Choice of redundant air supply

Seems like good advice - I already have all my own kit and have just
purchased a new faber 12ltr 232 bottle.

Should I go for an aluminium 3ltr pony to keep weight to a minimum to
minimise imbalance, does anybody know what weight would be in a filled 3ltr
aluminium pony?

Craig Campbell

"David Walker" <stuff@scuby.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dcbdgq$cb7$1@wisteria.csv.warwick.ac.uk...
> Do you have your own basic kit already, or would you be buying it all
> together? I'd recommend getting yourself sorted with all that first,
> before looking into extra kit.
>
> What you need depends on the diving you're doing. Personally i'd ignore
> Spare Air (almost as much as a pony setup, with a volume which means any
> ascent will always have to be dangerously rapid), leaving the choice
> between pony and twins. At your level, i'd say get a pony. Theres no
> particular reason not to get twins if you decided to go that way, but a
> pony is initially lighter, easier to carry / kit up etc, and perfectly
> fine for diving to around 30-35m, which is all you'll be doing I expect
> for at least a year, maybe more. If you look at the cost of the pony,
> if/when you upgrade to twins you'll only have lost the ~£60 cost of the 3l
> cylinder, and of course you can keep that for other uses in the future.
> Helps spread the cost a bit more if you're thinking twins later.
>
> Just make sure you can justify to yourself what you're getting and why -
> don't try to future-proof yourself too far into the future, because kit
> changes, devalues, tanks need servicing, etc.
>
> David
>
>
>
>
> "Craig Campbell" <mail@craigcampbell.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:dcbc16$lqo$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk...
>>I am new to diving and have just qualified as a ocean diver. I would like
>>to have a redundant air supply instead of just an octopus.
>>
>> Opinions please on which to choose and for what reason;
>> Pony, Spare Air or twinset? or just stick to buddy/octopus?
>>
>> I feel Spare Air appealing as no large tanks to cause imbalance or heavy
>> twinsets?
>>
>> Look forward to some opinions
>>
>> Craig
>>
>>
>>
>
>

Seems like good advice - I already have all my own kit and have just
purchased a new faber 12ltr 232 bottle.

Should I go for an aluminium 3ltr pony to keep weight to a minimum to
minimise imbalance, does anybody know what weight would be in a filled 3ltr
aluminium pony?

Craig Campbell

"David Walker" <stuff@scuby.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dcbdgq$cb7$1@wisteria.csv.warwick.ac.uk...
> Do you have your own basic kit already, or would you be buying it all
> together? I'd recommend getting yourself sorted with all that first,
> before looking into extra kit.
>
> What you need depends on the diving you're doing. Personally i'd ignore
> Spare Air (almost as much as a pony setup, with a volume which means any
> ascent will always have to be dangerously rapid), leaving the choice
> between pony and twins. At your level, i'd say get a pony. Theres no
> particular reason not to get twins if you decided to go that way, but a
> pony is initially lighter, easier to carry / kit up etc, and perfectly
> fine for diving to around 30-35m, which is all you'll be doing I expect
> for at least a year, maybe more. If you look at the cost of the pony,
> if/when you upgrade to twins you'll only have lost the ~£60 cost of the 3l
> cylinder, and of course you can keep that for other uses in the future.
> Helps spread the cost a bit more if you're thinking twins later.
>
> Just make sure you can justify to yourself what you're getting and why -
> don't try to future-proof yourself too far into the future, because kit
> changes, devalues, tanks need servicing, etc.
>
> David
>
>
>
>
> "Craig Campbell" <mail@craigcampbell.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:dcbc16$lqo$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk...
>>I am new to diving and have just qualified as a ocean diver. I would like
>>to have a redundant air supply instead of just an octopus.
>>
>> Opinions please on which to choose and for what reason;
>> Pony, Spare Air or twinset? or just stick to buddy/octopus?
>>
>> I feel Spare Air appealing as no large tanks to cause imbalance or heavy
>> twinsets?
>>
>> Look forward to some opinions
>>
>> Craig
>>
>>
>>
>
>

> Should I go for an aluminium 3ltr pony to keep weight to a minimum to
> minimise imbalance, does anybody know what weight would be in a filled
> 3ltr aluminium pony?

I wouldn't worry about the balance, I never noticed it in the water with a
3l steel cylinder. Just make sure its mounted tightly into the BC and it
should be fine. If you do have a problem then you can put an extra kilo of
weight on the opposite side. Aluminium cylinders are harder to find, more
expensive, and I believe more difficult to get serviced too, but I may be
wrong on the last point.

David

> Should I go for an aluminium 3ltr pony to keep weight to a minimum to
> minimise imbalance, does anybody know what weight would be in a filled
> 3ltr aluminium pony?

I wouldn't worry about the balance, I never noticed it in the water with a
3l steel cylinder. Just make sure its mounted tightly into the BC and it
should be fine. If you do have a problem then you can put an extra kilo of
weight on the opposite side. Aluminium cylinders are harder to find, more
expensive, and I believe more difficult to get serviced too, but I may be
wrong on the last point.

David

> Should I go for an aluminium 3ltr pony to keep weight to a minimum to
> minimise imbalance, does anybody know what weight would be in a filled
> 3ltr aluminium pony?

I wouldn't worry about the balance, I never noticed it in the water with a
3l steel cylinder. Just make sure its mounted tightly into the BC and it
should be fine. If you do have a problem then you can put an extra kilo of
weight on the opposite side. Aluminium cylinders are harder to find, more
expensive, and I believe more difficult to get serviced too, but I may be
wrong on the last point.

David

> Should I go for an aluminium 3ltr pony to keep weight to a minimum to
> minimise imbalance, does anybody know what weight would be in a filled
> 3ltr aluminium pony?

I wouldn't worry about the balance, I never noticed it in the water with a
3l steel cylinder. Just make sure its mounted tightly into the BC and it
should be fine. If you do have a problem then you can put an extra kilo of
weight on the opposite side. Aluminium cylinders are harder to find, more
expensive, and I believe more difficult to get serviced too, but I may be
wrong on the last point.

David

> Should I go for an aluminium 3ltr pony to keep weight to a minimum to
> minimise imbalance, does anybody know what weight would be in a filled
> 3ltr aluminium pony?

I wouldn't worry about the balance, I never noticed it in the water with a
3l steel cylinder. Just make sure its mounted tightly into the BC and it
should be fine. If you do have a problem then you can put an extra kilo of
weight on the opposite side. Aluminium cylinders are harder to find, more
expensive, and I believe more difficult to get serviced too, but I may be
wrong on the last point.

David

> Should I go for an aluminium 3ltr pony to keep weight to a minimum to
> minimise imbalance, does anybody know what weight would be in a filled
> 3ltr aluminium pony?

I wouldn't worry about the balance, I never noticed it in the water with a
3l steel cylinder. Just make sure its mounted tightly into the BC and it
should be fine. If you do have a problem then you can put an extra kilo of
weight on the opposite side. Aluminium cylinders are harder to find, more
expensive, and I believe more difficult to get serviced too, but I may be
wrong on the last point.

David

Craig Campbell wrote:
> Should I go for an aluminium 3ltr pony to keep weight to a minimum to
> minimise imbalance, does anybody know what weight would be in a
> filled 3ltr aluminium pony?

Steel and Ali cylinders weigh about the same as it takes more Ali
to contain the pressure. I'd go for steel personally but others
may differ.

Either cylinder will make no significant differance to your
weight as empty they will be about neutral with the Ali slightly
more buoyant in the water so with regs and a gauge still less
than a kilo negative empty.

I like ponys. Yes, it is important not to think it is big because
if you pant you can get through it quickly but it contains as
much as the 50 bar reserve in a 12L and if you have another reg
to stuff in your mouth when something goes wrong you are less
likely to panic and suffer elevated breathing rates.

I hope you have a lot of fun together and never have to use it.

nigelH

Craig Campbell wrote:
> Should I go for an aluminium 3ltr pony to keep weight to a minimum to
> minimise imbalance, does anybody know what weight would be in a
> filled 3ltr aluminium pony?

Steel and Ali cylinders weigh about the same as it takes more Ali
to contain the pressure. I'd go for steel personally but others
may differ.

Either cylinder will make no significant differance to your
weight as empty they will be about neutral with the Ali slightly
more buoyant in the water so with regs and a gauge still less
than a kilo negative empty.

I like ponys. Yes, it is important not to think it is big because
if you pant you can get through it quickly but it contains as
much as the 50 bar reserve in a 12L and if you have another reg
to stuff in your mouth when something goes wrong you are less
likely to panic and suffer elevated breathing rates.

I hope you have a lot of fun together and never have to use it.

nigelH