Difference between a steel pony and Al

[OldNSalty]

Just wondering what the advantage is here. Aren't they about the same size for a given displacement? The LDS only sells Al ponies (looking int he 13-19 foot range) but I heard you can get steel for a good bit more money.

 

[spectrum]

A steel pony will tend to be more negative. Since you will in all likelihood carry it off center the more neutral aluminum cylinder will require less offset in your weighting.

 

[Rhone Man]

I have never seen a steel pony, but I suppose someone somewhere probably makes them.

 

[OldNSalty]

So the steel gives no size advantage, harder to balance out and cost more? I guess this is why there are more Al ponies.

 

[spectrum]

So the steel gives no size advantage, harder to balance out and cost more? I guess this is why there are more Al ponies.

That's pretty much it.

I have seen them used on commercial diving rigs as bailout bottles where the dynamics are different. For most rec & tec scuba activities Al is the ticket.

Pete

 

[Rupert Vidion]

In the UK almost all pony bottles are steel. Then again, outside of alu stages in tech diving, almost all scuba cylinders in northern Europe are steel.

Can't say I've heard anything against them. As mentioned above they are more negative in the water but I suppose how important that is will come down to your set up and how/what you dive.

 

[BMW]

I have a steel 40cf (AA40) pony made by Worthington and resold as XS Scuba. It was roughly $250 new - maybe a touch more expensive than Aluminum. I also have an Aluminum 40cf (AL40).

The AA is much smaller than the AL for the same volume of gas. I got the AA for wreck diving as it is nice and small - tucks nice and tight against the body and enables me to work my way through passageways, doors and hatches with more ease. Yet it also has enough gas to get me all the way out of the wreck and back to the surface for the profiles I do. Even enough for a few minutes of deco.

The AA is negatively buoyant; I take a 5-lb weight off the side I put it on to keep my trim even. Yes, if there was a problem and me/someone had to cut the tank away then I would be positive.

 

[DCBC]

A 13-19 cu ft is great if it meets your diving needs. I believe the AL19 is just about a pound and a half negative when full and neutral when empty; which is really nice.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

I've used steel ponies with my rebreather and the difference in weight from the aluminum was pretty dramatic, to the point that I had to add addition neoprene to increase my buoyancy.

The thing about a pony bottle is, if it starts to present a problem, you will start leaving it on the boat or shore whenever you can which pretty much defeats the purpose of a pony bottle. The point being, choose a pony bottle that will be as convenient and comfortable as possible so you can easily integrate it into your gear setup and then essentially forget about it until you might need it.

Jeff

 

[UaVaj]

The point being, choose a pony bottle that will be as convenient and comfortable as possible so you can easily integrate it into your gear setup and then essentially forget about it until you might need it.

Jeff

That is the goal. To feel like it is not even on the back - until it is needed.

So the steel gives no size advantage, harder to balance out and cost more? I guess this is why there are more Al ponies.

I was considering going steel. But with this. I may have to reconsider and get an aluminum instead.