Tanks

[RonFrank]

I don't own steel tanks but have rented them on occasion. For my diving (rec) I like the HP 100's if I am doing deep flat profiles, or just want some extra margin of safety.

 

[redrover]

HP80, trim.

 

[BuoyantC]

I'll stick with the world's most common tank, the AL80. My trim is exactly where I want it with an AL bp/w and 4lbs. I do have a couple HP80's that I like when back in cold water.

Did a dive today with an HP 110? (sorry, forgot already) That sucked. I was overweighted without anything ditchable, and so back heavy as to roll even when looking to the side. Gimme back the AL80!

 

[RU4SKUBA]

I have Worthington HP130s and they're too large for my frame and require an excessive amount of stamina, but are very stable and require no additional weight for buoyancy control

 

[renegade17]

Hp119. For deep, cold water dives, it gives me a little built-in redundancy should something go really wrong for me or my buddy. Also, my lungs are super large!

 

[lamont]

Why compare LP104/LP108 with HP100?

The appropriate tanks to compare are based on size, not on volume of gas that they carry:

LP104 => HP130
LP96 => HP120
LP95 => HP119
LP80 => HP100

To first order, an HP130 is just an LP104 that you can fill to 3500psi, so there would be very little reason to get an LP104 -- unless you could find an LP tank cheaply and easily get cave fills.

Some technical/cave divers like the LP tank buoyancy characteristics better than the HP tanks, but that isn't much of an issue unless you are doubling them up.

So anyone lugging an LP104 might as well be lugging an HP130 in which case the thing to focus on is not that they the HP130 has a "problem" getting fills to its service pressure -- but that the HP130 can always get as good of a fill as the LP104 and can get better fills when the fill monkeys won't do a cave fill on the LP104...

 

[CompuDude]

Why compare LP104/LP108 with HP100?

The appropriate tanks to compare are based on size, not on volume of gas that they carry:

LP104 => HP130
LP96 => HP120
LP95 => HP119
LP80 => HP100

To first order, an HP130 is just an LP104 that you can fill to 3500psi, so there would be very little reason to get an LP104 -- unless you could find an LP tank cheaply and easily get cave fills.

Some technical/cave divers like the LP tank buoyancy characteristics better than the HP tanks, but that isn't much of an issue unless you are doubling them up.

So anyone lugging an LP104 might as well be lugging an HP130 in which case the thing to focus on is not that they the HP130 has a "problem" getting fills to its service pressure -- but that the HP130 can always get as good of a fill as the LP104 and can get better fills when the fill monkeys won't do a cave fill on the LP104...

You would compare an LP 104/105 to an HP100 when you're planning a dive where you NEED 100cf of gas. In that case, availability of fills and availability of tanks will let you know what's appropriate to carry. If you can't reliably get full fills in your HP tanks, the HP100 isn't going to cut it.... but the LP104/105 probably will do fine. Or an underfilled HP130, which is practically the same tank, as you correctly note. If you can get full HP fills, however, then the HP100 is the lightest, easiest way to carry 100cf of gas. And if you can get overfills, in addition to true HP fills, then an LP80/85 would suffice as well.

 

[jupitermermaid]

I love my HP 80's for most of my diving. It's compact and comfortable. If I'm feeling lazy and will be doing a couple easy drift dives less than 85' I'll sometimes use a HP 100 for both dives so I don't have to switch my gear to a second tank.

 

[Buoyant1]

I have two steel 119's....chose them to take weight OFF the belt, and for their capacity.

PLan to double them within the next year or two...my poor back!

 

[WD8CDH]

Of the three, HP100 would be my choice, but none of the three are my preference. I usually dive doubles or triples in the 30 to 72 CF range each.