party pigs, plastic scratches?

I am seriously considering getting a pig. I have come to the honest realization that kegging, while it is intriguing, is COMPLETELY out of the question for me at this time. But a pig seems a good option to reduce bottling time somewhat.

I am hesitant though because they are plastic. I know lots of folks rave about them but answer me this. Is there not a chance of infections since they are plastic and plastic does tend to scratch eventually no matter how careful you are? Is this an issue? Do they need to be replace every so often like other brewery plastic?

Oh, and what is up with the seperately purchased hand pump activator? Is it just a squeeze bulb and some tubing or what?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Hello, any party piggers out there? Help, please?

I've only used my pig once but others have reported using them for up to ten years without problems.
There is no reason that the inside of the pig should be scratched. Just avoid putting anything inside the pig except liquids. Even if you did have a scratch, finished beer is much more resistant to infection than raw wort.
The pressure pouch activation pump is just a squeeze bulb with tubing. The pouch can be activated with any pressure source but you will want to use something food safe. The PartyPig pump is cheap and fairly easy to use. If you have a CO2 system adapting that for activation is a good choice also. I wouldn't use air pumps that may use oil for a lubricant.

Craig

I love my party pig, it's the next best thing when you aren't quite ready to keg. It's PET grade plastic so it's quite reliable. I have PET beer bottles I have been using a long time without issues, so I doubt any problems with the pig. It's quite sturdy. I have pigged 3 batches so far without any issues.