Using a pony - keep regular octo also?

[Diver0001]

Thanks for all the feedback. And the other threads were helpful also.

As for the situation in the above quote.... how is that different than when diving without a pony, sharing air and then having your own primary fail? You're left without a backup either way.

Of course, for those of us who were trained 15 years ago or more, we know how to buddy breath.

I think mike was assuming you're diving with twin cylinders where you can turn off your primary and still have full functionality via the "octopus" (aka secondary).

R..

 

[mike_s]

As for the situation in the above quote.... how is that different than when diving without a pony, sharing air and then having your own primary fail? You're left without a backup either way.

Yes you could have that happen also.

The event of yours failing right after your buddies failing (while you are sharing air) is very rare I would say. The same thing if your failed right after you had given your pony to someone else. But I bet it's happened to someone.

This is one of the reasons that some divers dive with an H-valve. that way you have two seperate first and second stages. Also the valves are independent of each other.

One other reason to leave your octo on is that you sometimes might want to dive shallower without a pony. Then you would have to re-install the octo to use it if it was taken off earlier.

Either way, it's mostly diver preference. But I think you'll find most divers will prefer having the octo there.