Tank Recommendation for small woman

[aMc10]

I desperately need to purchase my first tank (renting is too much hassle), but can't figure out exactly what I need or what I'll be able to manage given my stature, and I'm starting to go around in circles with the different options.

I'm 157cm and 52 kg. My local diving is temperate to cold, so being a bit of a wuss, I'll be diving in my new neoprene drysuit for most - if not all - of the year. My SAC rate is currently 12l/min, although I think that's a little on the high side for me due to a combination of using unfamiliar rental gear, new equipment of my own and not diving as much as I should be. I'm carrying 9kg of weight - again - possibly slightly high due to the reasons above. My reg has a DIN connector.

My typical diving is anywhere from 5m piers to 39m wrecks. I use both Nitrox and air. Local regulations require the use of a redundant air source (this can be spare air, a pony or twins) below 30m.

I intend to start diving doubles within the next 6 to 12 months, but I'm not necessarily looking to reuse what I have now as part of that set up (in fact, I'd probably rather keep them separate).

We don't really have "LP" steel tanks in Australia (as far as I know). They are either 232 bar (same as "HP") or 300 bar, which I don't believe is available in the US.

The options I've been considering are

• 7litre/300bar (70cf)
• 10litre/300bar (100cf)
• 9litre/232bar (75cf)
• 10.5litre/232bar (85cf)
• 12.2litre/232bar (100cf)

I've more or less discounted the 7litre/300bar, as it has some strange buoyancy/size characteristics (it's longer than the 300 bar 10litre). I haven't tried a 12.2litre before, and I don't know if it would be manageable for me.

Can someone steer me in the right direction?

 

[TSandM]

Well, I'm very little bigger than you are (5'4" and 115 lb). For single tanks, I dive LP95s, which aren't on your list, but I also dive HP100s which I believe are your 232 bar/12.2 liter tanks. They trim out nicely, and they're actually lighter than the 95s when empty.

When I started diving, I couldn't get an Al63 out of the pool. I now dive double 85s with an 18 lb weight belt. You'd be amazed at how much strength you gain just from lugging dive gear around on a regular basis (although I have finally given up, after carting doubles up and down stairs in Mexico, and have taken to the gym). So pick a tank that has an amount of gas that works for you, and trims out well (not something so short it makes you head down) and you may have a bit of difficult lugging it about at first, but that will change.

 

[The Kraken]

The steel HP 80's are quite nice for smaller ladies, also . . .

the K

 

[fppf]

Here is another vote for a HP steel 80

 

[scubafanatic]

I'd recommend the HP (232 bar) 100 cu. ft. steel....much easier to fill than any 300 bar tank. It's the same weight and a bit shorter than the most common scuba tank (in the western hemisphere at least), the AL 80. Anyone contemplating a 'doubles' set up can easily handle an single HP 100. The downside of an HP 80 is a short fill on it will leave you REALLY short of gas...as short fill on an HP 100 will still leave you at/above 80 cu. ft., also, the HP 80 is so 'short' in length it can be an issue fitting it to certain boat tank racks.

Karl

 

[salibandy]

Well if you're talking about stature and single tanks, 80s for sure. They're just about right for a person your size.

I would know. I'm 157 and 40kg. But, I'm a guy. =) A really tiny one I might add.

 

[pescador775]

Amc, your source selection is terrible for referencing a 5'2" woman. The 9 liter or 10.5 liter tank are about the only options for a single and there is still the matter of "redundant air" to consider. My fellow posters are talking a secret (to you) language about "HP" tanks. These are available in the USA and made of extremely light construction. However, if all of the tanks listed in your query are Faber, they are as heavy as an anchor, particularly the 12 liter model. I don't know what to tell you. What are you renting??? Twin seven liter VHP tanks are very negatively buoyant and might be hard to fill but I know that women can carry them underwater when using a drysuit. Little or no lead is needed. All those 232 bar tanks are fat and rolly polly, and HEAVY (thick steel walls). The little, 7 liter are very slender and won't slow you down as much (think "Water Rats" of Aussie TV). You will not need a "pony". If you purchase a single try to find a redundant air which is as light as possible and meets the requirement, whatever that is.

 

[TSandM]

Thanks, Pescador. I didn't know that our HP tanks were different from the ones available elsewhere.

For me, HP80s are way too short and sit up on my shoulders, but the ones you are talking about may have different dimensions. I also dislike 80 cft tanks because they don't permit having an adequate rock bottom reserve for anything below about 80 feet.

 

[pescador775]

The 232 bar tanks on the list are probably the short, fat types similar to what is seen in the USA. The 12 liter tank listed above has the same dimensions of the HP100 but weighs 12 pounds more. The smaller volume tanks are shorter, again similar to US designs. However, I know of no good reason why they should "ride up on the shoulders". I use HP100's as well as others including double, vintage 38's and never had any balance issues. However, I do not use a dry suit and am taller than most women. The constraints imposed by the limited selection and the size of the diver are difficult to address. I fully expect to hear from others who claim that small women can do all sorts of things. However, my wife was about the same size as AMC and although she could navigate with an aluminum 80 it was a burden, too long and too heavy. The best size for her based on availability and capacity was a steel 72 which is thinner and a bit longer than a HP 100, and weighs about the same. She could have used a shorter tank if the capacities were higher but LP tanks tanks of small capacity were among the limited range of sizes available at the time. There are certain situations where a smallish woman could dive with a 12 liter. However, tank selection per her description of activities, is a compromise which may involve shore dives, surf, current, or escorted dives from a boat including assistants on deck, etc. The question is if one tank or set of tanks can be useful for these enormously different situations and hopefully, without getting her drowned.

 

[pescador775]

Hmmmm, I presumed too hastily that the 7 liter was the same size as the AGA Divator tank. A Divator twin set only holds about 100 cf if I remember correctly. Probably, a twin 7 liter set will be too heavy. That sets AMC (is "ten" a tank size or personal rating?) back to the ten liter/85 cf range in a single tank with Spareair as backup. That is a little small for a 5 atm dive putting normal air burn at about 2.2 cfm at max depth. It's doable, though, for short, no deco dive.