Doubles - which tanks??

[clipperTT]

This has turned into one of the most informative doubles threads I've stumbled across lately and has helped my finally decide on what will best work for me. I'm going with a set of calalina AL80's with an evolve 40 wing. I've got the gear to stage 80's and in combination should meet all of my diving requirements right now until I progress into deeper technical diving. Right tool for the job seems to be the common theme here.

 

[Gilldiver]

Aluminum 80’s will take you a long way down the street and if you want to keep going the manifold and bands can be reused with the larger tanks and the aluminum tanks made into your stage bottles.

What you will have is what did all the air dives on the Doria up till the mid 90’s when the HP steels and all the other options hit the market. Up till then your choice was steel 72’s, aluminum 80’s, with a very rare set of aluminum 90’s or 100’s appropriated from the Navy.

 

[LiteHedded]

al80s are an awesome first set of doubles. get luxfers and they'll make great stages down the road

 

[rx7diver]

But now I’m within a few months of 50 and with a 7 and 12 year old, the risks associated with the deeper stuff, deeper then 200’, are becoming something that is just not worth it to me. My deep window is closing very quickly.

My reality as well, being 55 with a 9- and twin 7-year-olds. In fact, I've all but concluded that 165 fsw, the published depth limit of my Nikonos V--yes, I still use one! (its 15 mm is magical)--is where I'll stop from now on. Um, until I change my mind, that is.

 

[Gilldiver]

My reality as well, being 55 with a 9- and twin 7-year-olds. In fact, I've all but concluded that 165 fsw, the published depth limit of my Nikonos V--yes, I still use one! (its 15 mm is magical)--is where I'll stop from now on. Um, until I change my mind, that is.

I still have my Nike III and V ready to swim. The V realy doesn't like to be deeper then 180 as the back deforms and pinches the film. Now a Nike III is a Submarine and has been down to the far side of 250. As for glass, the 15mm is the finest lens ever made for UW work.

But age and everything else are telling, I'm supposed to be in Rhode Island right now, but my back is killing me and its a stay at home day insted.

Age sucks.

 

[iztok]

We're up to 30 tanks now, and I still want another set of 85s . . .

I started diving in June of last year. I have 4 AL80s, 1 double AL80s (my first and so far only set of doubles), AL40 (sling), AL19 (travel sling), 2 HP119. For total of 10 tanks so far.

 

[Pacific-Explorers]

al80s are an awesome first set of doubles. get luxfers and they'll make great stages down the road

totally aggree with this for two reasons...
1- very high percentage of people who start tec diving do not continue tec diving (no issue here at all, it just wasnt for them) in which case the twin al80s can be changed back into singles... or sold or what ever... no problem and no money wasted.
2- if tec diving is for you and you carry forward you end up with the STEEL doubles that suits you (or a few sets that suit the type of dive you happen to be doing from day to day) and in which case the al80s then are again split up for stage bottles...

both cases are win win

 

[rongoodman]

I wish I could get my 85s filled here like the ones I used in Florida last week! (I couldn't really tell much difference between my Worthingtons and the Fabers I rented there--I like them both.)

 

[Lobzilla]

al80s are an awesome first set of doubles. get luxfers and they'll make great stages down the road

What am I missing?

According to the charts, AL 80s hold 23% less air for slightly more(!) weight than steel HP100s.

If 160 cuft is enough, a set of steel HP80s will come in 20 pounds lighter than the AL bottles not even counting the additional lead required to sink the AL cylinders.

Unless you dive wet, I would consider HP steel to be the better deal in terms of capacity versus weight.

(Steel doubles and wetsuit without fully redundant BCD is a potential death trap in deep water.)

 

[rjack321]

What am I missing?

According to the charts, AL 80s hold 23% less air for slightly more(!) weight than steel HP100s.

If 160 cuft is enough, a set of steel HP80s will come in 20 pounds lighter than the AL bottles not even counting the additional lead required to sink the AL cylinders.

Unless you dive wet, I would consider HP steel to be the better deal in terms of capacity versus weight.

(Steel doubles and wetsuit without fully redundant BCD is a potential death trap in deep water.)

Hp80s suck as doubles. They are short and hard to get into (cause they sit low on the bench). They are top heavy on almost everyone so they make most people rear-back and drop their knees for horrid trim. They are rarely filled to actual capacity - usually you'll end up with 3200psi in them after a hotter fill. They have modest resale value.

They have almost no good qualities honestly and should not be compared with AL80s at all. AL80s are easy to trim out and can be resold for prices like you bought them for used - or used as stages.

Carrying around lead is not that big a deal.