Steel 120 tank - any regrets buying one?
- Thread starter James Ocean
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Soloist
Contributor
I absolutely love my galvanized Worthington HP120 tanks. My only regret is not being able to dive them like I used to. We fly to most of our dive destinations now.
Bob DBF
Contributor
I have the old Faber MP 120's (3180# service pressure), the capacity is great on deep dives, but I get pretty cold on the shallow ones, do to the time inthe water. Granted I dive cold water wet, but that's where the buoyancy of the tank comes in handy.
I still don't regret buying two of them.
Bob
I still don't regret buying two of them.
Bob
I have 2 Worthington HP Steel 120's that I use for local diving. I got them at cost just before they stopped making them, so it was a no brainer.
I am 6' 2" and still feel like they are too tall for my liking. In a perfect world, I would swap them out for 2 Worthington 100's.
I am 6' 2" and still feel like they are too tall for my liking. In a perfect world, I would swap them out for 2 Worthington 100's.
Yes you will be able to take the same lead off your belt.
GJC
Contributor
100 and 120 buoyancy in the water are really close. About the same when full and the 120 should only be about 2 lbs more buoyant than a 100 if completely empty.
The 3442psi and 3180+psi versions of hp120s are vastly different. Get the 3442 version unless you are for sure sticking with single tank diving. The 3180+ version is incredibly heavy and negative, -7 lbs even when empty
Bob DBF
Contributor
You may have to do some more involved math to find out how much weight you are carrying across the beach. First is the buoyancy, which takes weight off the belt. Second is the actual weight of the Faber fx120DBVwhen walking to the beach. In other words if you move from an AL 80 that's say 3# off the belt for the 120 and it weighs 5# more than 80, you are carrying 2# more to the beach.
I loved my buddy's Faber MP 72s for big beach walks, 8# off the belt, 2# off the tank weight for a total of 10# less than an AL 80 and only lost 6cuft of gas. The coast diving here is rarely as deep as 60' so it's a reasonable length dive in cold water diving wet, with the 120 I'm cold enough I'm not doing a second dive.
Bob
walkonmars
Contributor
Has the OP stated what type of diving he or she is doing?
My answer really depends on what you are doing and how tall and heavy (lifting) the diver is.
I am 5'9" and weigh 150 lbs. Most of my diving is off charter boats.
I own Faber 100, 120, 117, and 130. Also Al 80 and Worthington 100.
I recommend the Faber 117 (instead of a 120.)
The 120 is tall and narrow (taller 100). It bangs my legs if I mount it too low. It bumps my head if I neck backward when mounted too high. There is a sweet spot that is perfect but sometimes the tank slips and it gets in the wrong place after a few dives on a two day dive weekend. (Then go fix it!)
The 117 is wide and short, and less forgiving. It weighs comparably and has a lot of capacity. It is my primary working tank in spite of me owning so many other tanks.
I would not like to walk a lot with it on my back. I would use my Worthington 100 for long hikes.
If you are tall, you can buy it and try it out. If you dive a lot, it will likely not be your only tank. Many divers own a minimum of two tanks per person in the family. That is just to start.
My answer really depends on what you are doing and how tall and heavy (lifting) the diver is.
I am 5'9" and weigh 150 lbs. Most of my diving is off charter boats.
I own Faber 100, 120, 117, and 130. Also Al 80 and Worthington 100.
I recommend the Faber 117 (instead of a 120.)
The 120 is tall and narrow (taller 100). It bangs my legs if I mount it too low. It bumps my head if I neck backward when mounted too high. There is a sweet spot that is perfect but sometimes the tank slips and it gets in the wrong place after a few dives on a two day dive weekend. (Then go fix it!)
The 117 is wide and short, and less forgiving. It weighs comparably and has a lot of capacity. It is my primary working tank in spite of me owning so many other tanks.
I would not like to walk a lot with it on my back. I would use my Worthington 100 for long hikes.
If you are tall, you can buy it and try it out. If you dive a lot, it will likely not be your only tank. Many divers own a minimum of two tanks per person in the family. That is just to start.
Similar threads
