Pony Bottle Configuration

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So to make sure I’m understanding you. Yes on the air2 (not going to replace it anyway), yes on a pony (size to be determined) with the reg in a necklace or comparable accessibility and no octo? I appreciate your input
I generally recommend some kind of regulator-retainer. The exact form (necklace, clip, etc) is perhaps somewhat up to individual preference. The main goal is for both regulators to be very easy and quick to find at all times, including by feel alone (no vis, eyes closed, no light, etc).

If you mostly dive in groups, ideally any retainer is "breakaway" meaning a strong-tug should free it for use by another diver. If mostly diving solo, I'd probably not bother with breakaway, as they're more likely to "break" or come undone and be an annoyance.

There are a bunch of different styles you can go for. Magnetic, clips, silicone that slides around the mouth-piece, etc, diy-bungie necklaces, DIY breakway-clips, hose-clips. Sometime I need to writeup a longer post on all the options, and their pros and cons.
 
The placement of the pony reg seems to be very diver dependant. Ive seen them all over the place.

I get rid of the necklace and just keep the reg on the bottle, like you would a stage bottle. I havent tried putting my slung bottle on a necklace yet....might have to try that soon.

If I have the time and opportunity to remove my necklace reg from my back tank, I do. But I often just leave it on. Its not exactly in the way of anything, once im underwater. (It is a pita on the surface or during the long stride) And the pony/stage bottle reg isnt really cluttering up anything either.

Less back gas, more slung gas, is a configuration this industry has really overlooked. Got the idea from a sub 100# women that only dives this way. For a lighter, easier to pick up rig.
 
Could I get some insight to slinging the pony? I have the ability to fabricate up any webbing rig to accommodate (I have a sailmakers sewing machine) but curious on the orientation. I have a Hydros Bc and use he weight belt with it, cold water dive with a dry suit. Also do those who sling them just carry it into the water when shore diving and clip it on? The BC has a d ring under the weight pouch. I would think you would want to rig it so is a single clip to give it or ditch it easily?
 
I generally carry mine in and clip it on as a last step because walking around on slippery rocks with two bottles is a PITA. I clip the top of the pony to my left upper chest ring and the bottom to my right hip and then mostly forget it's there. Hose is bungeed to the bottle on a necklace, mostly because I had the necklace and it makes for a convenient breakaway.
 
In reviewing this thread I am now actually re-evaluating and considering mounting my 13...or 19cf pony in the inverted position (valve down).... even though I have always (for the past 30 years) had it mounted valve up and have had zero issues. In looking at my own photo of my set-up (see below) it has now occurred to me that in the unlikely event that I lose my primary 2nd stage, that a normal "dip, arm sweep, and recover" of my primary 2nd stage could be more difficult if the primary hose gets "trapped" between the two tank valves. Just seems less likely for that to happen in the inverted position like Boarderguy and Happy Diver use. Plus, in the unlikely event of a freeflow, freeze-up or other catastrophic loss of gas from my pony, I have much easier access to the valve. Am I overthinking this....or am I just thinking!

ykFd6Mx.jpg
 
As far as carrying it around on the surface, do whatever's easiest, especially shore diving. Sometimes that will mean donning it at the truck. Sometimes that means bringing it to the water's edge first, and then returning for it with your gear on. Donning while seated or floating is easier than donning it while standing on sand or rocks. I haven't used it much from a boat, but I would don it while seated if doing a giant stride, or in the water if doing a backroll. The issue with donning in the water is that the tank is negative when full, so don't drop it! Of course, sidemount divers do this all the time, and I get the sense that they rarely drop a tank into the ocean.

The Hydros BC has a chest strap D-ring, and a left hip strap D-ring, right? That's close to the typical clip-off locations for tech divers using deco bottles. If you're good with your hands, I'm sure you can rig this up in the standard way.

You want one big-ass boltsnap right at the neck of the bottle, on a short leash. This connects to your chest D-ring. The leash on top needs to be short to keep the valves and regs close to your body -- the closer it is, the less in the way it will be. But you still want to be able to see it, see its SPG, and use the valve, so there's kind of a sweet spot there -- something like a big boltsnap plus 1-2 inches of slack.

The bottom boltsnap should be large as well, and on a slightly longer leash. You don't need as long of a leash as is shown in this photo, because you won't be using multiple pony bottles. But some wiggle room is nice, a little more than on the top boltsnap, maybe 3 inches. The distance between the boltsnaps is determined by the distance between your BC's D-rings. When worn, the valve and regs are around the pec, the middle of the bottle ends up somewhere below your armpit, and the butt of the bottle ends up around your hip. Depending on the bottle, and on your body, it might extend a little bit past your body in the rear, that's OK.

I would recommend mocking it up with just boltsnaps and line (no rubber bits) and fiddling with it a little until you get the length right for your body and your BC. Then go back and redo it with the rubber bits. The vertical rubber handle is nice for handling the bottle in the water (above water, the valve is a better handle).

deco-rigging.jpg


The horizontal rubber bands (or bungees) are there so that you can tuck a regulator hose into them (see below). You can stow the reg this way to carry the bottle around on the surface, and you could put it on a necklace for diving. But, instead of a necklace, I found that it was nice to dive it stowed that way. Deploying the reg from the rubber band is very easy -- the reg can be reached by either hand, just pull and it's there. Once deployed, wrap the hose behind your neck so that the reg hose comes from the right of your face. Re-stowing it while in the water a little annoying, especially if you have a miflex hose. Rubber hoses are much easier to stow in-water.

Not quite as easy to deploy as a reg on a necklace is, but I already have my octo on a necklace. That means I would take 3 second stages down, which is more than needed, 2 is plenty. If I dived solo a lot (like, more than 25% of my dives), then I would agree that removing the octo and putting the pony's reg on a necklace is a better config. But I never dived solo that often, and I didn't want the faff of removing the octo every time I dived solo, so I left it on and tucked the pony's reg into the rubber bands.

deco-bottle-regs.jpeg


Hope this helps, cheers.
 
For photographers that are hovering right at or just inches above the bottom or reef...... backmount is the best configuration.
 
Could I get some insight to slinging the pony? I have the ability to fabricate up any webbing rig to accommodate (I have a sailmakers sewing machine) but curious on the orientation. I have a Hydros Bc and use he weight belt with it, cold water dive with a dry suit. Also do those who sling them just carry it into the water when shore diving and clip it on? The BC has a d ring under the weight pouch. I would think you would want to rig it so is a single clip to give it or ditch it easily?
Sidemount is a good place to look for various slinging examples. With sidemount, you're trying to tuck the bottle close to the body, and inline with the body to be streamlined. While I too have sewing equipment and have done a number of sewing projects, you shouldn't really need to do any sewing. I did make a few sewn-versions, but after a short while I ended up throwing them out, because they weren't adjustable and non-sewn versions worked as well or better.

Some webbing, tri-glides, paracord, bungie, and/or bolt-snaps should do the trick.

I'm not suggesting these examples are perfect or ideal, but it's what I use. The paracord version was mostly thrown together quickly and sloppily so a buddy could use my spare, but it turns out I like it just as much as my webbing version. I could "tighten" it up a little, but honestly it works great.

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Sidemount is a good place to look for various slinging examples. With sidemount, you're trying to tuck the bottle close to the body, and inline with the body to be streamlined. While I too have sewing equipment and have done a number of sewing projects, you shouldn't really need to do any sewing. I did make a few sewn-versions, but after a short while I ended up throwing them out, because they weren't adjustable and non-sewn versions worked as well or better.

Some webbing, tri-glides, paracord, bungie, and/or bolt-snaps should do the trick.

I'm not suggesting these examples are perfect or ideal, but it's what I use. The paracord version was mostly thrown together quickly and sloppily so a buddy could use my spare, but it turns out I like it just as much as my webbing version. I could "tighten" it up a little, but honestly it works great.

View attachment 778207

Why do it if you can't come up with a reason to fabricate something with webbing? lol That's half of the fun of it.
 
Why do it if you can't come up with a reason to fabricate something with webbing? lol That's half of the fun of it.

I love doing DIY, but in this specific case, sewing provided no benefit and several downsides. Maybe sew a loop at the valve-end (make sure it's big enough to slip on and off easily) if you must, but otherwise I'd leave the rest unsewn so you can adjust it.

If you insist on sewing webbing, I might recommend making something like this sheath.

 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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