Is there a valid reason for a pony bottle

[Ryan Mcshane]

Can anyone give a valid reason for a pony bottle? SO many things need to be wrong before it makes any sense to me.

 

[Colliam7]

Can anyone give a valid reason for a pony bottle? SO many things need to be wrong before it makes any sense to me.

This topic has been extensively discussed in a number of threads on SB over time. As two examples: 1) Do you actually see people diving with pony bottles?; 2) Spare air/pony bottle---should I get one?. A simple answer might be that running out of breathing gas is the leading 'trigger' in dive incidents resulting in diver fatalities - in 41% of diver fatalities in a DAN summary (Alert Diver | Dive Safety: It’s No Accident), it was the triggering event in the cascade. So, carrying a redundant air supply, e.g. a pony bottle, would seem to be prudent, and a valid reason for a pony bottle.

---

---

A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

This thread has been created by splitting off a discussion from an existing thread involving wearing / rigging a pony bottle (How to wear a PONY? And not look like a DORK!). The split will allow for focused discussion of each - related, but somewhat different - topic.

---

 

[BlueTrin]

Can anyone give a valid reason for a pony bottle? SO many things need to be wrong before it makes any sense to me.

One of the other reasons than the one above is that some places will simply require you to have an alternative air supply to go below 30m.

PADI for example published this about European rules in 2015: New Rules in Europe covering Alternate Air Sources - PADI Pros Europe, Middle East and Africa

In the UK most of BSAC clubs will require alternate supplies as well for dives > 30m.

You do not have to have a pony: you could be diving a twin-set though.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

Can anyone give a valid reason for a pony bottle? SO many things need to be wrong before it makes any sense to me.

Obviously solo divers but thats not me, when I did my last liveaboard where you are diving with multiple different dive buddies every dive quite often they are zipping and running fast and hard trying to video fish etc and they run through the kelp or around kelp at speed. You quite often if not heavily kicking get left in the dust with some divers who dont care if they get over 100ft away. divers running out of air near dive end when you are at say 75 feet and down to say 700 psi going up and all of a sudden they are dead out of air.... all kinds of reasons to carry a pony.

Conversely I have employees at my local dive shop that say never carry a pony. Plan your dive and dive your plan and you will never need a pony. Like emphatically believing this. And if you use lots of air buy a 120 or even an elephant size 133.

The problem for me is most of my diving is tropical travel and the largest if they have it is a 100cf tank. and again if you are with insta buddies alot of these people run around like chickens with their heads cut off filming vids and paying no attention at all to how much energy or air they are expending.

Do I have a pony yet? not but im thinking of getting a steel H.P. 22cf tank and slinging it from my steel rings on bcd. Dont think ill need it really for local monterey ca diving or channel islands CA as I just bought a couple of steel HP 120s but actually even on a channel island liveaboard you do get new divers that zoom around like aquaman on crack.

Ok I think ive typed enough words now ha dang it

 

[MaxBottomtime]

But if you're at 75 feet with 700psi, that's plenty to ascend with. If the zippers run out of air, that's not your fault if they can't look at their spg once in a while. By the time they are low on air, they should be in shallow water and could make an emergency ascent if needed. There is never a good excuse for running out of air. Poorly maintained equipment, poor skillset, and poor planning are not good excuses.

I have a buddy who has run out of air twice, despite the fact that he always carries a pony. He uses it to extend dives, then runs out during his stops. I told him I no longer allow pony bottles on my boat because of his actions. It's too much of a liability having divers thinking they have a crutch in case they don't look at their spg.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

But if you're at 75 feet with 700psi, that's plenty to ascend with. If the zippers run out of air, that's not your fault if they can't look at their spg once in a while. By the time they are low on air, they should be in shallow water and could make an emergency ascent if needed. There is never a good excuse for running out of air. Poorly maintained equipment, poor skillset, and poor planning are not good excuses.

I have a buddy who has run out of air twice, despite the fact that he always carries a pony. He uses it to extend dives, then runs out during his stops. I told him I no longer allow pony bottles on my boat because of his actions. It's too much of a liability having divers thinking they have a crutch in case they don't look at their spg.

so take away the crutch that saves a trip to a chamber? And or ignore the zipper divers that run out of air....so let them die. Bro im relatively new and you are highly experienced but your idea of scuba diving is every diver for himself let the stupid die. I mean im not judging you im telling you what you say. I dont care really but if you end up swimming past my group and there is a mistake maybe you keep swimming and watching someone breath saltwater.

Its a bit extreme. Save a life when you can then scream at them after. Solo divers have some seriously messed up agendas. maybe thats why you solo dive. no one wants to dive with you.

 

[Fastmarc]

I think the OP having decided that carrying his own redundant air supply has got his answers.
No one will really notice you and apart from when you are clipping it on or off, you won't notice it.

Those who are curious about the validity of carrying one as I was a several months ago, there are several threads that will help answer your questions including which way to carry and size for your scuba profile. A little search and lots of time for reading is all you need. It helped me on my journey.

 

[seeker242]

Can anyone give a valid reason for a pony bottle? SO many things need to be wrong before it makes any sense to me.

Instabuddy = instant valid reason.

 

[AJ]

so take away the crutch that saves a trip to a chamber? And or ignore the zipper divers that run out of air....so let them die. Bro im relatively new and you are highly experienced but your idea of scuba diving is every diver for himself let the stupid die. I mean im not judging you im telling you what you say. I dont care really but if you end up swimming past my group and there is a mistake maybe you keep swimming and watching someone breath saltwater.

As I read it he's talking about people who rely on others purposely for air to surface. In other words using the crutch to extend the dive in stead of keeping the crutch for safety reasons. That's something completely different than making a mistake. Of course everybody will share air when needed, but if divers continue to make this mistake deliberately are bound to dive solo soon because no one wants to dive with them anymore.

Its a bit extreme. Save a life when you can then scream at them after. Solo divers have some seriously messed up agendas. maybe thats why you solo dive. no one wants to dive with you.

Solo diving is a choice. Experiences like this drive people to solo dive. Speaking for myself, I feel much more at ease solo diving than with a lot of buddy's I have dived with. Exception so far are GUE divers (because of similarity in training) and some divers I know very well and who are reliable teammates under water. I dive solo not because I have to, but because I enjoy it more than diving with crutches like descibed above.

 

[flyboy08]

In more than 500 dives, I have only shared air twice and both times were for someone I’ve never met or known before that Dive. I like the idea of redundancy, just like having an octopus! If two secondary’s are good, then a third can’t be bad..... The purpose of the pony is strictly for safety purposes, not to extend mine, or others bottom time.

My “Dork” comment was tounge in cheek....