Reasons for using aluminum tanks in cold water?

[Bennno]

Hey guys,
I keep seeing people using aluminum tanks in their drysuits. It's seem to be fairly popular in Europe for some reason and youtube is full of skill and 'playing around' videos with people in drysuits/AL tanks. So, why is that? It doesn't seem to have any advantages. You can carry less gas but the tanks are larger, you need tons of weight that you have to strap right onto your spin basically. One guy I know got trained by a Razor instructor here in Germany needs 18kg/40lbs to dive his AL tanks in the Baltic Sea. He was told 'it's better'. He couldn't really say why.
I kind of suspect the reason for this is that lots of Europeans learn about sidemount either on youtube or in Mexico and therefore think you need AL for sidemounting... but I'm just guessing here. The Florida/North American-style sidemount seems to be much better for cold water diving.
Any thoughts?

 

[WarrenZ]

I have always heard Al tanks for warm water or as stages. Steel is good because they tend to stay negative or close to neutral when empty. Maybe the Europeans know something I dont about keeping AL tanks sunk.

 

[Patoux01]

Because aluminium is much more fun to play with, and we dive for fun...

 

[Littlerayray]

I will dive with steel any day over aluminum their negative when empty and they can hold larger volumes of gas

 

[rongoodman]

My first assumption would be that Al tanks are what the local shops have to rent.

 

[archer1960]

Al tanks are lighter to carry around for a given volume of gas.

 

[Bennno]

Al tanks are lighter to carry around for a given volume of gas.

The European 12l steel tanks are actually lighter than AL80s an they hold around 20cuft more gas per tank.

Because aluminium is much more fun to play with, and we dive for fun...

Have you tried steel? 16-18kg of weight doesn't sound like fun to me.

Maybe the Europeans know something I dont about keeping AL tanks sunk.

It'd be news to me.

 

[divad]

Al tanks are lighter to carry around for a given volume of gas.

My steel LP 85s are slightly lighter than my AL 80s.

 

[WarrenZ]

I have a feeling it is a question of what the instructor had setup to dive rather than what is best.

 

[Bennno]

I have a feeling it is a question of what the instructor had setup to dive rather than what is best.

Some instructors tell their stundents that AL is better for SM, I don't get why though.