Backmount or Sidemount a Pony Cylinder? #AskMark #scuba @ScubaDiverMagazine
Ted Danson
#askmark hi~ do you know if it comes with a screen protector and when you speak to apex could you ask them if they considered using Bluetooth to connect the computer to the O2 analyser? also thinking of getting a pony set up. What are the pros and cons of sidemounting it compared to cylinder mounting. Thanks
Cheers
Ted
#scuba #scubadiving #scubadiver
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#ASKMARK
HI MARK, PLS suggest me between d5 and new Comer mares sirius and teric I am till between confuse….
The Teric and Sirius are very similar dive computers. Both are from top-tier diving brands. Both have everything most divers will ever need in a dive computer so they’re both a good choice.
Allegedly, “pony cylinder” comes from the boating world. A pony engine was a small backup engine for a boat (not a full horse-power, so only a pony). The idea of a smaller backup system being a “pony” then came into usage in other areas, but seems to have stuck more in diving than any other area.
#askmark. First i absolutely love your channel. wonderful information and you answer alot of questions.
so, I know we wait 24 hrs after diving to fly but do we wait to dive after a flight. im asking because the plane pressurizes you so will there be any complications dive right after a flight. thanks you advanced. keep diving!!!
Good question that doesn’t get asked very much. But no you don’t have to wait or calculate any RNT following a flight. The cabin is pressurised but, not so much that you have a substantial amount of nitrogen in your system.
Any by the time you’ve made your way through customs and baggage claim your tissues would have cleared anyway
I sling my 30cu pony. I started off slinging a pony on my side, but then moved to diagonally across my chest. I found that if I sling it on one side, I needed to counter-balance it. Diagonally across my chest, requires no lead shift.
With back mount you can carry more tanks also, where will be 2 in the back and you can snap on the sides stages, deco, bailouts…which gives you more complex deco profiles and etc. Sidemount is more universal, basically first of all this configuration is for more manoeuvrability in the wrecks and caves. But keep in mind that tec, rec and cave sidemounts are different certifications. You can not just get recreational sidemount and jump in to cave environment.
👍😎🇵🇭🤿! Thanks Mark this was a question that I was trying to think about how to ask you and it seems you have! It’s a matter of what is comfortable to you and practical.
I side sling the pony if I don’t want to run sidemount for whatever reason. In the event I had to bail out I would feel much more comfortable having all the working bits in eye sight.
I treat it like I’m one tank sidemounting and ran some bungee through my single tank get to tighten it up against me. Just clipping off a full 40 and going for it is not gonna be a super fun time.
I dive with a steel 100 cuft (the horse) and a 30 cuft AL (the pony). At first, I tried side mounting and it was in the way (bad trim and setup). I switched for a couple years to back mount. It was nice to be out of the way. Regulator went around my neck on a necklace. It is a bit of pain when changing over tanks especially on a boat. This season I am going back to side mount. I’ve done a couple dives just to get the trim right. I have the standard 2 bolt snaps, but also use a bungy to keep it tight to my side. Regulator is strapped to the pony. My octo now goes around my neck on a necklace. Main reg is on long hose for donating air if needed. Take a look at, which I found helpful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtoP83z6SzM
@ #AskMark – its called a “Pony” as it’s smaller than a full sized one. Think Pony vs Horse. As for Back or Side; personally it gets side slung – but certainly not a 3L, as it’s too small to be of any real use in an out of gas emergency. When one carries a pony it is usually for redundancy when on deeper dives. And as such, it needs to meet the demands of deeper diving, in case the failure happens at the deepest point. A 3L simply does not hold enough gas for a panicked diver to ascend safely from depth. Far safer with a 40c/f / 5L, and that strapped to the back makes a big difference….
If the person who asked the question is considering bringing a pony bottle, why not go full sidemount? After all, it’s a small step between bringing a small cylinder and a regular 80cuft cylinder, with many benefits.
With sidemount you’ll get a larger gas supply, true redundancy, better balance and trim due to the low center of gravity, better streamlining. You also get the training for handling multiple tanks and the experience switching regulators continuously. Many people forget to practice with their pony bottle which means it’s not readily available in an emergency.
If they have any plans to go into technical diving, maybe wreck or cave, the redundancy is a necessity and the low profile compared to a twinset will allow access to more areas. It’s worth a look, imho.
Because that is a total shift in gear set-up and a lot of additional training. Carrying a single extra tank with ones current backmount set-up is far easier and much more cost efficient than switching to a totally new set-up. I won’t deny you’ve given compelling arguments to go from backmount to sidemount. But for a lot of people sidemount isn’t for them. Use the right tool for the right job. If simple shore/boat dives are ones main-stay, then single cylinder back mount (when one already has the kit) is the way forward. If one then just wants to safely extend their depth, add a side-slung cylinder for that dive. No need to go out and spend a fortune on an entire new rig…
But if contemplating moving from backmount single cylinder, to backmount doubles, then sure, sidemount should be a very serious alternative option. (I’d say its the only option.)
Back mount for me … i run i public safety/commercial setup , its out of the way in my back , i can forget about it and concentrate on my tasks
Hello Mark I’ve got my 11yo daughter a kids backplate and wing but the 10.5L cylinder puts her on her back in the water what would be the best way to trim her up with weights. Thankyou for your time
If they’re ‘turtling’, my first instinct is to move as much lead further downward toward the belly button if there’s any behind their back. Larger blocks furthest forward and you can double up smaller blocks so the most weight is as far downward as possible.
With smaller divers it’s a fairly common problem though, especially with steel cylinders because that weight is so high up and smaller divers don’t have the same amount of core strength to counteract the roll before it happens. If their weights are in a good position and not high up around their cylinder it may just require a bit of practice with the new wing design so any gas inside is evenly distributed and not all on one side.
I need one of those shirts…
Too funny…
Point me in the right direction please…