Pony bottle (EAS) ideas besides Spare Air?

[tomich]

So I've heard the opinion on "spare air" how it's expensive for what it gives you (i.e. barely any air, especially if you're at 100+ feet.)

So I've been looking around for an alternate pony bottle. One person recommended using this:

http://www.leisurepro.com/Catalog.aspx?op=ItemDisplay&ProductID=AQUEASO

With this:

http://www.leisurepro.com/Catalog.aspx?op=ItemDisplay&ProductID=AQUTP

Here's my questions:

1) What size tank would you recommend as a pony? 6/13/19 cu?

2) One problem I have is that almost all my scuba diving is done after getting off a plane in a foreign country. Whatever I use will have to be transported on a plane, with all the associated difficulties with packing an empty, open cylinder, probably in hand luggage. (If it were in my regular luggage, it would undoubtedly get x-rayed and searched.) Anybody have any experience with travelling with pony cylinders?

3) Where do you put this thing when you're diving?

4) Any other configurations you've used/would recommend?

Thanks in advance?

 

[idratherbediving]

as with just about every other piece of equipment, i think it depends on what kind of diving you do and your air consumption rate. i used to be a pretty heavy breather so i purchased a 40 cu.ft. if you are diving deep and for long periods of time then the safety stop would be more necessary and a larger tank would be necessary. if a direct ascent to the surface would not be a problem then a smaller bottle would suffice. remember if you use that reg from leisure pro then you wont be able to mount the pony on your back or you will not be able to get to it without removing your bc.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Size: either a 19 or a 30. You're already spending a lot on this setup, might as well spend maybe $20 more and get a lot of air in a almost-as-small package.

Problem: you must take off the valve and present for inspection. Usually not a problem.

Where to put it: sling it like a stage bottle (http://christinayoung.com/pages/diving/maddog/images/jodrey2002/jaytempe2.jpg Note the green bottle under his left arm. Your pony will be much smaller and more streamlined than this, but it would hang the same way ) this keeps it out of the way and doesn't create any drag, and reduces chance of entanglement.

About the EAS reg: all it is is a regulator without a hose, just a swivel. If you like that reg, go for it but put a real hose on it. Anything bigger than a 6cf, you can't really hold it in your mouth too well.

 

[mustfajohnson]

1) I started with a spare air and figured out it would maybe be good for an ESA and that's it. I tried a 6 with a Sherwood minimus and small pressure guage. Finally figured out a 13 with the regulator was about the same. Been using a 13 for a few years now.

2) Check the airline and TSA website. Get a plug for your pony at your LDS and put the valve in a baggie. Haven't had any problems since I've been traveling with tis arangement.

3) Mounted on the side of my tank.

4) Had a bracket custom made. Big hose clamps hold it to the pony and the bracket slides between both tank straps and main tank. mount tank with regulator up. Some folks mount them reg down. Personal preference.

 

[Jersey Chris]

In my opinon the spare air is a complete waste of space. I use a 19cuft pony with its own reg that I sling around my neck. I dont use an otcopus. I just have my primary and my pony reg. The size of the pont really depends on the type of diving you do. I pretty much stay above 125 feet so a 19 ft pony will allow me to get up safetly from that depth. If you are diving below 100 regulary I would suggest at least a set of 72 doubles with a manifold and 2 second stages. If all of your diving is above 60 feet you could get away with a 13 cuft pony. Choosing a pony is really based upon your diving style..

 

[northcoast_diver]

...
Here's my questions:

1) What size tank would you recommend as a pony? 6/13/19 cu?

2) ... travelling with pony cylinders?

3) Where do you put this thing when you're diving?

...?

A 6 cu ft gives you enough air to do an ascent and safety stop from 50 ft.

A 13 cu ft gives you enough air to do an ascent and safety stop from 100 ft.

I dont use a pony bigger than 13 cu ft nor recommend diving deeper than 100 ft without twin tanks.

Best place to clip any pony or stage tank is to the front side of your B/C-harness.

When you travel, you should be travelling with a group, and diving with a D/M, and then you would not need the pony. BUt if you take it with you, you can take it apart and put it in your luggage. They will probably Xray it and then call you out to explain, however. Same with carry-on.

 

[northcoast_diver]

In my opinon the spare air is a complete waste of space. ..

Agreed!

...I use a 19cuft pony with its own reg that I sling around my neck. ..

Air hog!

... I dont use an otcopus. I just have my primary and my pony reg. ..

Bad idea, IMO.

...above 125 feet so a 19 ft pony will allow me to get up safetly from that depth. ...

AND THEN some. A bunch, in fact.

...If you are diving below 100 regulary I would suggest at least a set of 72 doubles with a manifold and 2 second stages. ..

Agreed.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

The mention of doubles reminds me of something:

If you do do a lot of diving below 100 feet, I recommend double AL80s. They're great for every dive too. you can use half of the air on one dive, and then make the second without changing tanks. Or make a nice and long single dive. And you've got the ultimate in redundancy. Most also find that doubles make them much more stable in the water.

Something you must remember is that just because you may have the air to get into a decompression situation, PLEASE don't do this unless you're trained to.

hope that helps

 

[gjmmotors]

So I've heard the opinion on "spare air" how it's expensive for what it gives you (i.e. barely any air, especially if you're at 100+ feet.)

So I've been looking around for an alternate pony bottle. One person recommended using this:
<SNIP>

I couldnt see carrying one.
(There are places where you can rent such gear, doubles stages etc while on vacation)
Call ahead and see if you can rent one.
-g mount

 

[Allison Finch]

I fully understand what your problems are. As a traveler, I had to make a decision based on weight/size/and portability. I settled on a 13 for just those reasons. I use it as a bailout only! I don't depend on it at all in an overhead environment. The places I travel don't have any ponies available for rent so I had to make a decision based on the fact that nowadays, you can't pay for overweight bags. My main bag was 1 KILO overweight coming back from the Pacific and I was told to take it out or the bag would not be put on the plane. It was a book and two pairs of socks for pete's sake.