Someone said LP 85L steels might change my mind.⁠⁠What’s your favorite tank for sidemount diving?⁠

[@timgosling6189]

It's funny that people don't generally realise that steel tanks are lighter than the equivalent aluminum ones, just less buoyant. I prefer steels with drysuit for exactly your reasons, but if you're going to be unclipping and manoeuvring them around under water a lot it has to be Al.

[@dougcramer5454]

Steel is always consistent. Don't understand why people like aluminum

[@AzulUnlimited]

For me, it’s just what I’m used to and what I was able to buy on a really tight budget 3 years ago🤷‍♀️

[@AzulUnlimited]

Makes sense!

[@Chogogo717]

I love my LP85 for drysuit diving, but the AL80 do stay tighter to my side if I’m rolled sideways.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Very true!

[@edwardwhitehill6658]

My only experience as a new SM diver is using LP85 in a drysuit, Katana 2 (using drop ring to attach bottom of cylinder) harness and fresh water-overhead environment and no additional weight. If I were diving with a 3mm wetsuit in Bonaire using aluminum 80’s: 1. Do I need to have three d rings on each side of my waist band evenly spaced so I can adjust the cylinders during the dive to accommodate change in cylinder buoyancy? 2. Assuming I’ll need to add additional weight…best option? Weight belt? They have one set of LP50s at the resort I could use, but would have to wait for refill between dives or go with aluminum 80’s and I can have an extra set filled and ready to grab. Thanks

[@AzulUnlimited]

Yeah warm water just go with the AL80s. Much easier. I would grab some weight plates to easily add weight directly to your harness (Nex underwater products has some, or there’s another brand on Amazon). You’ll need 2 fixed d rings (or 1 adjustable) on each side of the waist belt to move the tanks around and keep trim

[@grantmacdonald4838]

I much prefer aluminum if i am going to manipulate them in the water. For set and forget in a drysuit steels are rather nice.

[@AzulUnlimited]

I’m sure I just need more time with them (or smaller than what I tried). I definitely understand why they would be nicer for cold water, but I feel like Goldilocks trying to find the right one🤣

[@dr4gvt]

12l steel light (12.1 12.4 kg) tank.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Nice. Would love to see a pic of your setup.

[@dr4gvt]

@@AzulUnlimited in the sea at the end of the dive the trim is practically similar to aluminum tanks. A little negative at the start of the dive but not to unbalance you excessively in the event of releasing the tanks in the GUN position or in the back ring. As soon as I get some photos or a video I'll send it to you. Hello and congratulations for your really beautiful videos.

[@Robert_H_Diver]

Steels are so much better than aluminums when diving dry.

[@AzulUnlimited]

I have no doubt. I’ve just gotta find the right size and get used to it🤷‍♀️

[@Robert_H_Diver]

@@AzulUnlimited I have LP85’s, but if you can’t get them over filled the. HP100’s would be better. Not sure how tall/big you are, so you’ll just have to try some different sizes and see what works best.

[@solaracid]

Am I being dumb? But couldn’t you attack a four pound weight to each tank. I would think you could attach this so that it was at center of gravity when in trim? Or would the center of gravity shift around the weight too much?

[@AzulUnlimited]

@@solaracid Some people will attach weights to their tanks, but I've always been taught not to. One reason is bc I was trained in sidemount for cave diving and we try to avoid any unnecessary extra gear that could be an entanglement hazard.

[@Dark-Star63A]

Steelies all the way...

[@AzulUnlimited]

Totally get it. I’m sure I’ll make the switch one day

[@Dark-Star63A]

@@AzulUnlimited I noticed a comment that you made to a contributor earlier on in the comment section that alloys are what you are used to. I also think that if that's what works for you and that's what you feel comfortable with then there is also space for that classic Ol' saying that a lot of the older divers use "If it ain't broke, is there really a need to fix it?" purely, that your comfort is priority, "A comfortable Diver is a safe Diver" and all that good diving "Pep" talk stuff... Also in all honesty (having dived extensively with both) It doesn't reeeeeeeeally bother me which one I use, but if I could choose I would ideally go with the steelies, weight and buoyancy related issues steming from the two different types of tanks are obviously a simple fix that can be easily fixed and tested/adjusted prior to the first "drop". I'm also noticing down here where I live in New Zealand and commercially dive for a living, it's almost becoming a cultural thing, where it almost seems that the old alloys are starting to slowly become "phased" out by the steelies... Our local dive shops who rent them out still seem to be holding on to them, and seem reluctant to let them go (yet again back to the Ol' saying "If it ain't broke, is there really a need to fix it?") and the obvious cost related expense thats involved with that whole change over for them as an operation... But hey, the old alloys are what we all started off with and learnt on so... Ultimately, I think it's just another interesting stage in our diving evolution and development... Have Fun, Watch Those Gauges, Stay Safe And Good Diving Everyone!!! 🙂🤙🏽

[@AzulUnlimited]

@@Dark-Star63A Totally agree. I think I'll eventually make the switch bc it would make the weight situation more manageable when I dive really cold water. It's just a matter of spending time with the new gear :)

[@Dark-Star63A]

@@AzulUnlimited awesome, let us know how it works out for you, I've subscribed to your channel to follow your journey mate...🙂🙌🏽

[@AzulUnlimited]

@@Dark-Star63A Thanks so much!