Pony Bottle

[Bowers]

without knowing your specific dive conditions... in general for recreational diving i like a 19cf pony or 30cf for conservative figures
40 can work fine and is great if you have ambitions for tech but is much larger than most would need for NDL diving. (if you think you'll NEED a 40 for your profile, then consider backmounted doubles or full sidemount)
even osha recommends between 13 and 40 cf for a redundant air in commercial work within recreational limits.
I'd generally recommend slinging it like a sidemount with a loop bungee on the left side and using a hose that can reach around behind your neck and back to your mouth (around 32" with a swivel). a button gauge works well since you wont be monitoring it the whole dive as you do with true sidemount.
also i personally like to charge the sytem then turn it off, that way i dont risk accidentally purging my bottle down but i get a couple immediate breaths while turning it on in case of emergency use.

 

[happy-diver]

 

[Diver below 83]

View attachment 521845

What size is that?

 

[happy-diver]

Faber man, 15l, 3l 232bar ish steel tanks

Need some pockets on my wetsuits for my hands
Cheers.

 

[LanceRiley]

sorry for the late reply!

I do mainly recreational diving... 60-80ft depth.

My air is good.. I can get at least 50minutes out of it with a ladder profile.
Im 5'6" 160 lbs. Fairly Athletic build. I swim bike and run. recreationally. although not that much anymore
about 100 + dives total.

I dive Aluminum Bpw with jetfins. No need for weights.. I dive tropical. Non Deco Dive.
24in SPG on my left hip. Main hose is 40cm hose goes thru under the armpit. I use an Air2 for an inflator/stage2 secondary
I dive with sharkskin. so neutral bouyancy wear. No neoprene.

Why do I need a pony? welll... i've never needed a pony after 100+ dives. My dive group has gone separate ways. Most of the Organizers have gone overseas. Leaving us more Sr. on the group. somehow the newer ones .. still lack experience... if I have to share air with them... both of us would be done for.

Ok so far...

1.) sling on the left? i have an spg on my left hip. can't i sling it on the right?
2.) ok... some says 16 some says 20 some says 30 and 40 lol...
I would prefer something that doesnt mess up my bouyancy much.

 

[caruso]

Not understanding why, if you had to share air with another diver on a dive with a max depth of 80', you'd both be done for? Even at the very end of a dive, if you maintain conservative reserves you'd have enough to surface although you might not want to take your time on the ascent.

If I was doing only 60-80' dives I probably wouldn't bother with a pony bottle either- unless I was in overhead environments. Also I allow my main tank reserves to drop to below 500 psi before ascending on most dives since I have the full pony bottle as a reserve. That gives me a few extra minutes on each and every dive and that really adds up over the course of 100s of dives.

 

[RyanT]

SPG - I use a button SPG oriented towards me to avoid more hoses bending around.

+1. If you've planned your gas needs, then you don't need to monitor your pressure. If you're on the pony, you've already ended the dive and are looking for the exit. Take your spg and clip it on the shoulder ring. Clip the pony on over it. Your spg will be there for you to read, right under the pony bottle. With a button gauge there will also be no confusion as to which gauge you are reading. When you look at your normal gauge, you know you're seeing your main tank pressure. The button will allow you confirm the tank is full or partially full before your dive.

Slinging on the left keeps the clutter away from your breathing hoses in the event that you need to quickly donate gas to someone else.

 

[RyanT]

2.) ok... some says 16 some says 20 some says 30 and 40 lol...

Slinging a 19, 30, or 40 shouldn't be a big deal. With my 40, it doesn't swing my buoyancy or trim whether its empty or full. The other sizes should be similar. Once you get used to carrying it, you won't know it's there.

 

[LanceRiley]

Not understanding why, if you had to share air with another diver on a dive with a max depth of 80', you'd both be done for? Even at the very end of a dive, if you maintain conservative reserves you'd have enough to surface although you might not want to take your time on the ascent.

If I was doing only 60-80' dives I probably wouldn't bother with a pony bottle either- unless I was in overhead environments. Also I allow my main tank reserves to drop to below 500 psi before ascending on most dives since I have the full pony bottle as a reserve. That gives me a few extra minutes on each and every dive and that really adds up over the course of 100s of dives.

read again...
i said.. i do a 60-80 ft dive depth..
i said .... it's for others not mine
i said... some newer divers are not very good with air

im thinking of others on the boat.

No. I never needed a Pony for myself.. it's for others.. on the way up...

 

[saxman242]

With the pony clipped to my hip d ring, I can still very easily get to my spg to unclip it and check.