These are the tank options I'm considering - which should I go with?

[rverma]

Hey, long time lurker, but first time poster.

I'm a new sidemount diver, but I have drank the kool-aid and I'm fully embracing it. I have the stealth tec 2.0 and currently dive sidemount mainly in cold water with a drysuit year round.

I don't own my own tanks yet but I'd like to get some so I can have them on hand and go diving on a whim, buy a reversed tank valve and permanently mount the tank bands. I know that steels are preferred for drysuit diving, but used steels are very hard to come by in my area (Vancouver Island, BC, Canada). Here are the options and associated costs in CAD:

1) Faber LP85 - $450 each new +tax
2) Faber HP100 - $500 each new +tax
3) OMS (Faber) LP 112 - $250 each. Made in 1999 but have current hydro and vis
4) Worthington HP X7-100 - slim chance to get them, found on facebook but owner hasn't replied. First and last hydro in 2011. I've read good things about these, would consider if sold for $250ish.
5) AL80s - freely available. I'm the equipment manager for my dive club and don't pay for tank rentals or fills.

In my lurking, I have discovered that the LP85s are the preferred option for their buoyancy characteristics. However, I like that the HP100 has the same diameter as the AL80s. The extra gas is a bonus as well. If I go with new steels, for an extra ~$50, I'm thinking "why not?" I'm not extremely concerned about the extra on-land weight of the LP112, but they have a diameter of 8" and I haven't found any instances where people have commented on their use for sidemount. They're mainly in the running due to cost, and that I could potentially fill them with a modest overfill (maybe 3000ish) myself if I wanted.

I don't mind spending money on new tanks, but saving money is always nice as long as it doesn't result in having to replace the equipment.

Are either of those used steels a good option? Should I spend money on new steels? Or just continue to use free AL80s?
Thanks!

 

[tbone1004]

A lot of this depends on your body type as well. Tom is a big guy and 121's are a good fit for him. If I use those same tanks with zero weight, I'm pinned to the bottom. I'm 160 pounds soaking wet, so you have to experiment and find what works for you.

yeah, that's true, I have had some people think they are 85's when I dive them. Not sure anyone would confuse them for 85's on you or @grantctobin but they are definitely not the right bottle for most people. In this case though I really do think AL80's are the best option.

Specific to @rverma 's tanks
1) Faber LP85 - $450 each new +tax
Don't bother unless you can guarantee you will get cave fills. If you can't, then they are horrible tanks from a capacity : weight ratio

2) Faber HP100 - $500 each new +tax
If you want new then these are the least bad option

3) OMS (Faber) LP 112 - $250 each. Made in 1999 but have current hydro and vis
don't bother, too big and I don't think they trim out terribly well, also issue about cave fills. Same issues as LP85's, except even worse.

4) Worthington HP X7-100 - slim chance to get them, found on facebook but owner hasn't replied. First and last hydro in 2011. I've read good things about these, would consider if sold for $250ish.
absolutely avoid, these things are absolute pigs in the water. Fabulous for backmount, but I can't stand these in sidemount, feel like bricks. Edd Sorenson dove them for a long time and liked them but I think they're more trouble than they're worth

 

[Cio]

@shoredivr
I am. OP is a newer diver and not doing any decompression, why on earth would he need more than 160 CF of gas?

 

[inquis]

I would have thought I'd need at least +4 lbs compared to a single tank backmount simply to account for the additional AL80...?

That second AL80, alone in salt water and empty is a buoyancy of +4.4 lb (and less for a Catalina). Add a regulator and rigging, and you're down to 2ish. If you have a reserve of 500 psi, you're down to about +1 lb.

 

[NYCrecdiver]

@shoredivr
I am. OP is a newer diver and not doing any decompression, why on earth would he need more than 160 CF of gas?

Higher capacity cylinders could be useful for 2-dive boat charters with only one pair of tanks?

 

[Bald Wookie]

Higher capacity cylinders could be useful for 2-dive boat charters with only one pair of tanks?

I do two tank charters with LP72s. Your second dive you can chip more into your reserve capacity as your dive goes on with proper dive planning. Unless you're chugging down gas, if you can use 1 AL80 on a dive and be safe, then 2 AL80s will be great for charters. Flat bottoms mean the typical dive tank holders like them too. Steels without boots on charters can be annoying, or you can bring the boots.

 

[Tracy]

If budget is a concern, maybe some steel 72s. I sidemount them as a cave bailouts. Many people like them for sidemount and they are considerably cheaper than your other listed options.

But out of your list, hp100s. LP85s are wonderful to dive, but you are shorting yourself gas for the same money. The 100s are basically the same physical size and you get more usable gas.

 

[rverma]

If budget is a concern, maybe some steel 72s. I sidemount them as a cave bailouts. Many people like them for sidemount and they are considerably cheaper than your other listed options.

But out of your list, hp100s. LP85s are wonderful to dive, but you are shorting yourself gas for the same money. The 100s are basically the same physical size and you get more usable gas.

Until this thread, I had not heard of LP72s. A quick search indicates they may no longer be in production, thus may only be available in used markets?

 

[Tracy]

Until this thread, I had not heard of LP72s. A quick search indicates they may no longer be in production, thus may only be available in used markets?

Correct. I have a lot of them. If you are interested I can check on shipping.
I am usually $135 each shipped, but I'm not 100% on BC shipping. Most of Canada is pretty cheap shipping, but I know Nova Scotia is ridiculous.
That would be with standard yoke valves. It would be an extra $80 for left and right modular din valves.

 

[Bald Wookie]

Correct. I have a lot of them. If you are interested I can check on shipping.
I am usually $135 each shipped, but I'm not 100% on BC shipping. Most of Canada is pretty cheap shipping, but I know Nova Scotia is ridiculous.
That would be with standard yoke valves. It would be an extra $80 for left and right modular din valves.

BC and Vancouver Island can be pricey. A reg set shipped from Texas was $50 to the island.

 

[nwbrewer]

Steel 72's make awesome SM tanks. They get butt floaty, but don't get positively buoyant like al80's. Most of them were made before I was born, but you can usually find them on the used market pretty cheap.

Hp100's are great too, just a little more money.