Advice - Pony/Bailout Bottle

[tbone1004]

doesn't want it as a stage, wants it as pony/bailout which means it is pressurized all the time, so is a non issue

as far as having local dive shops, well you're lucky that you're in a location where good dive shops exist.

I started diving in Raleigh, NC. Plenty of decent recreational shops, but all were charging full retail and were trying to sell me things I didn't need or didn't stock anything that I wanted, so never bought from them. Moved to Maine, and there just weren't dive shops where I was living, now I'm in Greenville, SC and the one dive shop down here is an absolute clusterf*ck. Two of the shops in Raleigh knew me quite well and I participated with their dive programs and what not, but they knew they didn't have anything for me to buy, and that was left to that. Many people are in the same boat depending on where they live, so shove off saying buy local first because 99.999% of the time your local shop doesn't have what you are looking for, doesn't know a damned thing about what you are looking for, and will try to charge you full retail on stuff. IF the local shops had what I needed and weren't trying to rape me for every dime I have, I'd support them, there is a good shop in Greensboro NC that I have bought stuff from if I'm driving through and know the owners quite well, I buy from Edd quite regularly and hang out in his shop, plenty of other shops in Cave Country and coast of NC as well but most of the local dive shops wouldn't welcome me and I wouldn't want to be part of a culture of ignorant dive professionals who are just trying to make a buck with not a whole lot more integrity than a used car salesman from the 1980's. Why on earth would I pay full retail when I can get better service and pay significantly less from another source? That's just foolish, good for them if that causes them to go out of business, get into the modern age or go away, there's too many dive shops as it is.

If this guy can't get what he needs locally, highly unlikely, and Mike and his guys ship to Canada at least every week and have what he wants at cheaper prices than his LDS can get, why should he give his LDS business?

 

[tbone1004]

Far too many people get ripped off and have had to buy gear twice because of shops leading them to what they sell, and you see many people complain on here about their local shops for that very reason, it still should not be tolerated, and luckily some local shops are seeing that and turning around.

To the OP, you are lucky to have a good LDS local to you, Scuba Diving Courses & Dive Gear in Ontario, Canada they have a full online shop presence and the brands they have chosen represent a wide range of quality and value, and most importantly they have them in stock. The reason I didn't list them in the first place is they don't sell button gauges which I prefer for pony/bailout bottles vs. a normal stage setup where they have a full size SPG on a hose. They also are not currently selling the D1/Classic combo which is only shown at a handful of US shops and at $180 for that it is impossible to beat and will not last for much longer.

 

[Bear Yates]

So. About Purge's original question. Any other suggestions about Pony/Bail Outs?

 

[uncfnp]

So. About Purge's original question. Any other suggestions about Pony/Bail Outs?

That would be a bit easier if Purge would join the discussion and give us a little more info on his plans.

 

[Bear Yates]

UNCFNP, I know. I just felt like it was a good time to see if this thing could get back to the reason it was started. Other than that, I was just bored.

 

[Doppler]

i'd like to put together a bailout bottle and I figured I'd throw a post up to get some feedback.
I'm leaning towards a 30cuf aluminum tank with a HOG D2/Classic reg set. I'd love to hear peoples thoughts and opinions on this and hose (length/braided or not), pressure gauge recommendations, straps/rigging kit, and best way to wear it while diving. I've seen guys wear them under their left side and some wear it across the front (pros vs cons).

You may find this helpful;


https://decodoppler.wordpress.com/2...y-the-maligned-and-misunderstood-pony-bottle/

 

[Akimbo]

You may find this helpful;

https://decodoppler.wordpress.com/2...y-the-maligned-and-misunderstood-pony-bottle/

Good link, but what I really want to know is why did recreational divers start calling a bailout bottle a small horse?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

It's a beastiality thing I'm guessing. Bailout sounded so scary to some. Ponies are cute. Until they bite you.

 

[rhwestfall]

po·ny
ˈpōnē/
noun

• 1.
  a horse of a small breed, especially one whose height at the withers is below 14 hands 2 inches (58 inches).
• 2.
  
  a small drinking glass or the drink contained in it.
  "a pony of vodka"

verbNORTH AMERICAN informal

• 1.
  pay (money), especially as a contribution or an unavoidable expense.
  getting ready to pony up for their children's college education

---------- Post added February 5th, 2015 at 05:53 PM ----------

a "small drinking glass" or "pay up" does seem fitting....

 

[Akimbo]

…pay (money), especially as a contribution or an unavoidable expense.

You mean like the cost of saving your butt?

To be fair, I don’t know the etymology of “bailout bottle” either but at least it makes sense and was in widespread use long before “pony bottle”... within my limited sphere of visibility anyway.