Overview
This is the kind of tool that feels optional right up until the first low tire, trailhead adjustment, or bad dirt-road decision.
Good tire pressure matters more the farther you get from pavement, gas stations, and easy help. That is true if you air down for rough roads, if you pick up a slow leak, or if weather and load start messing with how the truck feels. A compressor is not glamorous, but it is one of the few tools that can save a trip without drama.
The Viair 88P has been around forever because it hits the useful middle. It is portable, simple, and strong enough to belong in a real vehicle kit instead of being one of those tiny inflators you regret the first time you need it for more than topping off a commuter tire.
This is not about speed records. It is about having dependable air when you need it and not having to hope the next town has a gas station with a working hose.
A compressor does not seem important until it becomes the only thing between you and a really dumb problem.