Welcome to ScubaBoard, an online scuba diving forum community where you can join over 185,000 divers from around the world discussing all things related to Scuba Diving. To gain full access to ScubaBoard (and make this large box go away) you must register for a free account. As a registered member you will be able to:
Participate in over 500 dive topic forums and browse from over 5,500,000 posts.
Communicate privately with other divers from around the world.
Post your own photos or view from well over 100,000 user submitted images.
Gain access to our free classifieds marketplace to buy, sell and trade gear, travel and services.
Use the calendar to organize your events and enroll in other members' events.
All this and much more is available to you absolutely free when you register for an account, so sign up today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact the ScubaBoard Support Team.
Find a buddy who has a FX100 for example or rent one. The best way to determine how a tank dives has little to do with SB. Rent the tanks that interest you and then you can make an informed decision. But be aware steel tanks do want to roll more than alum. You get used to it.
Most new tanks come with Pro valves which are DIN and yoke compatible.
I have a pair of Worthington X-Series HP 120s. Love the extra bottom time I get since I am 6'2 / 215. Everone around me sips air but I glug it like pilsner at Oktoberfest. I use them on a Yoke reg with no problems.
If you plan to dive in Canada, then these are made in Canada and meet their DOT (Transport Canada) regulations.
One word of warning: the 120s will not fit into my LDS night drop boxes. They are about one inch too long.
with the 3442psi hp tanks you do not need a din
size? A close one (that i like and have) is the worthington / xs scuba hp100 , it's smaller by a bit, and holds more air, and because it doesn't go positively buoyant when low on air, you can lose about 6 lbs of lead weight
For single tank diving, you'll find less tendency to roll if your wing is configured so you don't need a STA as the tank sits closer to your back.
IMHO next to a good old steel 72 a Faber FX100 is the most comfortable tank to dive, but never mind my choice;
Ron Frank hits the nail on the head with his advice to rent/borrow/steal a tank and take it for a test dive.
I personally use Faber HP 120 for my set of doubles and my GF sold her two AL 80 to purchase Faber HP100 singles. Money permitting, I will probably trade two AL80 tanks this year for two Faber HP100 or 120s as they are the same price around here. I have DIN valves on my doubles and my GF has a DIN on one of her tank and a 232 on the other. In all likelihood, when I make the switch, I will opt for DIN valves and purchase additional HOG D1 or D2 Cold water regs to dive with those singles and keep my SR1 for travelling.
I think steels in cold water diving make a lot of sense, sinking those thick 7mm farmer johns is
not an easy thing to do. Warm water diving however make the AL80 something that needs a
consideration. With regards to the roll effect I agree the later PST tanks before the stop of production
did not seem to roll as much as the later LP tanks from worthington. So if your diving PST's and rarely
turning to your side or even completely over to look up you probably don't notice much roll. The LP worthingtons
however you will notice, it's manageable but it is noticeable.
That's all I do in the midwest, cold water dry suit diving. Im trying to shed some lead and switch tanks less. I usually get 3 dives per AL80, so if I can get a PST100 I may be able to go all weekend on the same tank and still weigh less.