Pony bottle vs. Spare Air?

[offthewall1]

FYI..
I own a spare air and a pony bottle... and both have their place in diving. Spare air also has a significant place in the military and transportation sectors as many airplanes, helicopters and even humvees carry spare airs in them (usually under the pilots mor drivers seats.)

If I'm diving to 100ft you'll most likely see me with a 30cf pony bottle. If I'm perusing along a reef in the Keys or Carribean you're likely to see me with a Spare Air. They travel easily and pony's generally arent available in resort destinations.

With all that said... the Northeast divers (and others in areas like that) are likely using straight ponies in the 19 - 40cf range... but even more are diving independent doubles 80cf or bigger.

If I'm diving with 2 130's... I won't have a pony bottle too... I'll have a Spare Air for the dummy who blows two 130's dry before he decides to surface. A spare air is all he deserves for his DECO stop... LOL JK...

 

[SlowRain]

I agree with offthewall. There is always a tendancy to polarize an issue and say one is good and one is a waste. I have both a pony and a spare air. The spare air is a handy thing for something like liveaboards where you aren't going to be diving all that deep with any frequency. The pony is something I use when I am doing something a bit deeper. And the spare air is certainly easier to travel with. Like offthewall said, on deeper dives I am more than likely going to be hauling stage tank(s) and if that is the case usually the spare air goes with me.

That plus I don't carry a spare air for another diver...it is for me in the event I have a problem and need enough to get to another diver who may not be sitting in arm's length. I don't have any illusions about a 3 cu. ft. unit being enough to last very long.

 

[offthewall1]

There is always a tendancy to polarize an issue and say one is good and one is a waste.

AMEN... especially on Scubaboard!

 

[DandyDon]

Maybe we need one perpetual Spare Air vs Pony Bottle thread?

 

[offthewall1]

Maybe we need one perpetual Spare Air vs Pony Bottle thread?

Nice Hat!

 

[SlowRain]

Maybe we need one perpetual Spare Air vs Pony Bottle thread?

Oh I think this one has been beat to death. Probably more than enough feedback for someone to make up their mind which way to go if you can only choose one.

 

[tlcmetrokc]

if given the choice, carry a pony and seperate set of regs, thats what i do, it can be quickly removed from the back of my bc and given to someone for a safer more enjoyable accent.

 

[diverDano]

Here's another one!! I actually dive an AGA FFM . So, for me to have a back up I NEED a pony(bailout), which is plumbed into a kirby Morgan switch block. Commercial divers that use an EXO, or band mask will be familiar. Spare air is useless with this configuration.


so there!!!.....na na na na na.....

 

[DandyDon]

One of these...?
[c]

[/c]

 

[diverDano]

hey...where'd you get my mask!!! heh heh...yea....with the comms and the abv....got a rail on it and a niterider too.....