Back mount pony bottle

[johndiver999]

Back mount for me because it's out of my way. I have my scooter and camera on every dive and it's easier for me. It's also always with me this way. I check the pressure at home before leaving. It's upside-down so I can reach the valve to feather or turn on/off as needed. I normally keep it partially open, 1 turn at most to prevent catastrophic loss, and turn on when needed. I turn it on specifically during ascents when approaching any req stops, when my buddy signals below 1k psi, and when I go below 1k. These are  my procedures and work for me in how I dive. They don't vary between solo and buddy dives.

This (your) system adds a lot of complexity and room for error and confusion. For this reason, I don't think it is best for a new diver. Too much potential for error of getting confused and turning the tank off in a real emergency or problems finding the valve.

A simple back mount, valve on and pony second stage on a neck lanyard is simple and requires essentially zero modification in behavior under most emergencies, compared to a typical recreational , non-redundant configuration.

However, I am not at all critical of your set up and it adds some additional safety, primarily the ability to feather the valve and use the pony effectively even if the second stage screws up and starts free flowing. That is not a trivial advantage. The upside down and off (or partially off) would be something that a diver would have to learn and practice manipulating every dive. If they do that and dive frequently, I see no reason why it would be difficult to train yourself to find the valve and manipulate it as second nature.

I don't think there can be much disagreement that a slung pony is the safest method, but many people (including myself) choose to back mount for convenience and probably other reasons.

 

[johndiver999]

It was shown in the video and Boarderguy referenced it in post 200. I dive primary donate with a long hose which will not work with an Air2 without having the extra step of removing it from around your neck prior to donating so it doesn't get tangled with the inflator hose. If the out of air diving pulls the reg from you mouth you have a cluster fk. I have given my preference and the reasons for it, dive what you like it does not impact me.

It only gets tangled if you are (already) sucking on the air 2 right?

 

[grf88]

It only gets tangled if you are (already) sucking on the air 2 right?

I guess you have never been mugged by a panicked diver who rips your reg from your mouth. I have and the first reaction is not to calmly deploy the long hose before going to your backup especially when they are either desperately trying to claw their way to the surface or sinking. In a normal air share with a diver low on air or having issues with a freeflow it may not matter as you have already deployed the long hose in advance but when the sht hits the fan every little thing matters.

 

[MidOH]

How would it get caught on an air2? My long hose has no chance of getting tangled in mt necklace or my inflator.

There was another poster here, preaching about having nothing on our right side, because it would trap the long hose. But nothing on my right side traps that hose. And so what, if it did.

Here's 4 feet of hose. Deal with it. You get 3 more in 2 seconds. No big deal.

 

[johndiver999]

I guess you have never been mugged by a panicked diver who rips your reg from your mouth. I have and the first reaction is not to calmly deploy the long hose before going to your backup especially when they are either desperately trying to claw their way to the surface or sinking. In a normal air share with a diver low on air or having issues with a freeflow it may not matter as you have already deployed the long hose in advance but when the sht hits the fan every little thing matters.

So you didn't answer the question directly, but I interpret your response to mean that you are predicting that the air share emergency is going to be so "upsetting" that you will put the alternate in your mouth before you take the time to remove the long hose from your neck.

I have never used a long hose, never had one wrapped around my neck, but I have heard a million times that it is not a problem getting it off your neck and that it is a simple learned response of looking down and pulling the hose and it all deploys instantly and infallibly- just as long as you are not wearing a snorkel. Perhaps getting the long hose deployed is a bigger deal than I am lead to believe by the proponents of the "system"? I don't know and don't claim to know.

However, I do know that in a real air share emergency, my first concern and objective is to get a regulator into the other person's mouth. Getting a regulator in my mouth is NOT my first priority! This is based on my own experience, not guessing or supposition. I've had my reg removed from my mouth several times , against my will, and it has never caused me panic or an inordinate amount of fear, but it DOES one hundred percent, cause you to take immediate notice.

I can secure the air 2 breathing source about as quick as I can retrieve the necklaced second stage. There is no difference, and either way, it only takes 2-3 seconds, max. I can handle the reg out of my mouth for that amount of time. Is that (potential) delay, what is driving your position on this issue?

I have no problem with people NOT using an air 2, I am just want to explore this specific reason, because I have never heard of it before.

 

[Cthippo]

Great thread! Now I’m convinced I need to add a pony to my setup. I swear logging on to SB is liking stepping into a used car lot.
Edit: But I do think, for me, as a relatively new diver, that a back mount setup makes sense. Maybe I don’t truly see the big picture, but a slung pony would be more effort to manage, no?

In my experience, once I get in the water I tend to forget my slung pony is even there. It hangs across my chest and doesn't get in the way

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

In my experience, once I get in the water I tend to forget my slung pony is even there. It hangs across my chest and doesn't get in the way

Respectfully.... I would have to say that personally, a slung pony on my chest would be a total conflict with everything else I have and need in the "chest" area. I'm mainly talking camera / video. When shooting macro, I am sometimes right on the "deck" and holding steady just inches from the bottom and a chest mount would be a problem. That's why I prefer back-mount for my pony.

If a diver has nothing else going on other than "looking" at their dive, then a chest mount might be OK......but not for me. Side-mount makes more sense.

 

[Marie13]

In my experience, once I get in the water I tend to forget my slung pony is even there. It hangs across my chest and doesn't get in the way

Across your chest? Ugh.

 

[Cthippo]

Across your chest? Ugh.

Yeah, upper boltsnap on my AL40 goes to left chest D ring, bottom goes to right hip. Hose is attached to the bottle with a elastic band and reg goes on a necklace.

Works well for me, but to each their own.

 

[grf88]

Yeah, upper boltsnap on my AL40 goes to left chest D ring, bottom goes to right hip. Hose is attached to the bottle with a elastic band and reg goes on a necklace.

Works well for me, but to each their own.

Do yourself a favour and try the left hip for the bottom connection.