Tank Setup

[Remy B.]

if you properly plan gas management so that you leave bottom with enough gas for 2 divers to share while making all thier ascent stops or speeds, there is no need for a pony bottle. This presumes you also monitor your gas during the dive and stick to your plan.

All fine until shait hits the fan and your plan brakes apart, and your sac rates doubles because of it.

 

[PfcAJ]

All fine until shait hits the fan and your plan brakes apart, and your sac rates doubles because of it.

Normal “rock bottom” gas planning includes an elevated SAC.

 

[Remy B.]

Normal “rock bottom” gas planning includes an elevated SAC.

Remember they are talking rec diving, what are they going to dive 10min only ?, the purpose of the pony is if shait hits the fan even with the best of plans.

But for real redundancy, go with a little set of double 7L backmount or sidemount and any one can do a lot of diving safely.

 

[PfcAJ]

Remember they are talking rec diving, what are they going to dive 10min only ?, the purpose of the pony is if shait hits the fan even with the best of plans.

But for real redundancy, go with a little set of double 7L backmount or sidemount and any one can do a lot of diving safely.

Do the math. A single easily provides enough gas.

 

[Remy B.]

If you are diving 10ft yeah a lot of time and not even a plan is needed so far you are not diving a wall.

All depend of depth and time, so I can dive 2hrs or 25min and stay in my NDL and returning with 50 bars in my tank. but if I go more conservative I can only dive 1:30 and 10min so for that I used my Pony to maximize my diving time and return with 50 bars in my tank, so in case shait hit the fan I have my pony to do my ascent + 3min SS

Even with the common approach of at 1/2 a tank start your ascent, if I'm diving Solo I always carry my pony if not, I'm with two tanks.

 

[Cowfish Aesthetic]

if you properly plan gas management so that you leave bottom with enough gas for 2 divers to share while making all thier ascent stops or speeds, there is no need for a pony bottle. This presumes you also monitor your gas during the dive and stick to your plan.

What if your primary regulator freezes and free-flows?

 

[mainedvr]

All fine until shait hits the fan and your plan brakes apart, and your sac rates doubles because of it.

or you just like the idea of breathing off your own tank in an OOA (your main gas supply being gone) as well as another back up.....all about what an individual likes

 

[mainedvr]

What if your primary regulator freezes and free-flows?

well you could get your buddy to share with you but looking at all the scenarios to me it just comes down to individual wants. If you plan your dive and each carry sufficient gas to get two people back to the surface safely then if you have a free flow or catastrophic gas loss or whatever you can share with your buddy. But if your buddy had say a pony or whatever you want to call it that after you had the reg and were breathing of it could just pass the bottle to you and then you both ascend comfortably, this sounds like what would entice me to carry some sort of extra bottle and reg system whatever you call it.

I typically dive doubles but can see why it could be a way to go

 

[clownfishsydney]

Only been diving the deeper wrecks around Sydney using a setup like that for about 26 years. Many of the people I dive with use similar rigs. I do not know of any carrying air as a sling, but many carry a deco gas as a sling.

 

[AfterDark]

I

if you properly plan gas management so that you leave bottom with enough gas for 2 divers to share while making all thier ascent stops or speeds, there is no need for a pony bottle. This presumes you also monitor your gas during the dive and stick to your plan.

Yeah but he posted he was diving solo with the pony, that means he doesn't have a buddy.