Tank choice

[MikeP]

I need to pick up a smaller set of doubles for local dives around here, but I will also want to use these tanks when I go sidemount later this year in Florida.

Any feedback/preference on which sidemounts better, Faber LP85 or PST 100. I used both in backmount and find both quite suitable so the final verdict will come down to sidemount use.

Thanx

Mike

[JimC]

Hate to say it, but both make excellent sidemount tanks for most people. You are however a big guy and might be able to rig up a larger sidemount tank without any extra effort. That said, the defacto standard sidemount tank is the LP85.

[RaduT]

Hey Jim, why LP85?

Radu

[JimC]

Because in cave country you can get them filled properly and they are less expensive than an HP100.

Now I do think this is starting to change. Historically sidemount was only used when you were going into small holes. This is why the narrow/small tanks like the LP85 are the standard. With the advent of the Nomad system people are starting to dive sidemount in bigger cave where you would normally see backmount. People are starting to realize the benefits of sidemount in there diving. Outside of the tinny GUE crowd the stigma of independent doubles, non-hogarthian rigs and the "solo" mindset is starting to disappear (again). Thus these backmount turned sidemounters are beginning to take bigger tanks with them since they don't want to "loose range" from the 104's they had. This coupled with the Nomads high lift rating means a lot of 95's and 104's are being sidemounted, mostly Faber due to better buoyancy characteristics for sidemount. However, with proper form I personally find my range increased moving from backmount HP130's to sidemount HP119's and that my HP100's provide almost the same range as the HP119's. Further the HP100's are much more friendly in small spaces or when a tank needs to come off to pass a restriction. Further when I am going REAL tight and expect to have both tanks off I again want to size down my tanks to my 72s.

So why LP85? Because that is historically what got sidemounted. It still makes one very very nice sidemount (or backmount) tank.