Steel 130 doubles too big?
- Thread starter carlthecat
- 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
I dive both dual 100's and dual 130's.
The 100's are a nice set if you do any beach diving and are also great off a boat.
The 130's we use for deeper dives or on boats where nitrox or trimix are unavailiable.
This way we can do multiple dives off the same set of tanks whithout compromising our proper mix.(no need to refill)
I personaly think the 130's trim out just a little better than the 100's which tend to be a little head heavy.
Bottom line is the 130's are some heavy mutha's
I am sure I would think twice about some of the beach dives We regularly do if I only had the 130's to haul around.
As far as stages or deco gas it's already been covered.
Luxfer al40's or al80's.
Absolutley no steel stages!!!
The 100's are a nice set if you do any beach diving and are also great off a boat.
The 130's we use for deeper dives or on boats where nitrox or trimix are unavailiable.
This way we can do multiple dives off the same set of tanks whithout compromising our proper mix.(no need to refill)
I personaly think the 130's trim out just a little better than the 100's which tend to be a little head heavy.
Bottom line is the 130's are some heavy mutha's
I am sure I would think twice about some of the beach dives We regularly do if I only had the 130's to haul around.
As far as stages or deco gas it's already been covered.
Luxfer al40's or al80's.
Absolutley no steel stages!!!
I use Luxfer neutral 80s @ 3300 psi with a 6 lb plate. It's still lighter.jonnythan:Those Al 80s are only 5-10 lbs lighter once you add in the extra 10 lbs of lead you need to sink them compared to 130s.
If the 130s make you stagger around, you might benefit yourself more by diving less and hitting the gym more:
Besides, Al80s suck when you're trying to get two quality dives out of them. I much rather be NDL limited than gas limited. For single tech dives I can see where the Al 80s would often be preferable.
I can always use more time in the gym. 130s are still heavy.
And I have no problem getting 2 quality dives out of my 80s in a quarry. I don't recall being gas limited during my quarry dives last year...
For a diver new to doubles IMHO there are better options, but WTH do I know? He may be doing the Doria in August, too!
PerroneFord
Contributor
Doc Intrepid:For a diver new to doubles IMHO there are better options, but WTH do I know? He may be doing the Doria in August, too!
The double 72s I used in class, and my own doubled 80s are both very nice for a first set of doubles. Both will take me WELL beyond NDL for any dive I should be considering.
I think we're loosing track of the original question, confusing the ideal with the economical. He already owns two 130's and is looking to gear up to having a set of acceptable tech gear in a year.
The ideal... over time, you can accumulate that - I have, for example, double AL 80's, LP 85's, 104's and E7-120's, two AL 40's, a 30, and plenty of 80's and assorted single steels, and I'd recommend that collection as an eventual goal to anyone who's planning for the next two decades.
The economical... double the 130's, buy an 80 and a 40; next is a set of regs, good lights, reels, spools, drysuit etc. Next year get a set of E7-100's - less dry weight than 80's and more gas.
Rick
The ideal... over time, you can accumulate that - I have, for example, double AL 80's, LP 85's, 104's and E7-120's, two AL 40's, a 30, and plenty of 80's and assorted single steels, and I'd recommend that collection as an eventual goal to anyone who's planning for the next two decades.
The economical... double the 130's, buy an 80 and a 40; next is a set of regs, good lights, reels, spools, drysuit etc. Next year get a set of E7-100's - less dry weight than 80's and more gas.
Rick
Jeez Carl - when you go to trimix, I hope the world price of helium doesn't go up too much. I'd be leery of using AL100's for stage bottles even for someone of your size - they're kinda clunky and heavy topside - you don't want to overload yourself too much at depth or on the surface.
A single filled AL100 weighs in at 48 pounds, plus another 100-something for the twinned E8-130's, and that's just a single stage rig. Just carrying the twinned 130's in a parking lot loading them in a truck is a lot of work - add in the deco bottles, an exposure suit, and all the other gear you're carrying, well, it's something to consider.
A single filled AL100 weighs in at 48 pounds, plus another 100-something for the twinned E8-130's, and that's just a single stage rig. Just carrying the twinned 130's in a parking lot loading them in a truck is a lot of work - add in the deco bottles, an exposure suit, and all the other gear you're carrying, well, it's something to consider.
OP
carlthecat
Registered
Thanks for everyone's response and debate regarding Steel 130s being too big.
I have decided to double-up the 130s to see how I like them. I won’t buy any stage bottles now but will get some AL80s when the time comes. The idea to get some 100s for stage bottles was an economic one. I could use the 100s for singles now and then use them for the stages later. I now see that would definitely be over-kill and I would be the guy at the dive that everyone snickers at. Go figure, but you guys are right... could you imagine someone with double 130's and 2 x steel 100 stage bottles? Either an amateur or a lunatic.
Anyway, thanks again for everyone’s help on this topic and see you all under the water.
Carl the Cat
I have decided to double-up the 130s to see how I like them. I won’t buy any stage bottles now but will get some AL80s when the time comes. The idea to get some 100s for stage bottles was an economic one. I could use the 100s for singles now and then use them for the stages later. I now see that would definitely be over-kill and I would be the guy at the dive that everyone snickers at. Go figure, but you guys are right... could you imagine someone with double 130's and 2 x steel 100 stage bottles? Either an amateur or a lunatic.
Anyway, thanks again for everyone’s help on this topic and see you all under the water.
Carl the Cat
SparticleBrane
Contributor
Personally I would only dive double al80s unless you were in a drysuit as redundant inflation. If your BC decided to die at the beginning of your dive, would you be able to kick up from depth and remain at the surface with double 130s on your back? Whereas with double 80s they're less negative at the beginning of teh dive and actually positive at the end of the dive.
Similar threads
