Here is what i know about optima batteries. I work in a fleet and a few years a go they showed us a film about optima batteries because they said they were going to be switching over for the heavy equipment. In the film they show a guy shooting a bullet at thebattery, they take the battery and hook it up to a big truck and start the truck. To show you how wonderful this battery is, i suppose.
These batteries have some kind of gel inside that holds the charge, and not lead-acid cells. That is the major difference. They are supposed to last longer because the lead acid reaction is not taking place eating away the lead.
I have worked with them a little bit, they wont run down as fast but they are very difficult to charge, you have to charge them at low amps for a day or two or something, the one optima battery i tried to charge never revived and just stayed dead. I dont believe they are worth the extra cost. The last battery i bought was $50 from Walmart. It was lead acid. I figure it will last me 3 or 4 years and thats fine to me, i dont want to pay $150 for a battery.
