Why do i keep getting sucked back into these arguments?
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I did a while back. It has a lot going for it, probably the only way to work with a large pony. Compact, easy to access, balances fine.
I just could not get past having a big metal tank in front of me. I like to get in close and look at tiny critters on the reef and/or take pictures in macro without damaging the reef. If my style of diving was different or I was not so much of a klutz, I would reconsider.
On very rare occasions the valve stick can get clogged. In that situation, a pony is nice to have. Separate first stages off of the same stick won't help.
If your setup includes a total of 2 second stages, as opposed to 3 (I see no benefit in a rig with 3 seconds, but it's personal preference), then you simply MUST have half your total rock-bottom reserve in the pony. That means your usable gas in the main tank just went up by half your rock-bottom. If you don't use it then you are just ignoring perfectly usable gas on your back.
Sorry dude, i have to disagree.
A pony bottle is there for emergencys only. The only gas you should PLAN on using is the gas in you main tank.
If your setup includes a total of 2 second stages, as opposed to 3 (I see no benefit in a rig with 3 seconds, but it's personal preference), then you simply MUST have half your total rock-bottom reserve in the pony. That means your usable gas in the main tank just went up by half your rock-bottom.
And if there's no emergency, you turn the dive when you reach half of rock bottom and breathe that down from your back gas to end the dive.
So... With two first stages if you have half of rock bottom in your pony you can breathe your back gas down to half of rock bottom without relying on your pony for a non-emergency. Do I understand your reasoning correctly?
Sorry dude, i have to disagree.
A pony bottle is there for emergencys only. The only gas you should PLAN on using is the gas in you main tank.
Whether you agree or not carrying extra gas in addition to the back gas and being included in the plan is a very common practice. There are plenty of cave and tech divers doing it every day. So can it only be used for emergency when its called a pony? Let's call it a stage bottle then.
I guess it all comes down to wording. I don't concider a pony bottle the same thing as a stage bottle.
The 30cf tank i have strapped to my main tank doesn't come into play when I plan a dive. I know its there if an emergency should arise, but thats the only time I plan on using it
Which implies it is wrong for anyone to do it and I disagree with that.Tanked2.0:The only gas you should PLAN on using is the gas in you main tank.