Sidemount: HP Steel 117, 133, vs 149?

[SlugLife]

TLDR: Would you recommend I go HP 117, 133, or 149 for Sidemount?

I've been diving Sidemount for a year, and figured it might be time to get some steel-tanks. The used market has been non-existent locally. So I'm considering new tanks.

The reason I'm leaning towards bigger tanks is:

• Fewer refills, longer dives, or 2-dives per tank. (1-hr drive to fill-station)
• Future-proofing. Good for tech/cave/etc diving which I'm not doing quite yet, but likely to get into.
• I find carrying tanks in general more annoying due to bulk, not weight. I'm not a big guy, but I don't mind the exercise, and it's all in the legs.
• The difference in price isn't that significant. (Although, the HP120s are a little more expensive per volume)

My concern is I don't have hands on experience, don't know where I could rent tanks those sizes. So, while in my head, a (full) 35lbs vs 55lbs tank doesn't seem that bad, but in practice I might hate life. It's also a small amount additional mass to accelerate and decelerate underwater. The advantage with side-mount is you can always doff tanks in the water. I always have my AL80s too, if the site involves a bunch of climbing stairs or rocks. The 133 and 149 are buoyant empty, but not much different from an AL80.

* AL80 36.9 full (for reference)
* Steel 100: 42.12 full. (+5.2 lbs, +20cu, 100s vs 80al)
* Steel 117: 48.18 full. (+5.2 lbs, +17cu, 117s vs 100s)
* Steel 120 (similar to 117, but smaller diameter and more $$)
* Steel 133: 53.23 full. (+5 lbs, +16cu. 133s vs 117s) <-- leaning here
* Steel 149: 58.66 full. (+5.43 lbs, +16cu. 133s vs 149s)

Right now I'm leaning towards 133s. Thoughts?

 

[BoltSnap]

149

Different subject, who sells 145cuft in the US? What brand?

 

[BoltSnap]

Steel 133: 53.23 full. (+5 lbs, +16cu)
* Steel 149: 58.66 full. (+5.43 lbs, +16cu)

The 133 and 149 have the same capacity???

 

[grantctobin]

TLDR: Would you recommend I go HP 117, 133, or 149 for Sidemount?

I've been diving Sidemount for a year, and figured it might be time to get some steel-tanks. The used market has been non-existent locally. So I'm considering new tanks.

The reason I'm leaning towards bigger tanks is:

• Fewer refills, longer dives, or 2-dives per tank. (1-hr drive to fill-station)
• Future-proofing. Good for tech/cave/etc diving which I'm not doing quite yet, but likely to get into.
• I find carrying tanks in general more annoying due to bulk, not weight. I'm not a big guy, but I don't mind the exercise, and it's all in the legs.
• The difference in price isn't that significant. (Although, the HP120s are a little more expensive per volume)

My concern is I don't have hands on experience, don't know where I could rent tanks those sizes. So, while in my head, a (full) 35lbs vs 55lbs tank doesn't seem that bad, but in practice I might hate life. It's also a small amount additional mass to accelerate and decelerate underwater. The advantage with side-mount is you can always doff tanks in the water. I always have my AL80s too, if the site involves a bunch of climbing stairs or rocks. The 133 and 149 are buoyant empty, but not much different from an AL80.

* AL80 36.9 full (for reference)
* Steel 117: 48.18 full. (+11.2 lbs vs 80AL)
* Steel 133: 53.23 full. (+5 lbs, +16cu)
* Steel 149: 58.66 full. (+5.43 lbs, +16cu)

Right now I'm leaning towards 133s, with morbid curiosity towards 149s. Thoughts?

Why are HP100 not on the consideration list?

 

[SlugLife]

Different subject, who sells 145cuft in the US? What brand?

Faber, and 149 CU

The 133 and 149 have the same capacity???

My bad on the confusing syntax. I'm comparing to the previous tank on the list. For example, I gain 16cu upgrading from 133 to 149, and the 149 it's 5.4lbs heavier than the 133. I edited my post to clarify.

Why are HP100 not on the consideration list?

Nothing wrong with 100s (I'd take them over AL80). If a used pair popped up for $400 locally, I'd be all over that.

I rented some Steel 100s about a year ago, and didn't really notice much of a difference lugging them around versus AL80s. So, if I'm buying new tanks, why not go a little bigger?

 

[broncobowsher]

Hp100s were my choice. The others, just too big to lug around. I'm not small, but I am not big enough to deal with those big boys. Don't want anything that negative as a clip on side mount. Prefer much more neutral tanks.

 

[grantctobin]

I rented some Steel 100s about a year ago, and didn't really notice much of a difference lugging them around versus AL80s. So, if I'm buying new tanks, why not go a little bigger?

7” vs 8” diameter may not sound significant but it’s kind of a pain. The shortness of the HP117 is also fairly annoying depending on how tall the diver is.

Obviously buy what meets your specs, but there’s very very few people running your above list of cylinders in SM config. In OW, there aren’t many dives shallower than 200” that a set of 85s/100s won’t do.

 

[SlugLife]

7” vs 8” diameter may not sound significant but it’s kind of a pain. The shortness of the HP117 is also fairly annoying depending on how tall the diver is.

Obviously buy what meets your specs, but there’s very very few people running your above list of cylinders in SM config. In OW, there aren’t many dives shallower than 200” that a set of 85s/100s won’t do.

I suppose that explains why the price-difference between 117s and 120s. From a volume-per-dollar calculation, they seemed worth skipping, but now that you mention the diameter, I'm thinking I should consider the 120s.

...and yes, a 7.25 vs 8.0 diameter sounds like a small difference, but it's a 22% bigger cross-section. (8^2 / 7.25^2)

 

[grantctobin]

I suppose that explains why the price-difference between 117s and 120s. From a volume-per-dollar calculation, they seemed worth skipping, but now that you mention the diameter, I'm thinking I should consider the 120s.

...and yes, a 7.25 vs 8.0 diameter sounds like a small difference, but it's a 22% bigger cross-section. (8^2 / 7.25^2)

LP85/HP100 7.00”, AL80 7.25”

I don’t see the motivation for 120s over 100s for your situation

 

[sseetthh]

I vote Hp 100s