Faber, OMS or Worthington?

[Wayward Son]

I have 3 FX-117's bc I got a screaming deal on them.

 

[Scott L]

Fabers are lighter but if you are in an exposure suit most of the time it does not really matter. I prefer Worthington's due to their tough galvanised exterior. Besides, IMO white tanks are ugly...

 

[Wayward Son]

ugly is as ugly does. I got them for $160 each. Not worth over $100 more per tank to not have white.

For me diving is more about function. I'm not putting on a fashion show so my gear is all mixed up.

 

[dl348]

I believe Faber made the tanks for OMS, not sure if they still do though.

 

[Puffer Fish]

The Faber tanks are slightly less buoyant, slightly heavier and slightly taller than the corresponding Worthington cylinders. In my opinion, that trade-off favors the Worthington tanks.

John, that used to be true, but the FX series is very different.

The Faber FX 117 versus the Worthington 119, for example:

Both are 8 inch diameter tanks.

The Faber weighs 38.9 lbs, the Worthington 42

The Worthington is 2 lbs negative when empty, the Faber .16 Put those two numbers together and the Faber is slightly better. But that is not true across the board.

However, the older Faber HP's are fairly heavy. Particularly the Faber HP120 versus the FX 120... 48.3 lbs versus 39.2 lbs

I own lots of Faber, although I think the overall best larger tank made is the Worthington 120 - which is the lightest larger tank one can buy, and combined with the 2 lbs negative when empty is a great combo. However, getting a great deal of Faber tanks is much easier (as they will ship individual tanks).

 

[rjack321]

I have Worthington LP 85s and the Fabers are a little longer and thinner. I wonder if I would be less head heavy in them, but it's probably nothing a little tail weighting won't cure.

Because the worthington's are 7.25" diameter while the faber's are 6.9" diameter.

 

[Scott L]

I own lots of Faber, although I think the overall best larger tank made is the Worthington 120 - which is the lightest larger tank one can buy, and combined with the 2 lbs negative when empty is a great combo. However, getting a great deal of Faber tanks is much easier (as they will ship individual tanks).

That's interesting as I would say that's the most universally disliked tank out there due to it's nearly 29" in height. In the same class, most find the HP130 more appealing...

 

[Puffer Fish]

That's interesting as I would say that's the most universally disliked tank out there due to it's nearly 29" in height. In the same class, most find the HP130 more appealing...

They sell a lot of them at fill express, so some must like them

8 inch tanks are prehaps more disliked, if you boat dive. A lot of boats have major issues with the larger diameter tanks (I know, as that is my normal tank)

If you look at the Worthington 120 versus say the 119 or the 130... you get this

120 28 inches tall (without valve) 38 lbs and -2 empty.

119 24 inches tall (without valve) 42 lbs and -2 empty.

130 25.5 inches tall (w/out valve) 43 lbs and -2 empty.

If you are short, then the 130 makes more sense than the 119, but unless you need the extra air, 5 lbs lighter is very noticable.

I dive mostly with my Faber 117's.. which are 39 lbs.. and feel way lighter than my Faber 133's, which are roughly 43 lbs.

For shear vertical height, the Faber FX120's and 149's at well over 29 inches, make the Worthington 120's seem short.

 

[Scott L]

They sell a lot of them at fill express, so some must like them

8 inch tanks are prehaps more disliked, if you boat dive. A lot of boats have major issues with the larger diameter tanks (I know, as that is my normal tank)

If you look at the Worthington 120 versus say the 119 or the 130... you get this

120 28 inches tall (without valve) 38 lbs and -2 empty.

119 24 inches tall (without valve) 42 lbs and -2 empty.

130 25.5 inches tall (w/out valve) 43 lbs and -2 empty.

If you are short, then the 130 makes more sense than the 119, but unless you need the extra air, 5 lbs lighter is very noticable.

I dive mostly with my Faber 117's.. which are 39 lbs.. and feel way lighter than my Faber 133's, which are roughly 43 lbs.

For shear vertical height, the Faber FX120's and 149's at well over 29 inches, make the Worthington 120's seem short.

I knew I would be forced to respond. I recently purchased a HP120 Worthington from Fill Express coincidentially and was indifferent with the tank but my 6-pack operator abhors them as they must be layed down on his deck.

I recently sold off the tank and purchased the HP130. Personally, I can notice this increased drag of the 8" diameter but otherwise I am OK with the tank.

I am just telling you what I hear locally and reports I have read on SB...

 

[Stu S.]

Here's a comparison test:

About 4 years ago I bought my daughter both a Worthington X-80 HP and a Faber FX-80 HP. Each now has about 60 dives on it.

The Worthington has a small rust stripe where the tank meets the boot. The Worthington also needed minor interior rust removal last year and last week at VIP. Her Worthington is shorter than the Faber, and she likes that. The Thermo valve on a Worthington is probably a cut above the SOS valve Faber provides.

Her Faber remains rust free all around. Faber is made in Italy. White is the required dive tank color Europe. That's similar to green oxygen tanks and red acetylene tanks in the US. Faber comes with a boot that has a small base, and is not as stable standing up. Be careful in that regard.

I use Faber FX-100's, and three of those cost the same as two Worthingtons. That's the feature I like best.