Mesh tank protectors?????

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

Use what you like, and like what you use. The thing about personal dive gear is it IS just that; PERSONAL (preference). Take care of it, service it, and hopefully dive the S*it out of it!!

 

[Woden]

Although I don't use mesh on any of my tanks, I love it when people do. As an occasional dive shop monkey, it tells me that they're an easy mark. It also means that I get to charge them a few dollars to remove/replace the stuff when they bring the tanks in for inspections.

Guess I'll never go to your dive shop since you treat people like crap. Would I have to worry about any of the other equipment I use just in case I use something that makes me look like an easy mark to you and you decide to rip me off?

Actually, mesh users get fewer dings in the finish of their tanks, but there are some downsides: the stuff is ugly (in my not so humble opinion), marks you as a neophyte, makes tank slippage in the BC more likely, is an entanglement risk (never mind penetration diving, I saw a gal get snagged on a fishhook once - heh) and saltwater divers have a hard time rinsing their tanks and end up with corrosion problems.

Marks me as a neophyte? That's just a shortcut to thinking.
Proper use of tank mesh reduces tank slippage (go take a physics course if you can't figure that one out).

Add my name to the chorus that says a dinged up tank is a badge of honor, to be displayed with pride as proof that you're an active diver. Mesh covered tanks mean you're worrying about some unimportant things and haven't yet learned to focus on what matters.

You've got to be joking. On one hand you say that tank mesh means you worry about something unimportant and at the same time talk about the importance of showing others you're an active diver by showing them dinged up tanks.

Why do some people try to make themselves feel more important by belittling others for ridicules things like the use of tank mesh? Oh well I guess that's life. :06:

For the record. I use tank mesh and never have any of the problems mentioned. I probably won't use it again because it's a pain to remove when I get my tanks VIP'd.

 

[sharky001]

I bought mesh when I bought my first set of tanks, but I've never, ever dove with the crap. First of all, salt and grit deposits behind the mesh no matter how thoroughly you wash, causing more damage as a result; secondly, your tanks look cheap and tarted up; third, I just don't trust the friction-fit between the bands/strap and the tank ... When I used to work in a dive shop, I'd remove the mesh prior to inspection and huge swaths of paint would come off with the mesh - yikes! A few scratches are harmless and if it's an aluminum tank it won't be long before all the paint starts to peel of anyway...

 

[aalbinger]

My local LDS has mesh on their rental tanks. Their suggestion is to use it when the tank is in you trunk/truck to keep it from getting excessivly bashed up during transport. When you are ready to actually use the tank, slip off the mesh. No worries about cam band tension or snagging, you have to bash something pretty hard underwater to really ding it up. When it goes back into the vehicle for transport just slip the mesh back on and drive away.

Their mesh is snug, but not so tight that it is difficult to remove. I've seen a few people use their tanks with the mesh still on. Most of those people don't get the cam band(s) tight enough to keep the tank from sliding at least a little bit.

-Andrew

 

[archman]

I've been thinking about this a bit, and I do not believe I have EVER seen a mesh protector underwater. Maybe they're just rarer in Texas. Is this more of a Florida/California thing?

 

[scubahorse]

I wash my tanks and my cars. The mesh protector is like car bumper and hood cover, ugly and useless. Tank (not valve) is one most durable equipment for diving and it needed to be very negative buoyancy. Why we put somethink positive puoyancy on it? If tank needs protection, I recomend some more good protection: an other mesh protector to protecket the old mesh protector, a pair of knee pad protection patch, hose protector (you may already have), fin smooth gel, 2 gallon sunblock lotion for every thing (include diver)...

 

[Randy43068]

I used a mesh tank protector, once. It bunched up and made it hard to get the BC straps over it so I tossed it. As somenoe said the tank is really durable and I doubt that one of those mesh prophylactics would do much good to protect it from something really harmful. Besides, I like my tank to have some scratches on it. Shows that I actually use the thing.

IMHO the plastic tank protectors are worthless.

Randy

 

[Simply Scuba]

anybody wants to try them for free just stop in the shop, I'll give you a half dozen no charge, you like them /you don't.... all colors

 

[ChrisA]

Use what you like, and like what you use. The thing about personal dive gear is it IS just that; PERSONAL (preference). Take care of it, service it, and hopefully dive the S*it out of it!!

One of my tanks is a faber steel tank. I use a mesh on that one to keep the paint from chiping while the tank is being handled and transported. If the paint chips the steel under it might rust. On an AL tank this matters a lot less. I don't use a mesh over my PST tank as the hop dip galvanized finish is mush more durable then the faber white paint.

Also the paint Faber users is slipery. The meesh keeps the tank from slipping in mthe BC's tank band.

I find the meshes usefull some times if you have a group of divers and you want to look different. A girl in a black wetsuit and hood might like a pink mesh protector just tomake her stand out a bit.

Lot of reasons to have one but then I have a steel 77 tank with a 1968 date of manufacture that you can't put a cover on due to it's odd ball 6.9 inch diameter. Its done just fine with no mesh for 36 years.

 

[verona]

I find then a pain in the *** for the reasons already mentioned: get caught up in BC and can slip. But to each their own. Live and let live guys!