Just keep in mind though, this has been your experience so far. It completely differs from mine presently.
Is there a valid reason for a pony bottle
- Thread starter Ryan Mcshane
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Just keep in mind though, this has been your experience so far. It completely differs from mine presently.
It's so interesting to see how much some people are so identified with their position that they are unable to see or relate to others. Which is life, I guess. Some people are unable to get past their own conditioning much less realise that how they view anything is so coloured by their past experience. I am very conscious of that, so keep an open mind (in general) as with scuba which is why I think I have learnt so much on this board. Sure you have to have an active filter to sieve out the conditioned folks, but then there's the educated 'Dive and let dive' folks that share their knowledge, journey and experience which is usually easily relatable even if far removed from your experiences.
Again, great discussion. So much info to learn from, if you are open to it.
Again, great discussion. So much info to learn from, if you are open to it.
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Been a member for many years but never posted except to inquire about gear for sale until now. Learned a lot over the years from people on this board but have also waded through countless pages of BS. I think some of the posters, even the more accomplished, lose sight of the fact that every diver is different and dive under different conditions, have different risk tolerances etc. I grew up diving in the north Gulf of Mexico as a kid with a speargun in my hand. Lived in NC for the last 30 years and do most of my diving off the NC coast with an occasional family trip to Bonaire. Main focus of my diving is still spearfishing although I've started doing a little Meg toothing here and there.
Most of my dives in NC are in the 100-125 ft range. Neither toothing nor spearfishing are very conducive to buddy diving. As a result, I started carrying a pony on many of my deeper dives. I've never had an equipment failure in 40 plus years of diving but they do happen. I carry a 19 cft attached to my tank. If I were not spearing or toothing I'd sling it as I think it would be smarter to have it in front where you can see it but I don't want the entanglement issue and quite honestly, I've got enough moving parts already.
Some of the comments on this thread have been well thought out and informative. This is the Basic forum after all and will likely have less experienced divers watching and/or participating . Some of the arguments I've read on this thread against the use of a pony are bordering on the absurd. To address some of them:
IMO, doubles are certainly safer in many situations. That said, most of the boats around here aren't particularly set up to handle doubles plus I'm usually doing three drops per trip so it makes sense to use large singles plus the pony. I've got doubles and I occasionally dive them but not often. The pony gives me enough redundancy to deal with most foreseeable issues. I don't see the argument about a pony resulting in poor gas management to be particularly valid. I don't think a pony should be added to a divers kit too early as it is something else to manage and it should never enter into your minimum gas calculation. The same could be said for doubles if you don't intend to use more than half your gas on a dive but nobody seems to make that argument. If the diver does screw up and go OOA, the presence of a pony may save their life.
I don't typically dive cattle boats with people I don't know so I don't have insta buddies to deal with. I've seen enough crappy divers over the years to know that could be an issue for someone else, just not for me. My buddies are all pretty solid divers but then I know from the start we will be diving same ocean so I can't necessarily rely on them in an emergency. Some of them carry ponies, some don't. To each their own!
IMO, if you are always doing shallow dives and/or have a solid buddy that stays close you probably don't need one but to say that there is never a reason for any diver under any conditions to utilize one is ridiculous. Every diver has to make his own assessment of his/her risk tolerance and gear up accordingly. I would never discourage another diver from carrying a potentially life saving piece of safety gear just because I didn't feel it was necessary for me.
It's not rocket science. If a diver, even a relatively new diver, feels they should carry a pony I see very little downside to that assuming that they understand how it functions and don't include it in gas calculations or become emboldened to dive beyond their comfort zone by its presence. Its a decision each diver has to make for themselves.
Dive safe,
Ken
Most of my dives in NC are in the 100-125 ft range. Neither toothing nor spearfishing are very conducive to buddy diving. As a result, I started carrying a pony on many of my deeper dives. I've never had an equipment failure in 40 plus years of diving but they do happen. I carry a 19 cft attached to my tank. If I were not spearing or toothing I'd sling it as I think it would be smarter to have it in front where you can see it but I don't want the entanglement issue and quite honestly, I've got enough moving parts already.
Some of the comments on this thread have been well thought out and informative. This is the Basic forum after all and will likely have less experienced divers watching and/or participating . Some of the arguments I've read on this thread against the use of a pony are bordering on the absurd. To address some of them:
IMO, doubles are certainly safer in many situations. That said, most of the boats around here aren't particularly set up to handle doubles plus I'm usually doing three drops per trip so it makes sense to use large singles plus the pony. I've got doubles and I occasionally dive them but not often. The pony gives me enough redundancy to deal with most foreseeable issues. I don't see the argument about a pony resulting in poor gas management to be particularly valid. I don't think a pony should be added to a divers kit too early as it is something else to manage and it should never enter into your minimum gas calculation. The same could be said for doubles if you don't intend to use more than half your gas on a dive but nobody seems to make that argument. If the diver does screw up and go OOA, the presence of a pony may save their life.
I don't typically dive cattle boats with people I don't know so I don't have insta buddies to deal with. I've seen enough crappy divers over the years to know that could be an issue for someone else, just not for me. My buddies are all pretty solid divers but then I know from the start we will be diving same ocean so I can't necessarily rely on them in an emergency. Some of them carry ponies, some don't. To each their own!
IMO, if you are always doing shallow dives and/or have a solid buddy that stays close you probably don't need one but to say that there is never a reason for any diver under any conditions to utilize one is ridiculous. Every diver has to make his own assessment of his/her risk tolerance and gear up accordingly. I would never discourage another diver from carrying a potentially life saving piece of safety gear just because I didn't feel it was necessary for me.
It's not rocket science. If a diver, even a relatively new diver, feels they should carry a pony I see very little downside to that assuming that they understand how it functions and don't include it in gas calculations or become emboldened to dive beyond their comfort zone by its presence. Its a decision each diver has to make for themselves.
Dive safe,
Ken
NAUI Wowie
Contributor
I agree with flyboy also, you should post more often. I normally wouldnt post till friday as im busy but I just got my black luxfor 19cf pony bottle a second ago and crikey this things a big bugger!!! Im glad I ordered black itll keep my profile looking slim and svelte when its slung up front....
diverrex
Contributor
Hi - I found this thread because I was looking to see if NAUI still uses a pony bottle, as they did when I got certified 30 years ago? We did a refresher a few weeks ago, but it was PADI and we used an octopus.
I like the idea of a pony bottle better in the unlikely event I run out of air. (I don't see myself diving that deep ever and I'm a cautious person who always looks at my air gauge.)
Thanks!
I like the idea of a pony bottle better in the unlikely event I run out of air. (I don't see myself diving that deep ever and I'm a cautious person who always looks at my air gauge.)
Thanks!
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