Explanation on what's required for Doubles
- Thread starter MKrauter
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Scared Silly
Contributor
My suggestion is to do nothing in terms of spending money on cylinders, bands, and a manifold. You will probably just be pissing it away. Especially, if you start with AL80 cylinders (7.25) and switch the LP95 or LP104 (8.0) which as noted use different bands.
Instead get with your instructor and see what setups they have that you could utilize over the winter. If you really think you know what you want look for a set already put together and being sold used like these being sold over on The Deco Stop
(Note not mine nor do I know the seller, but a reasonable price)
The same with regs, BP, wings go talk with the instructor and shop.
Instead get with your instructor and see what setups they have that you could utilize over the winter. If you really think you know what you want look for a set already put together and being sold used like these being sold over on The Deco Stop
(Note not mine nor do I know the seller, but a reasonable price)
The same with regs, BP, wings go talk with the instructor and shop.
Another possible option is for you to borrow a set of doubles for practice over the winter giving you some time to decide which way you want to go.
I am guessing that being in Southern Ontario, your winter practice will likely consist of pool sessions. IMHO steel tanks are just to heavy for a light wetsuit, and you would be better off with aluminum 80s. Later on, I'm guessing you will be drysuit diving locally, in which case you will probably prefer steel tanks.
This is exactly what I did. I first did GUE-F in September 2012 and got a provisional tec pass. I borrowed a set of aluminum 80s and did a lot of pool sessions working on the skills that needed improvement, then returned for a tec pass in March 2013. I now dive HP100s (basically the same capacity of aluminum 80s with better weight characteristics) and recently got a set of HP130s.
As some others have suggested, sidemount is something I could see myself moving into in the future, but for now I am happy with doubles.
I am guessing that being in Southern Ontario, your winter practice will likely consist of pool sessions. IMHO steel tanks are just to heavy for a light wetsuit, and you would be better off with aluminum 80s. Later on, I'm guessing you will be drysuit diving locally, in which case you will probably prefer steel tanks.
This is exactly what I did. I first did GUE-F in September 2012 and got a provisional tec pass. I borrowed a set of aluminum 80s and did a lot of pool sessions working on the skills that needed improvement, then returned for a tec pass in March 2013. I now dive HP100s (basically the same capacity of aluminum 80s with better weight characteristics) and recently got a set of HP130s.
As some others have suggested, sidemount is something I could see myself moving into in the future, but for now I am happy with doubles.
flots am
Contributor
- Messages
- 3,226
- Reaction score
- 1,859
- # of dives
- I just don't log dives
Wait until you take the class before you start buying equipment. Until you get some training, you're just as likely to kill yourself as learn something new.
Having a lot of gas gives you the opportunity to incur a huge deco obligation that Open Water training doesn't equip you to deal with, as well as making you more negative than you can swim back up, in case of a wing failure. (there are others, too)
Once you sign up for the class, talk to your instructor and see what he recommends.
flots.
Having a lot of gas gives you the opportunity to incur a huge deco obligation that Open Water training doesn't equip you to deal with, as well as making you more negative than you can swim back up, in case of a wing failure. (there are others, too)
Once you sign up for the class, talk to your instructor and see what he recommends.
flots.
@Doppler: oddly enough I dove with one of your students last week LOL. Couldn't recommend side mount enough. But I am aiming to do my technical training with GUE so back mount is required.
@scuba.com thanks for letting me know. Wasn't aware of that. The reason I want Ali instead of steel is I don't see myself doing technical dives for a while 1-2 years (so I can save up and get more experience) so Ali seems a good compromise to get comfortable with doubles in the mean time.
I have spoken with my instructor about going to doubles (he recommended Ali 80 to start with) but will have to ask about bands and such.
At this time I already dive dry and plan on continuing through the winter in the lakes and local quarries. There are a few divers in te dive club who dive doubles so if I were looking for mentoring id probably try to organize a few trips together.
Thanks for the input everyone!
Another question, do manifolds come in one size or is it similar to DIN valves in that they come in 2-300 bar versions? What is recommended.
@Jim I'm not at home but let me speak with my LDS and I will definitely contact you.
@scuba.com thanks for letting me know. Wasn't aware of that. The reason I want Ali instead of steel is I don't see myself doing technical dives for a while 1-2 years (so I can save up and get more experience) so Ali seems a good compromise to get comfortable with doubles in the mean time.
I have spoken with my instructor about going to doubles (he recommended Ali 80 to start with) but will have to ask about bands and such.
At this time I already dive dry and plan on continuing through the winter in the lakes and local quarries. There are a few divers in te dive club who dive doubles so if I were looking for mentoring id probably try to organize a few trips together.
Thanks for the input everyone!
Another question, do manifolds come in one size or is it similar to DIN valves in that they come in 2-300 bar versions? What is recommended.
@Jim I'm not at home but let me speak with my LDS and I will definitely contact you.
flots am
Contributor
- Messages
- 3,226
- Reaction score
- 1,859
- # of dives
- I just don't log dives
flots am
Contributor
- Messages
- 3,226
- Reaction score
- 1,859
- # of dives
- I just don't log dives
Instructor_Tom
Contributor
MKruater;
personal option here. don't waste money on doubling up AL80s, set them up as stage bottles. find a local shop that will let you try out or rent LP steel tanks. every tank is different and will require fine tuning with trim weight or sliding bands to get them to float just right. the LP steel will give you a wider cross section and make you more stable in the water. They also won't have the dramatic shift in balance that the AL80s will as the start to empty.
when I started diving doubles I tried LP95s and LP108/104s. the 95s where too short for me (6' 1" 225lb) I could not keep from nose diving even with a tail weight. the LP 108s where perfect once I got the bands all the way up. Even so the 108s suck carrying to and from the water, but they are great once in the water.
also depending on the doubles set up you will also need a different wing set up. for the 108s I use a Zeagle Big Bertha 65lb wing, for AL80s you could probably get away with a 40lb wing.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
personal option here. don't waste money on doubling up AL80s, set them up as stage bottles. find a local shop that will let you try out or rent LP steel tanks. every tank is different and will require fine tuning with trim weight or sliding bands to get them to float just right. the LP steel will give you a wider cross section and make you more stable in the water. They also won't have the dramatic shift in balance that the AL80s will as the start to empty.
when I started diving doubles I tried LP95s and LP108/104s. the 95s where too short for me (6' 1" 225lb) I could not keep from nose diving even with a tail weight. the LP 108s where perfect once I got the bands all the way up. Even so the 108s suck carrying to and from the water, but they are great once in the water.
also depending on the doubles set up you will also need a different wing set up. for the 108s I use a Zeagle Big Bertha 65lb wing, for AL80s you could probably get away with a 40lb wing.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Similar threads
