Bail out Pony Tank 13 cft or 19cft?

[Chris H]

Forget the size for now.

Concentrate on where and how you want to mount it,,,,,,,then you will know the size.

I’ll take it a step further. Why are you planning to run out of gas? What problem is a pony going to fix that monitoring your pressure gauge won’t? It might sound harsh, but it is a legitimate question.

 

[scubadada]

I’ll take it a step further. Why are you planning to run out of gas? What problem is a pony going to fix that monitoring your pressure gauge won’t? It might sound harsh, but it is a legitimate question.

Perhaps this is redundant gas for solo diving, perfectly appropriate

 

[Johnoly]

... What problem is a pony going to fix ......

I dive a 6 CuFt pony with an 8" hose & a button gauge.
The problem that it fixes is my own stupidity. I can survived being bent, I can't being dead from an arterial gas embolism.
In short,,it's Stupidity Insurance,,,,just like that 6 inch square bomb located on your steering wheel that most ignore just 12 inches from their face everyday. Stupidity Insurance.

 

[CWK]

I went with a 13 because it's small enough to fit into my luggage when I travel via airplane to other countries.

Do you take the valve off for air travel?

 

[scubadada]

Do you take the valve off for air travel?

You must, they have to be able to see into the cylinder. I enclose a copy of the regs attached to the cylinder. I've never had a problem traveling with my 19 cf cylinder.

 

[Ghetto Diver]

I sling a 13.
I have played around with backmount on main, but its friggin wide = awkward in most charter tank racks, so it stays slung.
The 'plan' is to do a SS if deployed. If ooa while at stop, surface is pretty close by.
For me, a 19 would be as big as I go, any bigger they become cumbersome and stay home in the garage.
I had a 40 before.

 

[uncfnp]

I’ll take it a step further. Why are you planning to run out of gas? What problem is a pony going to fix that monitoring your pressure gauge won’t? It might sound harsh, but it is a legitimate question.

Edit. It was snippy and I am better than that. Sometimes. Some of the responses on solo and pony bottle threads tend to bring out the worst in me. Ancient history.

 

[doctormike]

I’ll take it a step further. Why are you planning to run out of gas? What problem is a pony going to fix that monitoring your pressure gauge won’t? It might sound harsh, but it is a legitimate question.

"How do you make God laugh? Tell him your plans..."

If you are seriously questioning the reasoning behind redundant gear, read this...

 

[andrewy]

I had 19cf DIR rigged few times when diving from socal boats, much easier than deal with insta-buddy..
and almost undetectable compared to cf40.
I passed it onto my local dive buddy that got new underwater camera and wants to stay in one place for hours.

 

[northernone]

I like redundant ways of getting back to comfortably breathing atmospheric air.

Recreational diving (to me) involved only going places I can safely CESA (freedive up from without gear). If I'm deep enough or in an environment where my immediate ascent isn't assured, I want an alternative air supply. That's generally an al80. I'd use smaller, even a 3l spare air for some profiles would make it more comfortable.

A point a rarely hear suggested which is a must for me: The redundant cylinder must be easily removable if I need to dof my gear in the emergency which resulted in me needing my redundant air source I can ascent holding it without a harness.

Seems what each diver can honestly count on needing during stress is hard to predict.

My biggest current concern is recovering from a bad CO hit at depth, if I go into hyperventilating. My bailout doesn't last long if I'm breathing it at a SAC of 3.0 instead of .35 or even the "conservative" 1.0 some people use in planning bailout.

That's doomsday planning. Your risk tolerance, physiology and trust in a practiced emergency response skillset will answer how much redundant air you think you want to carry.

I hope this helps in thinking through what you choose.
Cameron