That's why I dive doubles
Sure, that why I won't dive with buddies I don't trust to catch my mistakes and keep the team on plan.
That's fine for you- I've got a wife and two kids and diving is a hobby for me. I want more from my non-diving life so I don't dive with people I can't trust to be there for me.
LOL- "Questioning" is exactly what I'm suggesting that anyone contemplating using a pony do. If you stop to think about what emergencies you're trying to address, and what additional complications you introduce with a pony you would realize that it's just as false a sense of security as a tiny spare air.
Haha, ok, you dive doubles and think that ponies are bad. Whateverrrrrrrrr.
Otherwise, we simply have different diving goals. Yours are fine for me, mine seem ok, and it's fine to discuss the ideas with respect here. We do discuss this subject very often on SB.
A pony bottle clipped on like a stage bottle can be passed off if someone else needs it. This preserves your own gas and helps to ensure your own safety. I have had to hand mine off to a frantic diver whom I am sure would have used far more of my own remaining gas to allow me a good safety stop and reserve. I also like to keep 40% nitrox in a pony in case I accidentally over stay my welcome and have a deco obligation (never happened). If I have to use it for a quick ascent, I should only need a breath or two before I can safely breath from it.
My own $.02
I have my pony filled with air even when diving Nitrox. I never plan to breach my MOD, but should I need to briefly, I'd like to change to air for that.
A quick ascent from deeper than 50-60 feet is very unappealing, I prefer to use the pony for the slow one, including all stops.
And I
will not pass of my rig to someone else. If they need help, that's great - one of the main reasons I brought it, but they'll ascend with me. Sure, if he dropped it from the ladder and it was lost, it'd be his responsibility to pay for it, DAN dive insurance might even pay for it, but I don't want to become a bill collector.
well ive decided and i dont need a pony or a spare air becasue i dive with good friends that i KNOW(from experience) i can put my life in their hands
maybe a new gun is in order though : )
Okay, cool. Do not get over confident and it should work fine. Keep your back up plans in mind and practice your escapes now and then.
So, if a panicked OOA diver swims up to you at 130 ft, you're going to hand them off a bottle of 40%? Yeah... that's only a PPO2 of 2.0. I'm sure one or two breaths of that won't kill you.
Yeah 40% Nitrox is for stage bottles, not bail-out bottles.