Do you need to take Reg off Pony when not diving?

[Wibble]

Here on SB, the argument comes up sporadically, often from UK divers who maybe don't get out and about much.

You're not kidding there! Dreaming of being able to do any diving, or even going to a pub.

We're having our lockdown relaxed in three stages; March 29th, May and finally 21st June. Have about 40 days of diving booked up until June! Just need to remember how to dive... hope it's just jump in and fall with style.

 

[kelemvor]

Eliminate the concern by going with a valv-u-lator instead of a normal valve / regulator. I love mine.

Here's an example. Mine isn't the zeagle, but it's the first one that google found. The zeagle looks to be slightly larger than mine, which is a disadvantage, obvi. Also, I'd prefer to get one that didn't come with a second stage. My valvulator has a scubapro s600 on it.



In addition to eliminating the concern about din or yoke fittings getting funky, you also don't have to worry about accidentally splashing with the valve closed because it doesn't close. The black part in the photo is the fill port with a cover on it (similar to DIN cover, but smaller). Although you could easily create a fill adapter to use a normal fill station, I much prefer filling my pony off another tank. This way I've got zero concern about a destination balking about filling my pony after the airline made me remove the valve.

Actually that zeagle has some kind of knob on it. Not sure what that's for. Maybe the zeagle valvulator DOES have an on/off. That would be disappointing.

Furthermore, it's much smaller than a valve+handwheel+first stage.

Drawbacks? Price. I got mine used on scubaboard. I think I paid around $100 for two of them.
Zeagle wants a whopping $350 for theirs. Must be made of gold and diamonds.

Zeagle Envoy/RaZor II Regulator

 

[Celt]

So you don't carry a cutting tool? Or a redundant computer? Or an alternate air source/regulator?

I always plan on using a knife if needed, I don’t use a redundant computer or any computer in fact. I use 2 independent air sources which I alternate during the course of the dive but could finish the dive on either. For me carrying something you don’t plan on using is baggage.

 

[tursiops]

I always plan on using a knife if needed, I don’t use a redundant computer or any computer in fact. I use 2 independent air sources which I alternate during the course of the dive but could finish the dive on either. For me carrying something you don’t plan on using is baggage.

So you carry a knife, and plan to use it if you need it. Thus, it is not baggage.
So I carry a pony, and plan to use it if I need it. But the pony is baggage?
Can you please explain the difference?

 

[Celt]

So you carry a knife, and plan to use it if you need it. Thus, it is not baggage.
So I carry a pony, and plan to use it if I need it. But the pony is baggage?
Can you please explain the difference?

I’d use my knife if wreck diving on every dive how often would you use the pony, all I’m saying is if you’re going to carry an alternative air source why not use it.
This would get you in the habit of using it and it wouldn’t be an emergency when switching to it.

 

[DiveClimbRide]

What exactly are you doing while wreck diving that requires you to use a knife every dive. If you find yourself entangled on every wreck dive you probably shouldn't be diving those wrecks.

 

[Celt]

What exactly are you doing while wreck diving that requires you to use a knife every dive. If you find yourself entangled on every wreck dive you probably shouldn't be diving those wrecks.

That depends on the wrecks you’re diving, I’m diving war wrecks on the western approaches that are heavily fishing and covered in gear with poor vis, I clean as I go so I don’t become entangled, I also use my knife to scrape and check for non ferrous. For me a knife is a tool to be used therefore I carry one capable of doing the job

 

[DiveClimbRide]

Sounds like a good use to me, however having a get out a jail card in the form of extra air (even if it never gets used) if a good use for me. Just to clarify, I don't carry a pony in case I run out of gas, I carry it incase I get entangled and need extra time to get free or need extra gas for the deco incurred.

 

[Celt]

Sounds like a good use to me, however having a get out a jail card in the form of extra air (even if it never gets used) if a good use for me. Just to clarify, I don't carry a pony in case I run out of gas, I carry it incase I get entangled and need extra time to get free or need extra gas for the deco incurred.

I’m all for carrying extra air and redundancy, let’s say a diver is using a 12ltr single and would like to build in redundancy in their kit, for me the way to do it is use twin 7ltrs rather than a 3ltr emergency pony, 7ltrs are lovely to dive, the gear is in use and the diver is switching regs, no emergency.

 

[DiveClimbRide]

Sure obviously doubles (of basically any size) are way better. But especially when traveling to remote vacation places (or even NZ) they often aren't readily available, a pony is the easiest way (apart from sm) to achieve redundancy with some extra gas.