pony tank gauge config, not button type

[ScubaMarc]

The philosophical issue is a large concern as it drives the decision making process. Most knowledgeable and experiecned divers will agree that if it is emergency gas, then you don't use it unless you have an emergency. Period. Some of us have learned that the hard way.

Using your pony for ascent and a safety stop at the end of the last dive will leave you at risk for an OOA emergency if you have a failure of the pony system and do not also have an adequate reserve in your primary tank. If you do that you are in effect sacrificing the redundnacy that a pony can provide. This in and of itself leaves you no worse off than a non pony carrying recreational diver except for the fact that, unlike a non pony carrying diver, you will make decisions differently and less conservatively as you "know" the pony is there. This works ok right up until you put yourself in a situation where you absolutley need the pony and discover it is empty, off (with the back mounted valve being unreachable) or equipped with a non functioning regulator.

Excuse me, I did not mention why I use my pony on my accent and saftey stop. I am sorry you took it the wrong way. I use my pony on the end of my last dive to ensure that all is working for the next dive trip. Many people never use there secondary system until it is too late. I am NOT extending my dive time with my pony. I usually have plenty of gas in my main tank at the end of the dive.

Most of my dives I hit the ndl with around 1200 psi left.

thanks for the concen!

Personally, with independend doubles, I route the SPG for the "other" tank over the right shoulder and clip it to a D-ring. It's streamlined and readily accessible.

This is problable the way I will do it with my pony.