Catalinas do not make for very good stages. Luxfers are preferred.
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Sorry, newbie confusion; I figured the date on the bottles was when it ran out...........
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Jim, buy a set of 130's instead of the 119's. Most of us are now diving 130's. From an Equipment Match and Teaming perspective for Technical diving that would be a recommended config.
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Hey Jim,

When you get your new tanks I have a set of used OMS bands for sale if your interested :-)
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I concur..Don't bother with the 119's..The 130's are the way to go...
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Serge, thanks for the offer, but I already have bands and manifold sitting here waiting for my tanks.

Chris, if I could find a set of used 130's at anything less than 90% of retail, I'd consider it. I have the 119's coming for $400 for the pair of them, with a brand new hydro on them. The 4 to 5 hundred bucks I'm going to save getting these over 130's, will pay for a good chunk of the class. If they get me through the class and this season, then they owe me nothing and the following year I'll look at the 130's, and set the 119's aside as "backup" doubles or break them down for singles.
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What would the difference be, why are Luxfers preferred?
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The Catalina's are ass heavy, so they pull down when they are slung. The Luxfer's are light in the ass end, and with the valve and reg on them, they hang nose down, tail up when you sling them. I've done a few dives slinging an 80 for practice, and with the Luxfer, you don't even notice it's there.
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As Jimmer said, the buoyancy characteristics are a bit different...The weird thing is, I've seen some Catalina's that sling pretty good..Must have a heavy reg attached to them lol
But the Luxfer's are the way to go...Once they hit about 2500 psi, from then on they ride awesome...
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That makes sense,

Thanks
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