Pony Bottle: Slinging Vs Side-mounting

[Locus]

Slinging and sidemounting are different, although sidemounting doesn't usually apply to a pony bottle. But I guess if the pony bottle is 30 or 40 cf, it can apply. Slinging involves front mounting by using top and bottom clips to a chest and waist D-ring. The bottle rides underneath the diver, but should not be hanging down. Sidemounting involves rigging a bottle to be on the side, in line with the body and tucked in tightly. It generally involves the use of a butt plate for the bottom clip and bungees for the top of the bottle to hold it high on the diver's side under the armpit.

Is that what you were looking for?

Yes, thank you.

Hmmmm, if I were to sidemount a pony bottle, it would need to be an Alu 40, which would ride in a similar manner as one of my Alu 72s.

That's the cylinder I have in mind.

Done properly, the pony would ride more in parallel to my torso, and would be more streamlined. Side slung tanks ride valve down and butt up because of the way they are clipped to the harness.

This is what I'm really trying to get at: which configuration is more streamlined. I plan to carry a pony as an emergency backup on deeper dives (~30m+), and I want it as tucked away as possible.

A sidemounting friend told me that slinging would be preferable because an aluminum tank that is attached to a butt plate tends to go bottom-light as it empties, and turn its valve downward. Should this be of concern to me if I don't plan to use that air unless I'm aborting a dive anyway?

Now the question for the OP is what kind of harness will you be using? Is there a way of using a loop of bungee to pull the tank up and back toward your armpit?
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I have a standard bpw with a continuous harness, so I could use a bungee loop through my backplate. Would there be an advantage to using a choker over a bungee?

 

[FishLovingStudent]

The only difference that I can think of is the bungee system in sidemount tucking in everything niiice and tight. Also, it is fairly common practice (to my limited knowledge) to allow slung bottles to go tail up after use. This is far from the case for sidemounted tanks. Thats what I came to when trying to differentiate the two to my friend. In fact I was wondering, beside the weight system distribution there isn't much stopping you from doing three tank BM/SM with hybrid BCDs

I have slung AL80s while diving backmount 80s (diving with a good buddy who dives BM and we wanted to do one long dive and I happened to have both my kits at the time). I chokered the bolt snaps to the neck of the valve (that goes onto chest D ring) and clipped the camband base boltsnap to my waist D ring.

Worked pretty well (at least it felt like it.) A bungee would lock the bottle closer to your body.

 

[Max Speed]

Worrying about how an empty pony bottle rides is like worrying how your hair looks after a car crash.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

Worrying about how an empty pony bottle rides is like worrying how your hair looks after a car crash.

Especially if it is your back up gas supply!

When I use a pony bottle I sling it but in more of a side mount(ish) style. I use a stamped steel but plate from Deep Sea Supply Side Mount Tail Plate, this takes care of where to clip the bottom bolt snap. For the top of the tank I took a length of bungee and tied an overhand knot in it to form a loop. Then I passed the looped end through one of the holes in the side of the back plate. Now when I kit up I attach the bottom bolt snap to the but plate and the top bolt snap to the shoulder d ring, once I am in the water I remove the top bolt snap and loop the bungee around the valve. The tank rides tucked up under your arm and out of the way. If you do use the pony and it starts to ride high in the back you could always move the bottom bolt snap from the butt plate to the left side waist d ring.