Do I need a pony?

[JakeP]

So I was told that my fathers day present was a pony bottle that I had been talking about and that I needed to go pick it out lol. Now I'm having second thoughts. I like the idea of having a redundant system, but am I going to find that its more of a pain and not cary it? I have done some reading and think if I decide to get one it will be a 19cf, but if you think you have a better idea...I'd love to hear it. Help me spend my money or talk me out of it.

 

[Marie13]

Where do you dive?

 

[JakeP]

I live on the gulf coast....pensacols, Destin, etc....make trips to Turks and Caicos, Caymans...ect

 

[GJC]

It says you have less than 24 dives. If that is so, I would suggest you get a few more dives and then decide. Join a club and borrow a pony from someone or rent one and try it in a pool.

I have a 19 cu ft pony and almost always dive with it. Out of the water it is additional weight you have to carry if you shore dive. In the water I hardly notice it is there. If you fly with it, there are more considerations about it being empty for flight and maybe having to get a VIP before getting it filled at your destination.

 

[lowviz]

I have done some reading and think if I decide to get one it will be a 19cf, but if you think you have a better idea...I'd love to hear it.

You titled your thread 'Do I need a pony?' I own a 19 and it gets a lot of 'use'. I wouldn't be without it. Perfect size for me.

Back to your question. If you own a pool, YES, you NEED a 19 cuft pony and a weight belt. If you don't, then you will just have to find some other way to rationalize it.

Do you need a pony to make up for an unreliable buddy? Do you need it to make up for a possible lack of gas management skills? Do you need it because your loved ones feel better if you dive with it? Do you need it because it is a good way to practice true redundancy? The list is endless and so are the arguments both for and against...

Me? I dive solo so it is a ( no-brainer >to me< ) totally redundant source. It is also wonderful for cleaning and patching my little 14' round 4' deep above-ground pool with a weight belt dedicated to that purpose (or 'just going down for a look' in the local stream.)

Or sometimes I just need to escape IRL and 4' deep works just fine for me while I practice 'being cool' like the free divers. You are allowed to have fun:

 

[happy-diver]

 

[Bert van den Berg]

Unless you are diving solo, I don't see the need for a pony if your dive buddy is a "same ocean" diver ( stays near you).

 

[happy-diver]

Not a bad vessel for some 50% on some of the more demanding dives

 

[drk5036]

I think it makes sense to carry a pony if you can get it filled with 50%. You can use it down to 20 meters, and then you can switch to it on your safety stop to give yourself some extra decompression security, and you therefore also use it regularly to make sure it’s all in working order.

edit: leaving it up for continuity sake, but the consensus is: don’t do this.

if it was ME, I would at least get it filled with whatever regular nitrox you have available, because for ME I would be much more prone to carry it if i felt it had some extra usefulness over just being a redundant source (even without going into deco on your computer, you’re giving yourself extra insurance against DCI by breathing less nitrogen, and its good practice to use the rig anyway, at a low pressure situation like a safety stop)

 

[loosenit2]

I think it makes sense to carry a pony if you can get it filled with 50%. You can use it down to 20 meters, and then you can switch to it on your safety stop to give yourself some extra decompression security, and you therefore also use it regularly to make sure it’s all in working order.

his profile says he has 0-24 dives and you have him using 50% and doing deco?