Faber High Pressure Steel Scuba Diving Tank

Faber High Pressure Steel Tank: Full-Range Steel Cylinder for Serious Recreational and Advanced Divers

The Faber High Pressure Steel Tank is a scuba cylinder built for divers who want to carry more gas, manage their buoyancy more precisely, and reduce the lead they strap on for every dive.

If you are already diving regularly and have started noticing the limitations of a standard aluminum cylinder, this is the kind of upgrade worth understanding properly before you buy.

Why Steel Changes How You Dive

The most practical difference between a steel cylinder and an aluminum one is buoyancy behavior underwater.

An aluminum tank becomes positively buoyant as you breathe it down. That means it starts to lift your back end toward the surface as the dive progresses, and you compensate by carrying extra lead on your belt or BCD pockets.

Steel works the opposite way. The Faber HP tank is negatively buoyant throughout the dive, even when nearly empty. Depending on the size you choose, it sits between -2.64 lbs and -9.41 lbs negative when full, and between -0.66 lbs and +2.35 lbs when empty. That consistency lets you shed lead from your belt and redistribute it, or simply carry less of it altogether.

For divers using a back-inflation BCD (sometimes called a wing), this matters even more. Moving weight off the front of your body and letting the tank carry the negative buoyancy at the rear gives you a much flatter, more natural position in the water.

Construction and Materials

The Faber HP is made from deep-drawn chromium molybdenum steel, a high-strength alloy that allows a thinner, lighter cylinder wall compared to lower-grade steel, without sacrificing pressure rating.

The exterior protection is layered: triple zinc spray, then epoxy, then polyurethane paint. That combination resists corrosion from salt water and the humid environments cylinders typically live in. It is not a guarantee against rust if the tank is neglected, but it is a meaningfully durable finish for regular use.

The valve body is marine-grade chromed brass, which holds up well in salt water over time.

Working Pressure and Gas Capacity

Every Faber HP cylinder in this range is rated to 3,442 psi (237 bar). That is a high-pressure rating, which means that at the same physical size as a standard-pressure aluminum tank, a Faber HP holds more gas. More gas means longer dives, more comfortable air consumption margins, or both.

The range covers eight capacity options:

The smaller sizes, 23 and 40 cubic feet, are typically used as pony bottles (small backup cylinders carried alongside a primary tank) rather than as primary tanks for recreational diving. The 80 cubic foot size is the most common choice for a standard recreational dive, while the larger sizes suit divers with higher gas consumption, longer planned bottom times, or deeper profiles.

Valve: Yoke or DIN, Your Choice

The tank ships with a convertible valve that works in both yoke (A-clamp) and DIN configurations. Yoke is the standard fitting at most recreational dive shops and rental stations worldwide. DIN threads the regulator directly into the valve and is preferred by many experienced divers and required for high-pressure regulators above 232 bar. Being able to switch between the two means the Faber HP works with whatever first stage you own or rent, without buying a separate valve.

Nitrox Compatibility

All Faber HP cylinders are nitrox ready up to 40% oxygen. If you are enriched-air certified (EANx), you can fill this tank with nitrox without any additional cleaning or conversion. Above 40% oxygen requires a dedicated oxygen-clean cylinder and different handling procedures, so this tank is not intended for high-concentration oxygen mixes used in technical diving.

A Few Practical Notes Before You Buy

The round-bottom design means a cylinder boot is needed for the tank to stand upright. Most sizes include one, but the 23 cubic foot cylinder does not come with a boot, and the 40 cubic foot size ships without one included, so factor that in if you are ordering either of those sizes.

Tanks are shipped with the valve removed. Before you can get a fill, the cylinder will need to be inspected and the valve reinstalled by a qualified technician. Plan for that step before your first dive.

Hydro dates (the stamped date of the cylinder's pressure test, which determines when it next needs retesting) vary depending on when the tank was manufactured and how long it sat in inventory. The distributor makes an effort to ship cylinders with current hydro, meaning within 24 months of manufacture, but this can vary. Check the hydro date when your cylinder arrives so you know exactly where you stand.

All cylinders in this range meet US Department of Transportation (DOT) certification under special permit number 13488, and Transport Canada (TC) certification under special permit number SU7694-237.

Who This Tank Is and Is Not For

The Faber HP is a strong choice if you dive regularly, want better trim and less lead, or want more gas capacity than a standard aluminum 80 gives you.

It is not the right starting point if you are a new diver still figuring out your weighting and buoyancy. The buoyancy difference between steel and aluminum is real, and it changes how you set up your weighting system. Get comfortable in the water first, then make the switch.

It is also not suited for technical diving applications that require high-concentration oxygen mixes above 40%, or for sidemount configurations where specific cylinder geometry matters. For standard recreational and advanced recreational diving, though, the Faber HP is one of the most thoroughly proven steel cylinder lines available.