection, keep the hose as straight as you can, and twist the adapter off in one quick move. You will hear a tiny hiss. If you get more than that, the adapter was not fully locked or the O ring is dry. A quick dip of the gasket in water before you start helps. One more thing. Do not press the pin while removing the hose or you will vent the board.