What happened to Fat 80's?

[smellzlikefish]

A while back I saw a short, used tank sitting on the floor of my LDS for $80. The owner described it as a "Fat" 80 and, sure enough, the label said it held 80 cf of air. I picked it, partly because I needed a tank, partly because it was 80, but mostly because it was a curious novelty.

It turned into the best purchase I've ever made. The short design fits into the bow hatch of my kayak perfectly and the extra couple pounds it weighs over a regular aluminum 80 means I can lose a couple of pounds from that pesky weight belt and still be neutral. My dive buddies now try to con me out of it when choosing tanks before each dive.

Which brings me to my question. I don't think they make these anymore and can't, for the life of me, figure out why. Any ideas?

 

[Scared Silly]

Because the extra weight you dropped from your weight belt is on the cylinder. So there is no net loss in weight that you have to carry. As such, there is no advantage over a std 80. Most people prefer to have a net loss in weight. IIRC BITD they were also more expensive.

 

[Angry Turtle]

You get the very same benefits when you buy a HP steel 80.

They are shorter than the AL80s, while holding the same amount of gas, they are more negative than an AL80 and they end up almost neutral when close to empty.

For all of that, my wife LOVES hers. The only drawback...they don't cost around $100 like an AL80.

 

[CaboJim]

Stating that there will be no net loss of lead by switching from a AL80 to a steel 80 is not quite true. Anybody who has dove with an aluminum tank knows that when it gets to be half filled it begins to get buoyant. As it gets buoyant, the more weight is needed to stay neutral.....

 

[reo]

Stating that there will be no net loss of lead by switching from a AL80 to a steel 80 is not quite true. Anybody who has dove with an aluminum tank knows that when it gets to be half filled it begins to get buoyant. As it gets buoyant, the more weight is needed to stay neutral.....

Who stated that?

 

[Angry Turtle]

nevermind..

 

[CaboJim]

Because the extra weight you dropped from your weight belt is on the cylinder. So there is no net loss in weight that you have to carry. As such, there is no advantage over a std 80. Most people prefer to have a net loss in weight. IIRC BITD they were also more expensive.

 

[D_B]

I think he's comparing the fat 80, which I think is aluminum, and an Al80

 

[Scared Silly]

Cabo, reread my post I was comparing it to a std 80 as in aluminum 80. Steel 80s are not standard within the industry.

 

[smellzlikefish]

I prefer having the extra two pounds in the tank construction because when I go without neoprene, I don't have to wear a weight belt or BC, greatly slimming my overall outfit. The net weight is the same, it all depends on where you prefer to carry it. I'll look into steel 80's. Thanks.