Why no one uses tank boots on doubles?

[eelnoraa]

Maybe stupid question, but why no one uses tank boots on their doubles? Especially on steel tanks with rounded bottom. At least one advantage is being able to stand up by themselves. Another advantage is protect the tank bottom. I see lot of double (without boots) having bottom protection coating coming off and having surface rust. What is the disadvantage?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The disadvantage is that they stand up - which invites and increases the potential for them to fall down.

Another disadvantage is that they create another edge that can help wedge you in some place. having no boots is a little cleaner.

Finally, some varieties of boots trap water and cause rust or under the boot. That's a number one killer of steel tanks.

 

[eelnoraa]

The disadvantage is that they stand up - which invites and increases the potential for them to fall down.

Another disadvantage is that they create another edge that can help wedge you in some place. having no boots is a little cleaner.

Finally, some varieties of boots trap water and cause rust or under the boot. That's a number one killer of steel tanks.

I can buy the 2nd reason, but the 1st and the 3rd, it seems no different than single tank.

Being able to standup for storage is as important because you can just lean them again something solid. It just feel safe when trying to put on the double on a platfrom (say on x-table). A few time, I almost let my double flop when I stand them up, walk around and trying to d-on. With boots, it probably won't happen.

And for water trapping, yeah, all single tanks have boots, so if they don't have problem, I doubt double should have problem.

 

[w ripley]

I had boots on 2 sets of OMS doubles and when I started technical diving took them off. You would not believe the amount of rust, and I don't just mean surface stuff. Trust me, never put any boot on any tank!

 

[undrwater]

Drag?

 

[decompression]

I'd get kicked out of the DIR club.......

 

[Dr. Lecter]

I can buy the 2nd reason, but the 1st and the 3rd, it seems no different than single tank.

Being able to standup for storage is as important because you can just lean them again something solid.

There is a big difference in the upright stability of a single tank with a normal valve and, say, a pair of HP 130s with 3" steel bands and a heavy manifold on top. Also, the mass of a single may be safely secured in an upright position by basically anything (tank grippers, shock cord, etc), but an upright pair of big doubles is more likely to work itself free and will easily break important bones if you're unluckly enough to get in the way.

Steel doubles mostly belong laid out flat - their mass and top-heavy nature is just too risky. And for what it's worth, single steel tanks shouldn't have boots on them (at least for storage) either. They're rust magnets.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I can buy the 2nd reason, but the 1st and the 3rd, it seems no different than single tank.

Being able to standup for storage is as important because you can just lean them again something solid. It just feel safe when trying to put on the double on a platfrom (say on x-table). A few time, I almost let my double flop when I stand them up, walk around and trying to d-on. With boots, it probably won't happen.

And for water trapping, yeah, all single tanks have boots, so if they don't have problem, I doubt double should have problem.

Number 1 has been covered, although I'd further argue all scuba tanks either need to be secured or laid horizontal.

As for single tanks being ok, they aren't ok with a boot - I've seen numerous single steel tanks that had to be condemned due to pitting or large areas of rust under the boot.

 

[wedivebc]

I'd get kicked out of the DIR club.......

And that is the exact reason I always left mine on

 

[Paladin]

I have boots on all my steel 72s. However, because rust is a concern, I generally pop them off several times a year to check the condition of the tank bottom. My tanks are either painted over galvanized steel or vinyl over galvanized steel, so I've not yet had any problem.

I am, however, thinking about taking the boots off my AL80s. My double AL53s are already nekkid.