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

[drbill]

I can't speak for those in Denmark, but I consider a pony critical to my diving as a solo diver. True, here in SoCal you don't see them all that often but most of the time you do it is a solo diver. I consider a pony very wise insurance under those conditions, but do not consider it as part of my usable gas on a dive... only in unexpected emergencies (such as the obstructed dip tube I experienced at 75-80 ft shutting of all air flow from the main tank).

 

[Lead_carrier]

Appartently I'm losing my ability to inject any humor into a conversation. My apologies to the ones that took it so seriously.

 

[Jax]

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

Just guessing, but your "hardcore crew" is probably diving doubles? In which case, they have "recoverability" in case of a catastrophic failure.

In some cases, an attitude is, "why bother with a pony, just wear doubles."

If I wear a single and drive to diving, I carry a pony. If I wear doubles, I don't need a pony as I have redundant capability.

Besides, anyone who feels a need to poke fun at another's gear is lacking basic security in their own.

 

[gypsyjim]

Last weekend we did the Radeau in Lake George. Redundant air is required to dive that state historic site, by law. Pony, or doubles either serve the purpose.

 

[ScubaFeenD]

2. on a cattle boat with a 2 hour ride to shore, even with a regular buddy, because sometimes 7' just isnt far enough away from panicked unknown divers don't dive cattle boats much anymore either

So does this mean that you would donate and then give them the bottle so they could be more than 7' from you? So are you only referring to a slung pony bottle? Do you practice quickly unclipping and re-clipping (on another diver) so that they wouldnt be able to really grasp on tight? Would you be willing to just hand it off to an inexperience (clearly cause they are panicking) diver and risk them dropping the gas?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

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

I find that most good divers don't really care what people's certification card says or what gear they select, they care about how they dive, and how productive they are.

Anybody who makes fun of me for wearing a snorkel and a pony bottle just might receive a very heartfelt apology from me........ (for accidentally dropping my fat ass steel tank onto their toe.).

I figure I can get away with that...since I OBVIOUSLY don't know how to dive....

 

[CuNanoTube]

I dive cold water, I carry a pony. I would also carry it in warm water. Why? Redundant safety is intelligent. Since I dive with a single cylinder it is needed.