regulator for pony rig ?

[ibmichael]

i am looking for some feed back on the quality level of regulator for a pony rig. i plan to use the rig as a redundent back up airsupply only for rec diving only. its more of an emergency parachute hope i never have to use but it sure will be nice to have it if the time comes. is it worth the cash to get a balance first and second stage ? should i just get a first stage and use my octo reg ? it would seem that if the time came that i needed it i would be very happy just to be able to have air and not as concerned ease of which the air was delivered. seems like matching it with my primary is like driving a mercedes pulling a trailer with another mercedes on it just in case my mercedes broke down.

 

[SOMD Diver]

Well keep in mind that when you do have to use it, it is likely you could be in a panic situation. In that case you would not want your breathing restricted. This could cause you to panic even more. My suggestion is to have a reg that is just as good as your primary. YOur air supply is not the place to go cheap... I have Legend regs for my primary and octo and a Hog reg on my pony. I think the hog reg breaths just as well as the legend. But that is for another forum...

 

[Jim Lapenta]

That analogy is kinda off since any car will get you to your destination. How well it will do that at night, in a thunderstorm, on a road subject to flooding at any minute is another matter. Would you want an old cheap yugo in that instance.

That does not mean you need to spend an arm and a leg. I want my back up pony reg, that I will be using only in an emergency if it is not part of the gas plan to be reliable, rugged, easy to service or get serviced, and capable of giving me all the air I need when I need it.

Over the years I have used Sherwood, Aqualung, Oceanic, and ScubaPro as that reg. Now I use HOG. But I also use them as deco and stage regs so they are the same as my back gas. If I didn't then right now for an emergency reg to use on a pony I would want something I am familiar with and trust.

If I were on a budget I have a couple options. First and because I sell them and it is what my GF dives is the Edge EXP. Retail 240 bucks with second stage and hose. Add a small spg and 6 inch hose (I don't like button gauges - too hard for these eyes to see) for around 75 bucks and you have all the reg you need. The EXP is a balanced diaphragm, with adjustable second stage and lightweight braided hose. It breathes as good as my HOG's


My next choice would be the Sherwood Brut. Around the same price but non adjustable second, and a piston vs diaphragm. Not that big a deal to some but I prefer diaphragm regs that I don't have to take the 1st stage apart to set the IP.

I would also consider an Oceanic Alpha 8 or comparable Aeris reg although the second is not adjustable for either.

These are the brands I have actually used and serviced.

And not because they are not good regs, they are, I would not consider ScubaPro or Aqualung simply because I have ethical issues with the way they treat dealers and end users.

 

[ibmichael]

what do you think about removing the octo and just getting a new first stage. do you really need an octo if you are carrying a seperate air supply ? don't get me wrong it not about the money just rying to get some good opinions

 

[Diesel00]

I use an older Titan LX that I had service and it works fine for me. I don't have an octo on my pony bottle at all, I didn't feel the need to have it. I actually breathe off it when to practice some times. Also keeps my skills up to par...

 

[Jim Lapenta]

You do not need an octo on the pony reg. But you still need one on the main reg. How are you mounting the pony? Do you plan to hand it off in an air share? I don't. That is my gas for me in an emergency. And what if you decide not to carry the pony? Will you be ok with switching hoses all the time? That gets to be a pain. That's why I have nine regs now.

 

[Diesel00]

I sling my pony bottle just in case someone needs it. That way in case the try to bolt to the surface.

 

[Queequeg]

what do you think about removing the octo and just getting a new first stage. do you really need an octo if you are carrying a seperate air supply ? don't get me wrong it not about the money just rying to get some good opinions

Thats what I do..and my buddys do the same. I just switch my Octo when I'm going to do a dive using a pony; takes a minute. I use Zeagles Rezort 1st stage, with an envoy octo. Very clean setup.

I cant see having an octo + a pony with a seperate reg/octo; just clutters things up.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Well keep in mind that when you do have to use it, it is likely you could be in a panic situation. In that case you would not want your breathing restricted. This could cause you to panic even more. My suggestion is to have a reg that is just as good as your primary. YOur air supply is not the place to go cheap... I have Legend regs for my primary and octo and a Hog reg on my pony. I think the hog reg breaths just as well as the legend. But that is for another forum...

I have a bit of a different view. I would recycle my oldest reg for a pony and spend the money on a new reg or other gear. The only caveat I see is making sure you have an easy to read gauge on it, none of those micro sized buttons that are impossible to read.

1) If you dive with a pony, you should not be in a panic situation. You should drill enough so switching over is second nature.

2) The cost of a regulator has nothing to do with its reliability. If anything, the adjustments and other features on the more expensive regulators detract from reliability.

3) The capacity of the 1st stage of a regulator is massively over-sized, since it can drive 2 second stages in an air-share situation. When using on a pony, it only needs to drive a single 2nd, so you are not even approaching the limits.

4) While top shelf regulators can breath really nice and easy, on a pony you don't need or want this. If anything, you want the cracking pressure turned up slightly to prevent free flow.

 

[abyss_scuba]

Before you consider any purchase think about how you will use it now and in the future. If all you are looking for is a small pony that will have a redundant air supply then most regulators , even inexpensive unbalanced piston will work, since you will be aborting the dive and heading to shallower water as soon as you switch. Mr Lapenta has made a point of steering you to what he sells, which any sales person would do, but I am shocked at the reference that somehow Aqua Lung or Scuba Pro treat customers or shops badly, they certainly would not have become the two largest brands if they did. Again look at what you want the pony regulator to do, whether you might want to use this regulator in future as a Deco regulator (which might change your choice) and realistically how much you wish to spend. Many good regulators can be had that are not in the top price range.