Back mount pony bottle

[CuzzA]

The part that I find odd, I guess, is back-mounting a pony, which basically seems to be independent doubles, but with mismatched tank sizes.

Except I ain't letting anyone bring doubles on my boat for a day of recreational no stop diving.

How they chose to use one is not my business. Back, slung, doesn't matter.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

There is an aspect of this which I think is worth emphasizing. If you have a back mounted pony and no ability to monitor the pressure during a dive, then it is very advantageous to wear the second stage where you can FEEL a free flow or leak. If you wear it as a normal octopus, it can blow bubbles especially on a rigorous descent down an anchor line in a current. It is easy to not notice a freeflow , for example when wearing a thick suit, hood etc. and swimming hard against a current and fighting waves etc.,

If the second stage is around your neck then you should be able to detect a freeflow.

If your normal octopus freeflows, you always have the ability to notice this when you check your air pressure.

Here's my personal solution to monitoring pressure on my back mounted 19cf Pony. To each his own.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

All this "feathering" and guessing is just an added task in what may be an Oh **** moment. My 19 back mount is fully charged, my PSI is totally available for monitoring, and if there is a need I just simply swap to my alt 2nd (which is my Pony) and head for the pub.

For any need to share air on my primary 120HP, then I have an Air 2 on my BC......which i know you all hate but I don't care what you all hate.

 

[NYCrecdiver]

Here's my personal solution to monitoring pressure on my back mounted 19cf Pony. To each his own.

Clean. I like it. Can you still monitor pressure when the stage is in your mouth though? I'd like to keep a very close eye on my pony pressure during my ascent after a failure of my main.

 

[Boarderguy]

Clean. I like it. Can you still monitor pressure when the stage is in your mouth though? I'd like to keep a very close eye on my pony pressure during my ascent after a failure of my main.

Why do you need to stare at your SPG while ascending? Watch your computer and get to your stop. Watch your time and if needed then take the reg out of your mouth and look. Or stay at your stop until you get a few hard breaths and surface or you've completed your stop... over-complicating this is what makes people not dive a pony. It is an emergency air source and can be super simple. Button guage, spg on a hose, transmitter, it doesn't freaking matter. Have a system and practice with it. If it works for you and not someone else it doesn't matter.

 

[Cthippo]

To my mind it is a difference between gas you have to consciously NOT use (doubles) and gas that you have to consciously use (pony).

If you screw up with doubles you are OOA.

If you screw up with a poly you still have 19 / 30 / 40 CuFt ready to go.

Both are redundant against equipment failure, but only one is redundant against brain failure, and brains fail more often than regs.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Why do you need to stare at your SPG while ascending? Watch your computer and get to your stop. Watch your time and if needed then take the reg out of your mouth and look. Or stay at your stop until you get a few hard breaths and surface or you've completed your stop... over-complicating this is what makes people not dive a pony. It is an emergency air source and can be super simple. Button guage, spg on a hose, transmitter, it doesn't freaking matter. Have a system and practice with it. If it works for you and not someone else it doesn't matter.

While it has been years since I would dive with a pony, if I were to do it now, I'd have the pony right side up, try having pony reg and SPG clipped off to D-ring ring on my waist. I'd donate my primary and have a necklaced backup.

NOTE: I HAVE NOT DONE THIS! I would try this and see how it works. I wouldn't want the SPG in my face, I would just want to be able to check it just in case as I wouldn't be able to see it and the valve would be open. I'm not a contortionist so no way would I be able to manipulate that valve. I do get the benefits of upside down, but then I have a routing problem. I don't like the idea of clipping off the pony SPG and reg onto my right D-ring.

 

[Boarderguy]

While it has been years since I would dive with a pony, if I were to do it now, I'd have the pony right side up, try having pony reg and SPG clipped off to D-ring ring on my waist. I'd donate my primary and have a necklaced backup.

NOTE: I HAVE NOT DONE THIS! I would try this and see how it works. I wouldn't want the SPG in my face, I would just want to be able to check it just in case as I wouldn't be able to see it and the valve would be open. I'm not a contortionist so no way would I be able to manipulate that valve. I do get the benefits of upside down, but then I have a routing problem. I don't like the idea of clipping off the pony SPG and reg onto my right D-ring.

I route my pony up and under my right arm and clip off to right shoulder d ring. Primary hose is routed under right arm and outside pony hose because I primary donate. Air 2 is on a 22" corrugated so it has a good angle when I use it. Pony is only used if I feel my 100 or 119 isn't enough for both of us to make the surface at a safe location or I'm solo and need it. Primary and pony 2nds both have 70°/110° swivels on them. Pony is on a 36" hose.

 

[NYCrecdiver]

Primary and pony 2nds both have 70°/110° swivels on them. Pony is on a 36" hose.

I also have a long hose primary under my arm and around my neck. Does the swivel make a big difference in 2nd stage comfort?
Is your pony upside down and you route your hose under your arm? I have it upside down but route my pony hose along the pony with rubber bands over my shoulder to clip off on my shoulder D-ring. Maybe I should try under arm.

 

[Boarderguy]

I also have a long hose primary under my arm and around my neck. Does the swivel make a big difference in 2nd stage comfort?
Is your pony upside down and you route your hose under your arm? I have it upside down but route my pony hose along the pony with rubber bands over my shoulder to clip off on my shoulder D-ring. Maybe I should try under arm.

It makes a world of difference for me. The hose no longer pushes/pulls the 2nd when I move my head since it is angled down instead of out and then down.

My pony is upside down so I can reach the valve. Tank is charged and off 99%. I turn it on enough to maintain pos pressure during descent but won't lose much if it gets bumped or free flows. I've had to use it once. Practice and understanding your gear keeps a calm head imo. Buddy near OOA heavy current

Hose takes the same route as my primary except starting near my kidney. I do it that way so the hose has the same feel when I switch or donate my primary. I have the pony 2nd held on a rubber retainer so I can just pull and get it. I may at some point move it to a necklace but my way works just fine for now.