Advice - Pony/Bailout Bottle

[uncfnp]

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).

I'm here... i've just been enjoying reading all your posts!
I've seen some posts here that recommend a 40" hose, why do I need this length and not shorter?

Ok...

Obviouely a 40 cf will work but I find most of the male divers that I know use 19's as ponies. I use a 13 cf pony and have a 30 as my deco tank. For hose length, donation is not a concern for me. I have a 28 on the pony but find it a little short for comfort when I sling it sidemount style. On the 30 cf I have a 40 inch hose but honestly a 36 would probably be better, plenty for my use and less to dangle after use or to resecure. Rubber not braided.

Sling it on left, either using a sidemount bungee or a shoulder and hip ring. Or possibly tank mount, not my choice. For SPG on the pony I use a simple button gauge. On the deco I prefer the thin SPG with hose. To sling both, I use pretty much the same rigging that tbone104 linked but use retaining bands instead of inner tube. I do use inner tube under the clamp but I know others use tubular webbing and/or plastic pipe.

 

[hroark2112]

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?

Luckily there is now a pretty freaking awesome show in the Raleigh area now. The only reason I buy anywhere else is that they don't sell it.

To be honest, if it weren't for the guys at Air Hogs, I wouldn't be anywhere near the diver I am today.

---------- Post added February 5th, 2015 at 10:13 PM ----------

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

I carry a 19 cu. ft. pony for emergencies on recreational dives. I use the Zeagle straps to mount the pony on the back, on my tank.

19 cu. ft. is enough for a no deco dive, it will get me to the surface with a safety stop.

 

[tbone1004]

and like I said, Air Hogs is has been wonderful for divers in that area and I've been recommending for a few years and will continue to recommend them to people in that area, the same can't be said for many others.

Regarding hose length, 40" is nice because when the bottle is on your left it is enough length to come up and over your neck while still leaving a bit in the hose retainer to allow you to stuff it back in and prevent any tight kinks. Many use 36" hoses and it works just as well, 100% based on personal preference and tank size. Al19 is about bare minimum for a hose length around 36" before it starts sticking out the bottom, the 19 is about the same length as the 30 and the 40 is a bit longer. This type of this is really all personal preference, there's something to be said about getting tanks that can be used for other purposes if you go to redundant back gas supplies down the road, so 13cf can be used for inflation gas if you dive in cold water or get into trimix, AL30's and 40's can be used for 02 deco gas if you get into that down the road, high quality regulators can go back and forth etc. Can't really go wrong with gear choice here, but the rigging is really the important part to make it accessible while keeping it streamlined and there's a few options but mainly are inverted mounted to the tank, or slung generally on the left side. No real right way for either of those, some people have very strong opinions on the matter, but especially with smaller tanks, 19's and smaller, they don't weigh enough to really offset the backgas bottle. If you're mounting an AL40 to your backgas, you might as well just go to doubles and eliminate the need for it altogether.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

and like I said, Air Hogs is has been wonderful for divers in that area and I've been recommending for a few years and will continue to recommend them to people in that area, the same can't be said for many others.

Regarding hose length, 40" is nice because when the bottle is on your left it is enough length to come up and over your neck while still leaving a bit in the hose retainer to allow you to stuff it back in and prevent any tight kinks. Many use 36" hoses and it works just as well, 100% based on personal preference and tank size. Al19 is about bare minimum for a hose length around 36" before it starts sticking out the bottom, the 19 is about the same length as the 30 and the 40 is a bit longer. This type of this is really all personal preference, there's something to be said about getting tanks that can be used for other purposes if you go to redundant back gas supplies down the road, so 13cf can be used for inflation gas if you dive in cold water or get into trimix, AL30's and 40's can be used for 02 deco gas if you get into that down the road, high quality regulators can go back and forth etc. Can't really go wrong with gear choice here, but the rigging is really the important part to make it accessible while keeping it streamlined and there's a few options but mainly are inverted mounted to the tank, or slung generally on the left side. No real right way for either of those, some people have very strong opinions on the matter, but especially with smaller tanks, 19's and smaller, they don't weigh enough to really offset the backgas bottle. If you're mounting an AL40 to your backgas, you might as well just go to doubles and eliminate the need for it altogether.

Oh really...

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I find most of the male divers that I know use 19's as ponies.

The only thing I would add is you need to know your RMV - which is what Dumpster was poking at in the beginning of the thread...
I also dive a 19 pony but would not recommend any size without knowing the gas consumption of the individual and that person's risk aversion...
The weight and ability to get me to the surface with a safety stop is why I chose the 19 cu ft (but I did the math) - others may chose to have additional gas reserves based on various reasons - but know why you chose the size that is right for you...

 

[rhwestfall]

For various reasons, I ended up possessing a 13, 19 & a 30 (a 40 might be on the horizon, but not a priority). Each has uses in various conditions. Evaluate your needs, and make an appropriate selection. As to how to carry it, the "slung" is very popular and my preferred method, based on how I dive, and my expectations. YMMV.

If you want to purchase a pre-made rigging, do it. If you want to make your own, do so. Neither is a bad choice.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I own a 19, two 30's, and a 40. The 30's are different lengths due to being from different mfg's. To the top of the valve the luxfer 30 (my O2 bottle) is 25 inches, the Catalina is 23 and is also bigger in diameter. My luxfer 19 is 22 inches to the top of the valve.

 

[Akimbo]

Valve Suggestion: I prefer using rebreather valves for bailouts regardless if they are side mount, back mount, or slung. They are more compact and there is a little less to tangle up. The rubber bumper can also help protect them in handling. The only caveat is they are DIN only, which I feel is a good thing.

 

[rhwestfall]

been looking at them, very intriguing, but not sure its worth the money to "update"...

 

[SubAquatix]

Gotta say, I find this whole thread humerous.

I only caught one person out of all those posting who suggests the most important question, what do you need it for? Experienced divers all know "Bailout" is not a complete answer. There are a number of reasons why, but the simplest is that we do not know what your standard dive configuration is, what your typical dive is or what your SAC/RMV rate is. All of these, and many more items, help determine the most appropriate method of protecting yourself.

I have well over 500 dives and have never run out of gas. The importance of that statement is that, when I was looking into a Bailout, people who knew my diving knew that I don't run out of gas due to poor planning or failure to monitor. Clearly, my desire was redundancy,- what happens if? If that is your concern, I'll tell you they same thing that was told to me some 20 years ago. If you are going to buy another regulator and another valve any how, why not just buy an H-Valve?

I'm not making a suggestion, I'm pointing out why the OP is not complete.

Feel free to message me if you like, or provide more detail, and lets see if we can get this post back on track and answer your question in a helpful manner!!!