Pony bottle .. do i need one at this point ?

[Gabriel90512]

I have been thinking bout adding a pony bottle to my set up.

For those of you that use them what are some of the pros and cons of using one.

I’m still a new diver (about 100 dives). This year I will be taking my AOW and my rescue Classes, and I have been tossing around the idea of a pony set up.

I do ALL of my diving in MA and NH I tend to stay above 100 FT.(due to the fact that I still feel so new)

So my 2nd question would be .. What size pony would be a good size to start with?

Thanks

Gabe

 

[onfloat]

The question is why do you think you need 1? What does it solve?

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

For those of you that use them what are some of the pros and cons of using one.

For unbiased feedback as those that do not use them now about the cons they have witnessed.

 

[Gabriel90512]

For unbiased feedback as those that do not use them now about the cons they have witnessed.

so what are some of the cons you have witnessed ?

 

[lord1234]

gabriel....any luck about my pm

as to your pony bottle dilemma:

Pony bottles are a crutch for bad air management. If you need a pony bottle, then why not just switch to doubles and get more gas AND a redundant gas supply all at once...

 

[Gabriel90512]

The question is why do you think you need 1? What does it solve?

The main reason I would see is redundancy .. back up .. two is better then one.

I’m not the kind of diver that would drain my tanks to 100psi then jump over to a pony for 10 extra mins of dive time.. so the main reason i can see is redundancy.



Gabe

 

[lord1234]

so why not have doubles then?
"two is better than 1"

 

[RIOceanographer]

Personally, if you use pony, I am a fan of slinging a pony like a small stage bottle rather than mounting it as a true "pony" bottle on your main tank.

If you sling it, it is right up front when you need it, it poses less entanglement risk and if it does get entangled it is easier to get free, you can let the whole thing go by unclipping it off your D-rings. Also, if you are on a charter boat, a regular pony can be a pain to use with tank racks.

Another good option for a redundant air supply would be to put h-valves on your tanks, particularly if you are diving larger tanks and have lots of gas in reserve at the end of your dives.

 

[The Horn]

The never ending debate...

I have a 30 Cuft that is rigged up like a stage bottle and I sling it when on deeper dives. Its easy to carry and is a lot lighter than a doubles set up. I use it as a redundant system and breath it down at safety stops every so often to make sure the air is is kept fresh and the reg is working fine.

You will find some like it and some don't. Whatever makes you happy.

 

[jchaplain]

I'm picking up a pony bottle this season too Gabe.
I've been doing some solo diving last season off the Graves and Brewsters without a backup, but I've been staying at 40 feet or so max depth.
For solo diving this season I may want to go a little deeper and having a complete backup ( first and second stage ) on a 19 cf bottle ( used at depths of about 80 to 100 feet max) will give me a good comfort level.
I don't agree AT ALL that it is an excuse for bad gas management and I don't know where anyone gets off saying that. It is redundancy. I would never plan on using the air in my pony and still always come up with at least 500 in my main.
As for the doubles....that works and I agree, but I don't want the expense and hassle of a doubles rig all the time diving off my boat. For me, on the occasional solo dive or deep dive having a pony bottle is a nice safety option.

John