Only ONE tank...

[jonnythan]

Take it easy, Charlie, I wasn't trying to tie a knot in your tail.

My numbers aren't bogus, but they come from a different source:
http://www.lloydbaileysscuba.com/PST E Series Tanks.htm

And I'm aware that you recommended a steel tank, albeit a lighter steel tank, rather than an aluminum 80.

My point was that wearing any given diver, wearing given exposure protection, and all else being equal, will require W amount of weight to safely achieve equilibrium in the water.

X amount of that will be in the tank, and Y amount of that will be on the belt. Either way you want to go, you'll still need W amount total in the water.

That being the case, I'd rather be wearing a heavier tank (which by the way is also heavier because it holds 30 cu ft of gas more) and a lighter belt, than a lighter tank and a heavier belt. That same argument holds regardless of whether the lighter tank is made of steel or aluminum.

My basic point is that (given only one tank to select) I'd choose to optimize my rig for how it performs in the water rather than how heavy it is on the shore. As long as the heavier tank takes weight off my belt and gives me more gas in reserve, I'm happy with that trade-off. As always, YMMV.

How about wearing a lighter tank and the SAME belt?

You can do that with the E7-100 vs the E8-130. Your original post implied that the 130 allowed you to wear less on the belt than the 100, which it does not.

Was just a misunderstanding, but I think it's clear now

 

[Doc Intrepid]

How about wearing a lighter tank and the SAME belt?

You can do that with the E7-100 vs the E8-130. Your original post implied that the 130 allowed you to wear less on the belt than the 100, which it does not.

Was just a misunderstanding, but I think it's clear now

You're right Jonnythan, if both tanks are nearly empty then that 10' stop would require the same weight on the belt to be neutral. Sorry to those confused by my earlier post. What I was trying to say was that the 130 may be 1.7" larger in diameter and 1.5" longer than the 100, and 10# heavier, but it also holds 30 cu ft more air which - depending on what you're doing, spearfishing, whatever, - might be useful even as planned reserve. Hence, I would find it the preferable tank of the two. (Everything is a trade-off... )


BTW, you're pretty slick for a guy who wears a lime green helmet!

 

[Hoosier]

Hey, no matter what you said, it is hard to get E8-130 tank right now....
It has always been backordered. I know some places have it, but it is the top price right now.

 

[Kestrell]

PST E-8 130.


Just bought one. Wanted to get two, but at $375 per tank at my LDS I couldn't afford to right now.

 

[jonnythan]

BTW, you're pretty slick for a guy who wears a lime green helmet!

Under all that mud, I promise it's yellow..

The cave suit, though.... when you order, they don't let you pick the color. You open the thing and it's teal... and all you can do is take it caving to get it caked in mud ASAP

Now back to the regularly scheduled thread..

 

[teknitroxdiver]

E7-100

 

[theskull]

If I could only own one single tank, it would have to be my Faber LP 131! With a good overfill it'll outlast 2 al 80s.

If I could only own a single size, but could have more than one, it would be my Faber LP 108s. They're a little more manageable than the 131.

theskull

 

[NamTinker]

Interesting...
So the field is generally divided between the E130 or E100 with another size/type here and there. E130's are available over here, with the latest prices starting at around CDN$480.
But I am around 5'9" , 160lbs, so with (ultimately) 2 130's I will be carrying more than half my body weight.
So maybe I'll get me a single 130 and add some serious additional gym work...

Interesting though that almost all of you favour the steel. Contrary to the general "public" perception.

Have any of you used the 130 in warmer water i.e. with a thin wetsuit suit, in the 3-5mm range?

 

[Tom Winters]

Have any of you used the 130 in warmer water i.e. with a thin wetsuit suit, in the 3-5mm range?

I use the LP 125 with a 1mm or a surf suit worn over it and a 6-pound steel backplate. I haven't worn a weight belt for quite a while now. I go down like a bat out of hell, but I'm neutrally bouyant at the end on my deco.
One thing about my LP steel 85 and 125's is that they're neutrally buoyant at the end of the dive - then's it's the backplate keeping me down.
I lugged a few twinned HP 130's for guys who couldn't carry them or load them into their truck or move htem easily on a boat. Man those things were heavy, although my steel bigbomb weighs 58 pounds fully locked and loaded.
My wife dives those little 100's. They're a nice tank - all those little tanks are a joy logistically, but I'd rather have my LP85's that hold 113 cubic feet of gas at 3500psi.

 

[theskull]

Have any of you used the 130 in warmer water i.e. with a thin wetsuit suit, in the 3-5mm range?

I dive the Faber LP 108 (a couple pounds less negative than the 130) with a 3 mm all summer long. No additional weight needed with standard BC (SeaQuest Balance). Am 5'10", 175 lbs., and 18% bodyfat.

theskull