Al80 buying guide help

[Mr.337]

Hi all,

I'm wanting 2 al80's as I live in Texas and often only dive the carribean areas so haven't ever used steels. These will be set up for sidemount with opposing long post valves.

I know the Catalina 80s are more floaty than the luxfer when empty

What other brands do you recommend other than those 2.

Also do you recommend any online places to buy these or better to buy from LDS?

 

[runsongas]

see if your LDS sells used al80s from their rental fleet with a fresh hydro/vis. that can sometimes be cheaper than any other option, especially if they throw in some free fills.

 

[rjack321]

In SM where you are using rigging and the neck bungie to create a level tank in trim, the AL80 brand doesnt matter much. Matters even less in salt water.

Luxfer, Catalina, metal impact, hymark, they are all functionally the same.

I would probably look for post 1990 used ones, assuming your LDS will fill them if in hydro. If they are picky about age then get new ones. Online if the price is right and your LDS isn't going to balk at the online store's VIP stickers. Last resort is at your LDS

 

[happy-diver]

You can't fix tanks don't buy junk you want easy fills get luxfers and fill cards thrown in from where you'll be filling


Every time you walk into a shop for a fill it's groundhog day

 

[halocline]

I know the Catalina 80s are more floaty than the luxfer when empty

You have it backwards, the Luxfers are .4 lbs more positive empty than the Catalinas. I have Catalinas, I use Luxfers in MX and I can't tell much difference; I might re-clip the Luxfers a couple hundred PSI earlier in the dive, that's about it.