A beginner asks: why slung?

[Artimas]

I've been reading about pony bottles. What is the difference between a slung and mounted pony? What are the advantages and disadvantages to a "slung" pony for a purely recreational no deco diver?

Thanks!

 

[PerroneFord]

When it's slung, you have full control of the bottle, full control of the valve, the reg, and the hose. You can read the pressure guage. You can remove it and put it back. You can hand it off, and get it back. You don't need anyone else's assistance to manage it.

Mounting it anywhere gives up one of more of these options.

 

[texdiveguy]

Slinging the pony bottle is the most practical means of handling it.....'all of the above' plus less opp to get it entangled in line or hung on something from behind, easier to kit up also.

 

[H2Andy]

not to be too literal, but "slung" means you affix the pony to your harness by clipping it there. you can clip and unclip it at any time.

mounted means that it is affixed to your tank, usually via a band that screws tight. removing it under water is not practical unless you remove your tank first or have a buddy do it for you.

why slung? because it is so much more flexible. you can remove it and drop it off, you can pass it to an OOA buddy, you can unclip it if it gets entangled ..etc.

 

[Packhorse]

Having it mounted means its out of the way and you dont even know its there untill you need it. When mounted upside down its very easy to use the valve. As for the gauge I only find it important as part of the predive check. If you have a OOA then it does not matter how much air you have because you should be heading directly to the surface and as long as it was fill at the start of the dive and turned of during the dive it will still be fill when you need it.
At the end of the day its a personal choice. Try both ways and see what you prefer.
I personalyuse both methods at diffrent times depending on the dive.

 

[texdiveguy]

I personaly use both methods at diffrent times depending on the dive.

Good advise...try it both ways first.

Question.....your statement above,,,'depending on the dive'..??

 

[Artimas]

Thanks so far! Another question: Does a slung bottle "get in the way"? Do they actually swing around? Do they have a higher incidence of snagging?

 

[drbill]

Having it mounted means its out of the way and you dont even know its there untill you need it. When mounted upside down its very easy to use the valve. As for the gauge I only find it important as part of the predive check. If you have a OOA then it does not matter how much air you have because you should be heading directly to the surface and as long as it was fill at the start of the dive and turned of during the dive it will still be fill when you need it.
At the end of the day its a personal choice. Try both ways and see what you prefer.
I personaly use both methods at diffrent times depending on the dive.

I concur having used them both ways, and both ways at the same time (two extra bottles).

I concur with your sig as well!

 

[texdiveguy]

Thanks so far! Another question: Does a slung bottle "get in the way"? Do they actually swing around? Do they have a higher incidence of snagging?

They do not swing around,,,you typically clip off at your hip d-ring and upper shoulder d-ring,,,much less opp of being snagged....you have sight of it at all times.

 

[Packhorse]

Good advise...try it both ways first.

Question.....your statement above,,,'depending on the dive'..??

Well if I am solo then I would prefer mounted. Im never going to hand it off to someone and its easyer to kit up by myself as there is no one else there to hand it to me when I have entered the water. I think slung is a bit arkward when doing a back roll entry or donning BC while in the water which are the two methods I would use when diving on my boat.
When diving with someone else then slung maybe a better mounting option.

Like most things in life there is very rarely one right way to do things.