Aluminum or Steel Tanks?

[Hoya97]

Let me check... Nope, not a girl. But I am married to one who dives and I teach a lot of women divers. My experience suggests that women love the steel HP 80s because they are shorter. The AL80's, if you're under about 5'5" tend to be too long. The steel HP 80's give you a lot of time underwater, are neg buoyant (great for loosing some of the weights you normally use) and should survive into the next ice age - if you take care of them.
Have a question for YOU now...
Why do you want to buy tanks? Looking at the cost ($225+ for steel) and compairing it to local rentals ($5), you would have to do a lot of diving to offset the expence I would think.
Just outlining an alternative thought... don't want to start a firestorm!
Lee

 

[FreeFloat]

I dive both an AL80 as well as a steel LP80. I find that I trim out differently in each tank. To be fair, I prefer the steel as its weight is more evenly distributed as well as it stays negative (-7/-2 if memory serves) as opposed to the AL80 (-3/+2). However, it is with some dismay I laerned recently that when I'm not in tmy full cold-water neoprene, I tend to be head-heavy in the steel tank......... not so with the aluminum. The trim makes a big difference to me in terms of air consumption and finning. YMMV

Edit: Oh yeah for sake of argument and comparison I'm 5'2" and 118 lb. Teensy.........

 

[FreeFloat]

Why do you want to buy tanks? Looking at the cost ($225+ for steel) and compairing it to local rentals ($5), you would have to do a lot of diving to offset the expence I would think.

I can't answer for the original poster, but in my case I wanted tanks mostly for the convenience - I could have charged-and-ready tanks in my basement, grab them, chuck the gear in the truck and go diving. No having to hit the dive shop, no rushing the after-dive to make it back before the shop closes, etc.

For the amount of diving I do (or did, at least up til nowadays) investing in a tank or two, even with hydro and vis expenses, was the only way to go.

 

[H2Andy]

good advice here so far... but what the heck...

i am a small-ish guy, not on the strong side, and i take meds that weaken me on top of it all, so i like aluminum 80's for open water better because they are easier to lug around. i only need 4 lbs of weight with them.

for caves, though, i have to dive steel 95's or 100's because that's all that is available
to me. i like it that i dont have to carry any weight at all, but lugging them around
is a nightmare.

 

[Natasha]

I have a funny story about steel tanks. Several years ago before SB and all this good info, I dove with steel. It was in a French speaking country and I do not speak French.
Well, I had to swim like a mad lady to keep from hitting the bottom since I was so over weighted.
The owner of the boat who spoke very little English, didn't tell me I needed less weights, and I was too new and too dumb to know.
I'd really like to try them now. Other then carrying them down to the shore, they seem like a good idea.

 

[ShakaZulu]

The steel tanks are shorter and weigh less then the aluminum. Because of the negative boyency characteristics, you can dive with less weight. Thus steel should be the way to go for the ladies. Also, since women use less air, even smaller tanks should be fine.

 

[SoCalScubaWen]

Let me check... Nope, not a girl. But I am married to one who dives and I teach a lot of women divers. My experience suggests that women love the steel HP 80s because they are shorter. The AL80's, if you're under about 5'5" tend to be too long. The steel HP 80's give you a lot of time underwater, are neg buoyant (great for loosing some of the weights you normally use) and should survive into the next ice age - if you take care of them.
Have a question for YOU now...
Why do you want to buy tanks? Looking at the cost ($225+ for steel) and compairing it to local rentals ($5), you would have to do a lot of diving to offset the expence I would think.
Just outlining an alternative thought... don't want to start a firestorm!
Lee

I'm hoping that I will be doing a lot of diving and I like having my own equipment. On the boat dives they prefer you have air when boarding but some will fill for you at a nominal fee. I don't like all the running around and relying on rental gear. Never a firestorm when someone has information to offer

 

[fun2chase]

Personally I much prefer the steel 72's. Would love to try the hp steel 80's if anyone is willing to lend me one. I am only 4' 10", so the height of the AL 80s bothers me. Also, the steel 72's are not as wide. Also, can't argue with carying 4-5 lbs less weight. Teh balance on the steel is better, too. Let us know what you try!

Have fun!
-stacy

 

[alcina]

I dive both, but usually use ali 65cf tanks for all dives - for me,that's masses of air/Nitrox, lots of comfort and light to carry to/from. I am used to the change of buoyancy and don't even notice it anymore.

One note of steelies, and I am not sure if this is old info or not cause I haven't bought any in a long time...DH bought me a new, really small steel tank as a present - unfortunately small meant short and fat...and the damn thing kept spinning me around while I was trying to take photos. So I gave that one away and now have two that are still short (I hate having a long tank) but skinnier and they work perfectly - they used to be my preferred Nitrox tanks.

 

[Hoya97]

Dear Fun2Chase,

I will be going up to Destin on business on the 9th of September. I plan on making a couple of boat dives on the 10th and returning back home on the 11th. I could bring my steel 80's with me if you would like to try them out. Realize the 10th is a Friday, but if you're able to get it off (assuming you work like the rest of us), this may be an opportunity for you to give them a try.

Let me know.

Lee

PS - Would have sent you a PM, but you have the option turned off.