How do you think a pony should be used, if at all?

[ThomasScherrer]

my pony is 4.1L so it is quite large, so I only bring it when I go deep or something where I think I may need it case soem bad happens.

I think I will get another one, much smaller, so I can bring it always,
I think when I least expect it, then I need it the most.

I dive single tank, standard equipment

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Hmm, sounds like something I don't need.

Think I'd use rock bottom rather than 3rd's.

I agree with you and use rock bottom (for 1) as a pony sizing plan, it is a refined option but leads to owning multiple bottles at times (my problem).

I also figure simply having (and following) a gas plan is better than no gas plan. So if Jax dives 1/3rds, then using a pony with 1/3rd is consistent with her plan. Every notice how the smallest normal pony (13 cu ft) is about equal to the smallest, crudest gas plan (500 PSI reserve) and a 19 cu is close to a 750psi reserve on an AL80?

 

[drbill]

I wear one on any dive I plan to a depth that exceeds 40 ft, but then I dive solo. Have only had to use mine three times... once when I hadn't attached it!

 

[TSandM]

I have never used one, but if I traveled a great deal and had to dive with instabuddies a lot, I'd consider it.

Locally, when I want redundancy, I dive doubles. And with trained buddies, I never worry about my spare gas. I know where it is, and how much is there, and that there won't be any trouble accessing it if I need it.

 

[Lead_carrier]

I don't think you should ever carry a pony or dive double just so you will have extra gas if you need it. When you did OW you should have been taught 2 urgent ascents. Controlled swimming ascent and emergency bouyant ascent. If you plan your dives, use gas management and carry redundant equipment how will you ever get to use all of the skills taught in OW. I mean seriously folks, we all use mask clearing, reg retrival and neutral bouyancy but come on now. How many of us have ever done a good old fashioned blow and go, or even a controlled swimming ascent for that matter. Are we all failures as divers? :fail: We all ought to hold our heads in shame:depressed: and apologize to our OW and AOW instructors for not using every skill taught us. I am on the phone now to call my first instructor and apologize :crying2: for not having done the emergency ascents to consider myself skilled at them.
:focus: I only carry a pony as a bailout, and it's got plenty of gas to let me ascend at a normal pace and still do a safety stop. It's kinda like my octo, if I'm using it, I'm on my way up.

 

[Jax]

Dude . . . a pony is that which one carries as redundancy . . . it is not supposed to be in the gas plan.

If it is in the gas plan, then it is a stage or a deco bottle.

There! THAT ought to start a good argument!

 

[Jax]

I don't think you should ever carry a pony or dive double just so you will have extra gas if you need it.

Actually, I believe the whole purpose of diving doubles is so one will have extra gas that one needs.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I don't think you should ever carry a pony or dive double just so you will have extra gas if you need it. When you did OW you should have been taught 2 urgent ascents. Controlled swimming ascent and emergency bouyant ascent. If you plan your dives, use gas management and carry redundant equipment how will you ever get to use all of the skills taught in OW. I mean seriously folks, we all use mask clearing, reg retrival and neutral bouyancy but come on now. How many of us have ever done a good old fashioned blow and go, or even a controlled swimming ascent for that matter. Are we all failures as divers? :fail: We all ought to hold our heads in shame:depressed: and apologize to our OW and AOW instructors for not using every skill taught us. I am on the phone now to call my first instructor and apologize :crying2: for not having done the emergency ascents to consider myself skilled at them.
:focus: I only carry a pony as a bailout, and it's got plenty of gas to let me ascend at a normal pace and still do a safety stop. It's kinda like my octo, if I'm using it, I'm on my way up.

Sorry, I never even put extra gas as an option, that would be a stage tank in my mind and I have a hard time mixing the 2 modes in a logical manner. EDIT: I guess that would be like diving independent doubles with grossly different sizes. Possible, but a nightmare to manage properly.

As for apologizing to my instructors for not using the CESA/ESA, no way. I thank them for teaching it for sure, but even more for drilling in a little bit of common sense gas management which so far as prevented me from needing to use a CESA/ESA or pony for real.

 

[ThomasScherrer]

another thing I forgot to mention,
in my area ponys are rarely seen on divers,
specially on hardcore experianced divers, it is like only beginners need pony units,
and if you bring a pony on a dive trip with the hardcore crew you look like a noob,
bring a snorkel too, and they all laught

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

another thing I forgot to mention,
in my area ponys are rarely seen on divers,
specially on hardcore experianced divers, it is like only beginners need pony units,
and if you bring a pony on a dive trip with the hardcore crew you look like a noob,
bring a snorkel too, and they all laught

The first thing I noticed on the dive boats in England was the absence of pony's and the very common use of doubles due to the popularity of diving relatively deep wrecks in somewhat nasty conditions. Is this the same in Denmark?

Gear snobbery is not confined to ponies. Just ask a vintage diver who takes flake for diving "old junk" or DIR divers who dive "cookie cutter gear" or someone who admits to diving a poodle jacket on SB. They all tend to take some hits.

The one advantage of the US custom of tipping is the crew typically refrains from giving you attitude, fellow divers on the other hand can be brutal.....