Pony bottle 19 vs 30 cf, and clipped on left side of BP/W ?

[uncfnp]

Ouch!
Even if you have a tsa lock? They won't lock it back?
I'm gearing up to do some traveling and my dive bag has a security sleeve that you can put it in. I'm just wondering if it will just lead to trouble to have them open the tsa lock on the sleeve, pull out the bag, open the tsa lock on the bag and do the reverse when finished. It sounds like much.

I have never used locks so could not say.

I have literally had things hanging from the bag on the carousel but the only time I had anything actually missing was a trip to Cozumel when I could not find the ziplock bag with my tank night dive lights. Thought I had just forgotten them. But when I got home, no they were gone.

 

[The Chairman]

I sling NitrOx and air to the left while any deco mixes go to the right. I own an AL30 but prefer AL40s. I never bring a bottle when traveling, but rather will rent one at the resort if I need it.

H-Valves are a false security and are not true redundancy. Kind of what I refer to as re-dumb-duncy.

My AOW students have to sling a bottle on at least one dive.

I've never run out of air since I started diving an SPG. I've never given off my bottle during an OOA. I've never had a buddy or student go OOA. I have shared air with others' students and people who did not pay attention. I believe those who run out of air should sit out a dive or two, even if they brought their own bottle. Except for deco bottles, all others should be treated as bailouts and not a part of planning your gas supply.

FWIW, the more one talks about fighting an OOA diver off, the less I believe them.

​

 

[JohnN]

Wanted to print and my link no longer works. Do you have the link?

Five years of flying with a pony, valve out, in checked and no issue until a last year. Eric had always put a loose plug in neck per LDS recommendation. That trip TSA Atlanta pulled it on the return trip on Delta returned it to us by mail. They even paid the postage. So Eric quit plugging it but still tapes it.

Small Compressed Gas Cartridges

 

[Landlocked123]

As others have said. AL40. I have been diving ponies for almost 10 years. Slung them, back mounted them etc. Here is how I see it

19 - great to carry around - easy to transport - even on a plane etc for destination diving. Can back mount or sling. I believe the only reason to have one if if you travel a lot
30- better than the 19 due to the extra air...good for dives in the 80-100 foot range (NO DECO). Bulkier and harder to travel with. Can back mount or sling
40 - Best slung - is the best of all worlds except I dont think as convenient to travel with obviously. Has plenty of air to get you back to the surface on dives below 100 (NO DECO)
- If and when you choose to progress your diving in to tec or deco stuff it will work great as a deco bottle.

Same as others have said. My 19 and 30 now sit for the most part.... I still think the 19 is a very good thing to have for travel

 

[subbbsurface]

ok so I'm just gonna chime in here and say, why don't you just switch to sidemount and sling 2 80's?

if you're going to the effort to sling a pony on your left, why not go SM and cash in on the better buoyancy/trim that it offers (imho)? not to mention, now you have true redundancy cylinder for cylinder.