Buying a single with doubles in mind

[feldomatic]

What kind of diving do you want to with the doubles

Most likely wrecks along the east coast and eventually Florida caves.

 

[crofrog]

Most likely wrecks along the east coast and eventually Florida caves.

Get some 133s for fl caves. You could use them on boats too and only need to bring one set of doubles for most trips.

Figure about 100cuft per dive for 30 minutes at 100ft plus descent and safety stop.

You can easily get 2 of those out of a set of double 133s. Less so smaller tanks.

 

[Tracy]

How tall are you? You could buy a set of doubles and dive them as single tanks until you are ready.
I have a set of double 95s with a newer hydro and visual. You could buy them, dive them as singles and then have them assembled later.
If you are shopping for a new steel tank, a used set of doubles will be pretty close in price.

 

[rx7diver]

What kind of diving do you want to with the doubles

+1

And how tall are you?

I loved my PST (Sherwood Genesis, 3,500 psig) HP120 BM doubles for Great Lakes deep shipwreck diving. Drysuit diving from a dive boat.

I am 6'2", and these HP120 doubles were more comfortable for me than the HP100's that they replaced.

However, a HP 120 is a bit too tall for me (long legs) to wear comfortably as a single.

rx7diver

 

[-JD-]

If you go with an HP 3442 psi tank, a 100 will be a bit shorter than an aluminum 80 and a 7.25" diameter 120 will be a couple inches longer than the Al80. If you bump up to 8" diameter, you would have 117 or 133 in similar lengths. For me 8" doubles would be uncomfortably wide.

As a couple others have pointed out, body morphology and how high you mount your tank play into what is comfortable and how it affects your trim. I have HP100s and HP120s as singles and both can work for me (with the HP100s more comfortable) at a long-torsoed 5'10" who mounts tanks relatively high.

I have a strong personal preference for hot dip galvanized tanks compared to painted or "tripple" coated tanks for durability.

If your wife is buying for you new, Faber FX series 3442 psi are probably the only high-pressure ones available. I'm not sure if anybody else still makes steel tanks (for USA SCUBA) other than Faber.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

If you're in VA and want to make the drive (but it's a HECK of a drive) to northern MD I have HP 3500 120's, HP 3442 119's, HP 3500 100's, HP 3442 100's, and HP 3442 80's you can try. That way you know what you're getting and what works for you.

If it was me, that's what I'd want to do, try before you buy (you can probably find someone much closer to you willing to do the same). The vast majority of people will land on an HP 100, I think that's a great all around tank unless you really need the extra air or you're too long in the body.

 

[Lorenzoid]

If you are shopping for a new steel tank, a used set of doubles will be pretty close in price.

Agree. @feldomatic , steel tanks last many decades, and there are always some for sale. If you're planning on diving mostly doubles within the next year, consider buying a set of used steel doubles and separating them for now. You'll then have the manifold ready to go a year from now. Having the manifold serviced to replace o-rings with new ones is straightforward. None of my doubles sets were purchased new. I think the oldest of mine dates from the early 1990s--not considered "old" at all as steel tanks go.

 

[MidOH]

Make sure to order your tanks with left and right modular valves. Not pro valves.

Then you can double them up. Add an isolator later on too.

 

[happy-diver]

If you are shopping for a new steel tank, a used set of doubles will be pretty close in price.

 

[mr_v]

If you are planning on diving caves, you will probably need more than 2 tanks. Just FYI. Don't stress out too much over what to get now. A used set of double 100HPs is a good way to go.