What Pony Bottle Should I Get if I Plan On Going Into Tech Diving Eventually?

[Max Speed]

I do not carry an octo in addition to the pony. I keep the pony reg on a necklace. It is primarily for me but if my wife needs air for some reason she will get the 7' hose, I get the pony reg and we will exit together. No different than the same event in backmount or sidemount.


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[tphelps]

I agree with everyone else. A 40cf is going to be your best bet. I use 3 of them (plus a couple 80s) for mixed gas CCR dives.

 

[DaleC]

Are you using a pony bottle or a stage bottle?
If a pony, you should discuss it in the rec forums.
If a stage, discuss here.
Right now you are getting stage oriented answers to your pony use questions.

 

[Vegan Shark]

General tech question while I'm at it:

1) If money is the limiting factor of getting into tech diving, what do you guys think of slowly getting into it, with months in between the steps? Say, take advanced nitrox, then a deco diving class, then trimix, upgrading gear slowly in between. Only LDS in my town teaches TDI, so it would likely be their classes.

2) For diving doubles, do you need to have a pressure gauge on each tank, or will a single gauge/transmitter work since the tanks are connected?

3) I know there's been lots of regulator recommendations, but I was thinking that I want to get into ice diving eventually as well, so was looking into a reg that serves both. Poseidon XStream seems to be the king of ice diving from the research I did, but how does it or other ice regs serve for general tech diving as well?

And, are the depth limits listed in regulator manuals set in stone? I love my Mares Abyss22, but it says 165FSW for depth, despite them advertising someone doing a -313m dive on one. Does tech diving with recreational regulators just require having them tuned a certain way, or a kit installed? Is the depth limit just their for warranty purposes, so that my Abyss will likely function fine at 165+FSW, but if it breaks they aren't liable?

 

[Subcooled]

Apeks DS4/DST/TEK3 is a very good first stage for ice diving. And XTX second stage. I use them on a weekly basis in +4c to +2c water. The biggest nuisance is the second stage freezing from exhaled humid air. But that happens to all regs.

Apeks regs have the added benefit of beeing user serviceable, which is not the case with Poseidon. The Poseidons are good regs though. Xstream has good design and the Cyklon allows you to dive upside down. Somehow I feel the Poseidons are specialist tools whereas Apeks is the easy conformist solution.

Avoiding free flow, constant flow, small hisses and leaks, and maintaining proper o-ring seal is black magic, but neither Apeks or Poseidon will let you down.

Now just do not get those titanium-carbon fiber tropical regs. You want environmentally sealed regs.

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[Dr. Lecter]

More time between classes can only help, assuming you're actively diving your new skills in the meantime. I do think you'll want to combine ADV nitrox and deco because they're so complementary.

Doubles are generally configured with a single SPG on the left post regulator.

I don't dive ice so I'll refrain from commenting about regs beyond saying that the DS4 is a great doubles 1st stage that has nice hose routing and excellent build quality. If I didn't like my Atomics so much, I'd use DS4s despite my preference for pistons.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Adv Nitrox and Deco Pros usually done together since you use high concentrations of Nitrox to effeciently deco.

I would try to avoid upgrades and just buy the right gear the first time. For the course I would at least want to have my own BP/W and regs so everything is adjusted correctly and familiar. Doubles and deco bottles can be rented.

 

[Subcooled]

An exhalation diaphragm on the _side_ may be a nice thing if you plan to spend a lot of time head down, like in the fishing under ice youtube video. Else DS4 etc is cheaper and a more familiar construction to your dive buddies.

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[Vegan Shark]

For the high blends of nitrox, aren't special regulators required? Most regs I've looked at are only rated up to 40%. I've been looking at plates/wings, and like the Scubapro X-Tek, but notice there's a huge price difference between a donut wing and horseshoe on leisurepro. $827 vs $474. What's the deal with the huge price gap?

Scubapro X-Tek Form Tek Complete System, Double Tank Setup | LeisurePro
vs.
Scubapro X-Tek Pure Tek Complete System | LeisurePro,,

If I get another HP 130, and turn them into doubles, am I right in assuming it's too much of a hassle to take doubles apart and turn them into singles when needed, and I'd have to then buy another tank for rec dives?

 

[PfcAJ]

Taking doubles apart is a pain in the ass. You're going to need proper singles and proper doubles (and proper wings to go along with it). It ain't cheap, but it doesn't have to be expensive, either.

Most regs can be made ready for oxygen service by a proper cleaning and use of o2 compatible lubricants and o-rings. They aren't 'special' regs. Sealed diaphragms (mk17, DS4, Tek3, others) seem to hold up better in cold conditions than pistons.

Equipment Configuration | Global Underwater Explorers
Read that^. It will answer a lot of your questions and give you a foundation to ask good questions off of.

X-tek stuff (especially the 1st link...good lord...) is just so so at best, imo.