Tank suggestions for new tech diver...to be.

[aquaoren]

I suggestion would be to look at double AL80's and take it slow. These two tanks can become stages later on. (so the investment stays with you). If you are planning to go deep, best is to get used to dry suit as well. But to start off, wetsuit and double 80's is a world of difference from singles. It will take time to get it all straightened out with trim, bouyancy and drills/skills. Also get DIRF (if into this) and then practice some more....... (DIRF and double is a VERY good basis to expand from)

Then start getting into the serious stuff.... at this time you can get steel tanks and use AL's for stages.... build a basis first would be my advise.

Sound advise.

 

[Padipro]

Started out with a 5 mil wet suit and double AL 90's. I dived this set up recreationally for about a year just to get used to diving the extra mass of the doubles. Got the dry suit and a set of LP 108's and had to learn all over again as the dry suit changes everything, although the experience of diving with doubles did help out somewhat as I progressed into tech diving. I found out rather quickly that the 90's didn't hold enough gas for the deeper deco dives and my bottom time, to remain within the rule of thirds would be so short as to make the dives almost worthless, not to mention cutting my buddies BT short as he was diving LP 95's pumped to 3000 PSI.

As others have said progress slowly starting with the AL 80's and a drysuit to get used to the extra equipment and how to handle it then progress from there.

Good luck

 

[jerryn]

200' to 300' means a long deco hang. When you are hanging doing more or less nothing the difference between water temperature and body temperature seems to matter more, and being cold on deco is not a good thing. If you have a dry suit you can adjust your undergarmets to the water temperature for the season and location.

Follow the advice here and get your drysuit first. There is a lot of debate about al vs steel tanks and both are right.

I dive with double Faber 95's, Highland Bands and Scuba Pro Valves and Manifold. It is a real comfortable set up for me. I found the PST 104's to be too heavy to lug around on the surface, even though they have better in the water characteristics. Somehow picking up the tanks and putting them on the bench full right before a dive became a consideration.

Your height and body type is going to be a consideration. For some people the Fabers are too short and they put the weight in the wrong place, for others it is the length of the PST's that is problematic.

One advantage of the double AL 80's that were recommended here is that you can get started working on buoyancy and valve drills right away. But I really did not find they dove particularly well. Maybe just me.

Jerry