Small but mighty? Wolf Tooth Components’ EnCase System Pump 40cc is the next step in Wolf Tooth’s hidden multi-tool story. As expected of the brand, it’s built to only the highest quality, and integrated tool storage is always a plus. It’s compact, too, so it’s primed to fit in even the fullest of backpacks or make a small footprint on your bike’s accessory mount. Although with such a small size, the lack of efficiency leaves much to be desired.
- Best mountain bike pumps and CO2 inflators 2025
- Topeak Mountain 2Stage mini pump review
- Best bike multi-tools 2025: top-rated tools for mountain and gravel bikes
Wolf Tooth Components EnCase System Pump 40cc - Technical details
The Wolf Tooth Components EnCase System Pump is set to fill large volume mountain, gravel, and even fat bike tyres with as little effort as possible, says the brand. However, it’s got a neat trick up its sleeve - it can become home to one of Wolf Tooth’s EnCase system tools.
Coming in four variants, the pump can be bought by itself or with a tool from the EnCase range. Riders can pick from a tyre plug tool, Chain + Tyre Plug Multi-Tool, or the Hex Bit Wrench Multi-Tool. I chose the latter. These tools all slip into a small rubber sleeve, which then sits inside the pump.
Made from 6061-T6 aluminium, glass-filled nylon, NBR, EPDM, and urethane, the EnCase System Pump features a neat ‘enviro-lock’ that stops the pump from extending while riding. There’s also no hose in sight, as the head simply pushes onto a valve. Something to note, it’s only compatible with Presta valves.
To fit with a range of riders’ setups, the pump comes in two sizes, the 40cc size on test and a larger 85cc pump, as well as an even smaller 30cc model. The 85cc pump enables the carrying of two of the EnCase system tools. The 30cc pump can carry the tubeless repair kit.
Wolf Tooth says that the pump alone weighs 95g, whereas I have it at 92g, and the Hex Bit Wrench Multi-Tool adds 49g. It’s also covered by the brand’s Right to Repair warranty. All in, the pump measures 141mm in length (compressed) and 31mm in diameter.
Wolf Tooth Components EnCase System Pump 40cc - Performance
The Hex Bit Multi-Tool is one that we’re already very familiar with. It’s a neat little tool that provides more leverage than the average multi-tool with a more ergonomic build. It carries its own allens, which are held in the tool’s body magnetically, with little rubber bands added for security. While it can be tricky to pry the bits from their homes, it’s certainly not a bad tool.
But we’re talking about the pump here, and the typical Wolf Tooth build quality is definitely present. It’s a solid-feeling pump and the enviro-lock feature works excellently both to keep the elements at bay and also to keep the pump from extending of its own free will.
It’s a very small pump, which is its real selling point. It’s small enough to fit in almost any kind of pocket and run seamlessly, bolted to a bike. The brand states that despite its size, it still packs a lot of volume per stroke and that it doesn’t require all that much force to compress. And it’s a good thing that it’s said to deliver ‘big volume’ per stroke because it certainly needs it.
Efficiency isn’t this pump’s bag as it’ll take three to four business days to inflate a 2.4in mountain bike tyre to 20psi. Alright, that is an exaggeration, but inflation to a suitable pressure is no quick task, so it’s a great thing that there’s little to no friction throughout the pump’s stroke. With that in mind, the EnCase pump isn’t the pump you want to use, but if you’re in a pinch, you’ll be thanking yourself for carrying it.
So it’s more of an emergency bit of kit, but it also appeals to the weight and size-conscious out there. Very few pumps come as small as this, so the EnCase System Pump can fit into almost any bikepacking bag, saving vital space for other important bits and bobs. Of course, it also handles the storage of a multi-tool.
Then, if you’re one for carrying as little as possible, it can fit in a jersey pocket while fulfilling two functions of anyone’s riding kit roster. It’ll also better suit those with narrower tyres, where it won’t take as much time or effort to reach a rideable pressure. If you want better efficiency, that’s where the 95cc pump comes in, so it’s horses for courses.
Wolf Tooth Components EnCase System Pump 40cc - Verdict
One other pump springs to mind when comparing the EnCase System Pump - the OneUp Components EDC pump. The EDC Pump in its 70cc guise is heavier and bigger, but you get a near-complete system in one package and a more efficient pump for the same money.
Another product that can be compared is Crankbrothers’ BC18 SOS Bottle Cage Tool Kit. It’s £100, you’ll need to find a pump that’ll fit it (that you might already have), and it covers pretty much all manners of bike repair needs. It is heavier, however, at 247g without a pump, and it's not exactly something you can fit in a bag or pocket.
The Wolf Tooth Components EnCase System Pump 40cc’s lacking efficiency means that it certainly won’t be for everyone. However, if you’re tight on space in your existing bikepacking rig, carry minimally, or just want a lightweight pump for hell for leather road or gravel rides, it acts as a well-built and easy-to-use contingency should the worst happen while providing handy storage for tools.
Add comment