Do you need to take Reg off Pony when not diving?

[Wibble]

I can call it a potato chip if I want, so long as I know what it’s for it doesn’t matter and bares little relevance to the question at have of removing the potato chip from the bag.

That may well make things more difficult if you're asking someone to help you and pass over the potato chip and clip it to the piano.

But it's only semantics and a larff will be had by all.

 

[lexvil]

That may well make things more difficult if you're asking someone to help you and pass over the potato chip and clip it to the piano.

But it's only semantics and a larff will be had by all.

Yet regardless of what I call it you know, in person, where the chips go while playing the piano underwater.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I can call it a potato chip if I want, so long as I know what it’s for it doesn’t matter and bares little relevance to the question at have of removing the potato chip from the bag.

Words have meaning. It is how we communicate complex concepts. It is also how we ensure clarity on the purpose of things. These discussions may seem silly to you but these concepts and definitions have developed to ensure clarity and to keep people alive. I find them valuable.

 

[lexvil]

Words have meaning. It is how we communicate complex concepts. It is also how we ensure clarity on the purpose of things. These discussions may seem silly to you but these concepts and definitions have developed to ensure clarity and to keep people alive. I find them valuable.

Yet when someone say “pony” in the diving concept do you know what they said?

 

[Wibble]

Words have meaning. It is how we communicate complex concepts. It is also how we ensure clarity on the purpose of things. These discussions may seem silly to you but these concepts and definitions have developed to ensure clarity and to keep people alive. I find them valuable.

When I read the first post, I thought you all meant a backmounted PONY (acronym for Piss Off Not Yours). These are small tins that you cannot see behind you and generally have the regulator hose bungeed on the back. It's a bit old-school and from certain agencies. I utterly struggle with the whole concept of them because they're very much one-trick-ponies (pardon the pun) with little gas, impossible to turn the gas on and off underwater, no visible gauge (frequently a button gauge) and due to the hose routing, they're a bit of a faff to check. Of course people who dive them check them; one worries about newbies in a panic.

A pony stage, as per the definition here, is far more flexible and will be more like a standard stage cylinder; you can even read how much gas is left.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Yet when someone say “pony” in the diving concept do you know what they said?

If they're using common industry definitions and meaning ... yes I do. When they use the word incorrectly ... that is the issue and why many of us make a big deal about definitions.

 

[tursiops]

TDI has some very good definitions, presumably applicable in the UK as well as elsewhere in the world.
Diving with redundant air source for recreational divers - SDI | TDI | ERDI | PFI
Pony cylinders (3-40 cuft) are categorized as redundant air sources...not to be included in your gas plan. They are for emergency use. They can be slung or back-mounted. How they are carried does not change their name or their use.

PADI also defines a pony as a reserve cylinder (6-49 cuft, 1-4 lt). The reserve cylinder is defined by its intended use, not its mounting.
NAUI also defines a pony as a "completely separate source of air," used "as a back-up system"

A stage bottle is part of your gas plan, and extends your dive...no matter how it is carried\, or whether you drop it or not.

See Pony bottles VS stage bottles for a succinct description.

The point: ponys and stages are distinguished by their intended usage, not their method of being carried. In my travels around the world, this seems to be agreed. Here on SB, the argument comes up sporadically, often from UK divers who maybe don't get out and about much.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

When I read the first post, I thought you all meant a backmounted PONY (acronym for Piss Off Not Yours). These are small tins that you cannot see behind you and generally have the regulator hose bungeed on the back. It's a bit old-school and from certain agencies. I utterly struggle with the whole concept of them because they're very much one-trick-ponies (pardon the pun) with little gas, impossible to turn the gas on and off underwater, no visible gauge (frequently a button gauge) and due to the hose routing, they're a bit of a faff to check. Of course people who dive them check them; one worries about newbies in a panic.

A pony stage, as per the definition here, is far more flexible and will be more like a standard stage cylinder; you can even read how much gas is left.

That was your incorrect assumption. A pony is a pony and does not require a specific mounting option. It is defined based upon intended use.

 

[bradymsu]

When I read the first post, I thought you all meant a backmounted PONY (acronym for Piss Off Not Yours). These are small tins that you cannot see behind you and generally have the regulator hose bungeed on the back. It's a bit old-school and from certain agencies. I utterly struggle with the whole concept of them because they're very much one-trick-ponies (pardon the pun) with little gas, impossible to turn the gas on and off underwater, no visible gauge (frequently a button gauge) and due to the hose routing, they're a bit of a faff to check. Of course people who dive them check them; one worries about newbies in a panic. A pony stage, as per the definition here, is far more flexible and will be more like a standard stage cylinder; you can even read how much gas is left.

The reasons you've given are why over the past 20 years the pony has migrated from being back mounted to clipped off on the side. The back mounting hardware can be found here in the United States but its rare to see it in use anymore. The other benefit with having a pony (bail out stage) clipped off to the side on the harness is that the tank can also be used for deco, as a travel gas, etc. on different dives.

I wasn't aware until now that in the UK, it's only a pony when backmounted. In the United States, the pony term has migrated from the back to the side along with the tank. They're usually seen on solo divers, deeper recreational divers, and folks who don't trust their buddy as a backup. It will be interesting to see what impact sidemounting has on recreational diving over the next two decades.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

TDI has some very good definitions, presumably applicable in the UK as well as elsewhere in the world.
Diving with redundant air source for recreational divers - SDI | TDI | ERDI | PFI
Pony cylinders (3-40 cuft) are categorized as redundant air sources...not to be included in your gas plan. They are for emergency use. Yhey can be slung or back-mounted. How they are carried does not change their name or their use.

PADI also defines a pony as a reserve cylinder (6-49 cuft, 1-4 lt). The reserve cylinder is defined by its intended use, not its mounting.
NAUI also defines a pony as a "completely separate source of air," used "as a back-up system"

A stage bottle is part of your gas plan, and extends your dive...no matter how it is carried\, or whether you drop it or not.

See Pony bottles VS stage bottles for a succinct description.

The point: ponys and stages are distinguished by their intended usage, not their method of being carried. In my travels around the world, this seems to be agreed. Here on SB, the argument comes up sporadically, often from UK divers who maybe don't get out and about much.

Thanks @tursiops! These are the industry definitions I use. I have training with SDI (Solo) and TDI (Intro to Tech up through Trimix) so these have been driven into me. They are also the best industry standard definitions IMO.