Rigging a stage/pony

[MB NZ]

I sling mine right. I have so much muscle memory for 2nd stages on the right, that is where my brain would expect a bailout 2nd stage to be in an OOA. I'm also right handed which makes it easier to deploy and I'm often clipping it on/off, so dexterity helps. Whatever works for you though.

 

[happy-diver]

Thans @happy-diver
I especially found that second article interesting... the one about side mount rigging. That's not something I ever explored when I did my tech training. In hindsight though if I were to do it over again I'd strongly consider side mount....although most of my training tech dives had doubles on my back and large deco bottles one each side...not sure how four tanks would work side mount!

Anyway, back to the pony rig. I don't have my head wrapped around what the author was saying about cam bands and bungee loops...The bungees I assume are there to tuck the tank up closer and tighter than the clips alone, but I'm not familiar with cam bands used for slinging a tank. I suppose that the sidemount tanks are somehow more securely held than a deco bottle attached with a "loose sling"

It's good that you looked at that stuff, but you're not after a doctorate in gas bottles, so forget everything
up there, you just want to dive slick and all it takes is rigging some bungee to any bc type device you own

It's not about backmount, or sidemount, it's about diving with a bottle, with least interference, diving slick

This is not slick but with a few dollars of bungee and clips from the yacht shop and the secret formula

How To Setup Sidemount Loop Bungees

An illustrated guide to the optimal setup for sidemount loop bungee systems.

scubatechphilippines.com

Remember, the only rules are physiological, what you build, and how you carry your gear, is up to you

 

[bradlw]

So I've watched several videos lately about sidemount set-ups.
and I finally got back to this project for a couple minutes yesterday looking at my sling set-up.
I don't recall getting into a lot of this when learning about setting up slung deco bottles.

and the few times I remember slinging a "recreational" pony I certainly wasn't at all streamlined!

One of my takeaways from the side mount set-ups is getting the snaps set-up so that the tank slings parallel to the body, with the valve under/below the arm pit...so the belt snap is inline with the belt while the valve is lower than your arm pit. Makes sense for a streamlined set-up

So this store-bought sling kit on my 30 cubic foot pony puts the hip snap far too close to the butt end of the tank for it to sit streamlined. The valve sits much higher than my shoulder.
so maybe I need to shorten it, alot!. ??
Using the kit as-is, I could sling it cross chest....or just let the tank hang low out in front of my chest.

Curious how you do it...how your pony sling looks?

 

[mr_v]

@bradlw - have you altered the set you've purchased? If not, a good option is to return it and get a minimalist "sidemount" setup.

You don't need a tank carry strap and most of the things that were in the kit. Companies that sell full kits are generating profits and future trash.

Your pony needs:

- A worm drive with a protection sleeve and a bolt snap + attachment on the bottom.
- A bungee with a boltsnap on top
- Two rubber bands to stow the reg

The image below compares two configurations, and I am advocating for the configuration on the bottom. The red lines are the potential rubber band locations.

You can use 1/4" bungee to make the straps.

If you travel a lot and prefer your kits to whatever is available for rent, use a cam belt instead of the worm drive. Cam belt adjustment is easier without tools. It also allows you to make adjustments in water (e.g., when shore diving).

Here is an example:

As for trimming the bottle, it is a personal preference. I like bottles close to the body, but that's a different setup and another conversation. As long as your pony bottle does not look completely obnoxious in water, you should be ok.

 

[Nemrod]

I am pretty sure the included bungee loop with fisherman slip knots is meant to slip over the mouthpiece of the second stage for necklacing (to the diver's neck) in long hose fashion.

Not saying right or wrong, here is one of mine:



The orange thing on the second stage mouthpiece is a snorkel keep around the valve to hold my second stage tight to the pony. The upper bolt snap has a rubber band through it to provide suspension and keep the pony tight to the chest D-ring. The lower bolt snap, I wrapped it to also pull it up tight. My upper rubber band on the tank does have a tab on it which is useful to help pull the band away to re-stow the hose.







And about to roll out:

 

[34109411]

None of the above. Forget the pony and go sidemount or double. Be a real diver. .

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I don't know why a pony would need to be slung like sidemounted cylinders. You can certainly do it that way if you wish, but I don't see the point personally. I rig mine with the traditional deco/stage bottle rigging I learned when I started tech diving in 2008. One of my AL40s has a self-made DIR style strap and the other is a Dive Rite strap. The tank rides lower than with sidemount certainly, but who cares? It doesn't cause any noticeable drag, and I frequently dive in pretty high currents in Southeast Florida. YMMV. Do whatever works best for you.

 

[gamon]

None of the above. Forget the pony and go sidemount or double. Be a real diver. .

In your haste to insult anyone who doesn't dive the way you do, you are forgetting a few things. For starters, a pony bottle is easier to travel with and for recreational diving is probably more than enough.

I won't waste time attempting to educate you further, you're the type who won't listen to anything contrary to your preconceived notions of the only correct way to do things.

 

[LFMarm]

I don't know why a pony would need to be slung like sidemounted cylinders. You can certainly do it that way if you wish, but I don't see the point personally. I rig mine with the traditional deco/stage bottle rigging I learned when I started tech diving in 2008. One of my AL40s has a self-made DIR style strap and the other is a Dive Rite strap. The tank rides lower than with sidemount certainly, but who cares? It doesn't cause any noticeable drag, and I frequently dive in pretty high currents in Southeast Florida. YMMV. Do whatever works best for you.

The point is streamlining and nothing banging into rest of rig. I don’t see the advantage of the old school rigging apart from not having bungees (rest of hardware is the same).

 

[Divin'Papaw]

The point is streamlining and nothing banging into rest of rig. I don’t see the advantage of the old school rigging apart from not having bungees (rest of hardware is the same).

Okay ... I'll take you at your word. My pony isn't "banging" the rest of my rig. I simply keep my left hand on it when splashing or if I need to control it under water. I don't need a bungee to tuck it up in my armpit.