Proper hose management when using pony bottles.

[Doc Harry]

Shorten your hoses, get your configuration more compact.
But you can get the hoses too short. Make sure the hoses are long enough for you to turn your head with the regulator in your mouth.

 

[bj139]

The small direct connect gauge I use is a Dive Rite 1" diameter gauge. It has worked well for 2 years. People have said their button gauges have failed. I assume they are talking about the real small ones that are about 1/2" in diameter.

 

[Odo]

I used to dive with my pony tank on right side, valve up and turned on. It was a pain to reach behind my head with all the other stuff back there and ensure I was grabbing the right thing, so I just left it turned on. I recently changed to: right side, upside down, turned off. The valve is pointed out away from the main tank, and it is easy to find to turn on (valve is about waist level). The pony second stage is on my chest, ready to be put in my mouth if needed. I agree that the second computer should be canned and install a button SPG. You only need to know that there is air in the tank when you start the dive. If you have to use the pony, it's an emergency and you will be surfacing immediately. I have an air2 so I don't have an octo. A lot of people don't like air2, but it suits me, and I have no hose management issues. I would also forget about the spare air if you have a pony. I mean, there is safety, there is redundancy and then there's "Jeeze, I have so much **** all over me that I can't enjoy my dive." Some times less is more (better).

 

[CT-Rich]

This has been a great thread for me since I am planning on getting a pony for my solo diving next season. I want to thank Yarik for not just rolling over on accepting what the old sage divers were saying as gospel. The follow up discussions were very interesting and in many cases valuable. I have alway been a cost conscious KISS diver, always looking at the cost-benefit-need relationship amonngst my gear. That has actually kept my kit fairly streamlined and uncluttered. The Pony is going to be one of first modifications to how I dive since the addition of a computer last year and the purchase of an Octopus in the 1980s.... The take home messages for me have been left side mount the pony (which I was already planning). use a button spg (which resolves one of my questions), new BCD with lots of metal D-rings (already planned) and food for thought about keeping the octo on my primary (still debating). I like the pictures of pony set up, but I will probably attach the pony reg to a D-ring with a snorkel keeper since that is an easy break away contact incase a buddy needs air and he comes at me from a blind side (never been a big fan of things around my neck, I like the idea that in a pinch I could unbuckle gear and swim free of it). To keep the ponny hose in I will either use a bungee or velcro strap, whichever releases easily once the Pony needs to deploy.

Thanks for the food for thought.

 

[RJP]

new BCD with lots of metal D-rings

How many D-rings is "lots"?

 

[ermaclob]

How many D-rings is "lots"?

i think realistically u only need 2 on your chest having more promotes clutter.

---------- Post Merged at 07:04 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 07:02 PM ----------

i had 4 and 2 on my sides... ended up taking 2 of the chest and the one from my right hip. way better

 

[Nemrod]

With all of that, I would just go ahead and dive manifolded doubles or, old school and still cool, independent doubles. Independent doubles have become a lost art but now, suddenly people are diving side mount with essentially the same concept, go figure.

There is no need to have so many seconds and so many hoses and so many gauges and so much stuff in general and more hose clips for more hoses is never a solution.

I sling my pony, when I carry one, regulator bungeed to it, cylinder clipped on left hip and left chest D rings, button spg. In this configuration, I remove the "octopus" from my primary regulator or actually just use another of my many regulators already rigged for single tank plus pony diving. Soooooo, I do not wear the threads out changing junk around constantly . One computer is enough, a single B&G spg on the main tank is all that is needed. A spg is not really even needed on the pony if you have a hand gauge to check the pressure before commencing the dive.

Simple is better, less is more efficient.

N

 

[CT-Rich]

My Current BCD has 4 nylon D-rings, none of which inspire confidence to hang a pony from. I would like more simply to give me some flexibility in in how I hang the gear that I do breing in the water with me. I expect that 2 on the left side will have the pony and a third for the snorkel keeper that holds the the reg. I like to have an extra or two for optional gear like a lamp or camera or a reel.

I am not sure if I am going to switch over and dive exclusively with the pony and I don't like the idea of taking things apart constantly to change the configuration. If I dive with a buddy, the current configuration with an octo is fine, but constantly adding and removing an octo seems like it will put a lot of wear on parts that I would rather have for a nice tight seal for a long period of time.

 

[vladimir]

The take home messages for me have been...new BCD with lots of metal D-rings

RJP asks the right question, "How many D-rings is lots?" I have had the misfortune of owning a quasi-tech BC with a dozen D-rings. It was the only piece of equipment I actually hated. I am pretty indifferent between my backplate/wing and ScubaPro Classic, but the "tech BC" was the worst of both worlds, in my opinion. If you do go that route, check the length of the corrugated inflator hose—mine was way too long.

 

[Mitchell Teeters]

It is a privilege getting advice from seasoned divers and I take that privilege very seriously. I do not want to come across as a student who does whatever he wants but I will tell you this: I can't just go out and start spending hundreds of dollars changing my setup and its not because I am pressed on cash but because I do not want to have 19,000 dollars worth of scuba gear in my house collecting dust.

I should also point out that I am not in distress. I dove with this exact setup about err... 25 dives or so and if it was not for me passing on my camera to a diver in my group I would probably have continued diving like this because it has not impeded my swimming, filming, diving, hover abilities or otherwise. It is not the best but with tweaks (reason for my thread) I will make it work for me until I obtain better.

Thank you all.

I've not read the entire thread but dive gear express has hoses REALLY cheap, check them out, seriously. Shorten your hoses a little, to start with. You have been given some great advice. HTH



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