Couple questions on a pony bottle for bail out

[Kharon]

I prefer to sling mine. Here is a link to the way I rig it. Simple, cheap and effective.

DIR-diver.com - Stagebottle rigging

+1 on this method of slinging. Easy to build, rugged, and inexpensive.

 

[Sonic04GT]

Do you guys have anything against a gauge like the Highland? It looks pretty easy to read for a button type.
Amazon.com : Highland by XS Scuba Mini Tech Pressure Gauge : Diving Gauges : Sports & Outdoors

I was looking at small HP hoses and they're $30-35. I think I'd rather spend $15 more and just get a new gauge and keep my full size Mares for the girlfriend's future setup.

 

[uncfnp]

I have the Mini-SPG button gauge from Dive Gear Express (19 dollars) on my pony but their Naked SPG Thin (49 dollars) with a 6 inch hose on my deco bottle. Pro's and con's to both. The button gauge is a little harder to set up so you can easily view it while diving but once arranged, it works great...as long as your eye sight is good enough for that little face! I assume the Highland would be similar.

 

[JohnN]

I have the Mini-SPG button gauge from Dive Gear Express (19 dollars) on my pony but their Naked SPG Thin (49 dollars) with a 6 inch hose on my deco bottle. Pro's and con's to both. The button gauge is a little harder to set up so you can easily view it while diving but once arranged, it works great...as long as your eye sight is good enough for that little face! I assume the Highland would be similar.

I use a similar button gauge on my pony. I leave the 2nd stage pressurized but with the tank valve closed when diving, so checking that there is still some pressure is easy. Pre-dive, I check I have the expected pressure in the tank and if I ever need the pony, the dive is over, so I don't need to monitor the remaining pressure. Different story with a deco cylinder where you could use it over multiple dives.

 

[Sonic04GT]

I think the Highland would fit my situation just fine as I plan to use it in a similar fashion and end the dive as well.

 

[uncfnp]

Just curious, why the Highland for 44 dollars when DGE has almost the exact same thing for 19?

 

[Sonic04GT]

Just curious, why the Highland for 44 dollars when DGE has almost the exact same thing for 19?

I guess I missed the DGE reference. I had chosen the Highland because it appeared to have the best readability of all the other less expensive ones I've browsed through. However, upon looking at the DGE it appears nearly the same!

Comes to $26 shipped. It's also 30 mins from my work so maybe I'll swing by there one of these days.

 

[uncfnp]

Take a look around their website. I can always find enough to get the 50 dollars for free shipping option. They also have great prices on the bolt snaps https://www.divegearexpress.com/hardware/sssnaps.shtml you will need for rigging your tank. And I do add a DGE elastic hose retainer to the DIR rigging https://www.divegearexpress.com/gas/straps.shtml

 

[84CJ7]

If you truly need the level of capacity that a 30cf pony provides then personally I would return the pony, pull the wing off your ranger and stick it on a back plate and just pick up a second full size tank and a doubles manifold instead of going with a pony. That would cost a fair amount, but the wing is usually the most expensive part of switching to a BP&W anyways and you are lucky enough to have one that is doubles compatible and can be attached to a plate already.
Even if you have to put off getting the second tank and dive with the BP&W with your single HP100 and no pony for now I think you would be on a better course for the long term.

13cf is my personal cutoff for where they stop being pony bottles and start being lopsided doubles anyways.

I went head long down the wrong road in gear buying because I didn't look at where I wanted to be, and instead looked at what I could afford right now and what piece I wanted next. That meant I have wasted $100's on gear that doesn't work for me anymore. The fact that you have a top dollar BCD with a basic (though good quality) reg kinda suggests that you don't have a clear course and have been adding things as you go along.

 

[shoredivr]

Well, perhaps the OP is not interested (now) in diving doubles or sidemount. A 30 or 40 cuft side slung tank is versatile now and if down the road the OP wants to get into more complex diving, the 30 or 40 can become a deco tank.

Personally I prefer an SPG rather than a button gauge as I can read it more easily.