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Topeak's Pocketshock DXG is a mid-sized shock pump that should be great for chucking in your pack for on-trail adjustment, but a flimsy handle and poorly placed bleed valve go against an otherwise well made and featured pump.

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Weighing just 178g, the Pocketshock DXG splits the difference between full-sized shock pumps that are often a pain to fit in a pack and minimalist units such as Topeak's own Microshock that don't offer a gauge. While the gauge on the Pocketshock goes up to 375psi/25bar, it'd be quite the struggle to get there, but at more normal pressures it's just fine, though it's noticeably slower to inflate than a full-size item.

The gauge is easy enough to read and goes up to 370psi, though that'd be hard work

More of an issue is the slightly flimsy handle that had a habit of both unscrewing itself and also wobbling if you used it with gusto, either jamming against the pump body or pinching your skin with painful consequences. It also doesn't help that the bleed valve for adjusting pressure is just where you'd naturally want to put your hand while pumping, so you can find yourself pissing out pressure when you're trying to put it in.

The handle is rather prone to coming loose and is also a bit flimsy

These flaws are a bit of a shame as otherwise it's a well-made pump that's been happy getting beaten about in a riding bag and I'm a big fan of the valve head that allows you to disconnect the air spring from the pump while leaving it attached. That allows you to set sag up without having to take the pump off every time - if left fully connected the volume of the pump added to the volume of the shock will mess with your settings.

There's a small bleed valve but the position isn't great

All in all, it's hard to recommend this unit as despite the positives, it's ultimately an annoyance to use and at £40 it's not as cheap as a basic, larger pump. There's now also a newer version of the Pocketshock DXG which should hopefully address some of our issues.

• www.topeak.com

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