AL Doubles: Catalina or Luxfer

[fdog]

My understanding is Luxfer has limited their scuba linup, retrenching from what used to be a complete set of sizes.

If someone knows if they are producing more than the following models, let me know.

Currently:

• Aluminum 80
• Aluminum 63
• Aluminum 40
• Aluminum 100 (3300 psi)
• Aluminum/hoop wrapped 106 (4350 psi)

All the best, James

 

[Mayor]

Not to steal this thread but does anyone have information on the hymark tanks? I picked up a pair and have been diving them as doubles over the last few weeks can't really tell the difference between the Catalina doubles.

Hy-Mark Cylinders

 

[drbill]

Either will be fine as long as you don't get the "neutrally buoyant" cylinders - their extra weight defeats the purpose of aluminum doubles (having a balanced rig).

While I understand your point, I'd have to say that doubling up the "neutral buoyancy" Al tanks has a major advantage (at least for me)... the Al tanks don't rust! I've had two HP 120s, both of which failed... one in 5 and the other in 10 years (under different fill and use regimes). My n.b. Al 80 was first hydro'ed in 1972 and is still going strong.

 

[DaMaDo]

Found this one with the search...

I'm also about to get my own set of doubles and am trying to decide between the catalina S80, Luxfer 80 and the Dixie Diver's AL80 they have from Italy.

Here are the specs:

...........................Full 500psi Empty
Catalina S80.........-1.6 +2.8 +4.1

Luxfer S080..........-1.4 +3.5 +4.4

Dixie Divers AL80...-3.4 no data +2.5

I see there's not much difference between the catalina and the luxfer except for trim as commented before with the catalinas being more tail heavy. I guess between these two, I should get the luxfers since right now my "trim" has my head always wanting to come up even if I bring my legs in and put my head down.

But what about the Dixie Diver tanks they import from Italy? Anyone have experience with them?

 

[Leadking]

Hy-Mark was bought by Worthington. XS Scuba had them on display at DEMA. It will be interesting to see if they re-tool and what the buoyancy characteristics will be.

 

[fdog]

Hy-Mark was bought by Worthington. XS Scuba had them on display at DEMA. It will be interesting to see if they re-tool and what the buoyancy characteristics will be.

Drat. Didn't know that part of it.

I say "drat" because when I asked the XS Scuba folks at DEMA, they indicated that the Al 72's would not be carried/manufactured/whatever.


All the best, James

 

[Paladin]

Personally, for Al80s, I'm a Catalina fan. I like the way they handle. My favorite tank is the old steel 72, but if I'm going to dive an AL80, it's a Catalina.