To boot or not to boot?

[jellycatsdad]

I just split apart a set of PST HP100 doubles and they have no boots. I’ll be diving them as singles. I was diving with a friend who’s working on her GUE Fundamentals and they said boots aren’t recommended. I have a Faber HP100 at the LDS getting an air fill and there’s a boot on it. Should I be worried for my booted Faber tank and don’t boot my PSTs? One of them are hot dip galvanized, the other is painted.

 

[BoltSnap]

I always use boots on my single steel tanks—about 30 of them—without issues. I rinse them in fresh water after diving and remove the boot from the tank when I do so.

 

[jellycatsdad]

I always use boots on my single steel tanks—about 30 of them—without issues. I always rinse them in fresh water and remove the boot from the tank when I do so.

Looks like I have a new post-dive routine I need to do. How often do you pull the boots? My Faber HP100 has seen the water about 10 times or so I guesstimate.

 

[BoltSnap]

I try to do it at the end of every diving day after I have rinsed my other equipment. However, I slack off sometimes, so it doesn't always get done.

 

[NothingClever]

Having visited Extreme Exposure several times now and eyeballing the 30-40 twinsets they have in the back of the shop, none of them have boots on.

 

[happy-diver]

If anyone has any chopsticks to poke out my eyes before I remove tank boots for washing please feel free

But leave some room for others


If however someone was to suggest putting their tank in a bucket that fills whilst rinsing offer is rescinded


Tanks without boots don't grab at all when you find a place to take the weight off your back whilst waiting
walking, resting, gearing up, they slip off the fence the rock and you lose the paint or gal from the bottom

No boots, is not for the active all round diver, that sometimes find themselves, having to go anti clockwise

Also extra holes, for that never any saltwater rust anywhere ever

There's barely any water required when you put a tank in bucket

 

[jborg]

Concave bottom steels for singles, convex for doubles, boots not required.

 

[happy-diver]

Tanks without boots don't grab at all when you find a place to take the weight off your back whilst waiting
walking, resting, gearing up, they slip off the fence the rock and you lose the paint or gal from the bottom

 

[Divin'Papaw]

All of my steels have boots. It is easier to manage them, ESPECIALLY as singles. Rinse them thoroughly after each dive outing. You don't have to pull the boots. I pull mine off every year or so and they never show any sign of corrosion. Mine are HDG though. For your painted tanks, may want to pull the boots more often. But pulling the boots every day seems pretty excessive. You certainly can if you wish. It won't hurt anything except for your back.

When I used to dive doubles, I did not boot them for years. However, I eventually found them easier to manage with boots.

As far as the style of boot, I do not like the hexagonal boots. The edges love to catch things like fishing line, netting, etc. I prefer perfectly round boots. Yes, they don't stop the tanks from rolling like the hexagonal boots, but there are other ways to manage that.

 

[Rilelen]

Boots are helpful on single steel tanks (that can’t stand on their own), or if diving on boats/pools that need protection from your tanks. I wouldn’t boot doubles or single aluminum tanks otherwise, but if you do, just be sure to rinse well so it doesn’t build up rust/corrosion etc.