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I could be entering this debate too late, but... I don't need a pony on most dives. I've got doubles, two regs (turned Hogarthian a few months ago) and I've got few problems with monitoring gas supply. However, for divers to whom a single 80 is the norm -- divers who do quite basic sport diving -- I think a pony is a wise choice. Is that saying what they really need is doubles? I don't think so. What they need is another regulator from another source in order to bail out if the main reg stops working. While a SpareAir is hardly enough a 30 cuf is all they need. Improper gas management does happen in recreational diving. Further, a common reason for reg failure in cold water is freezing. The other reg will get you to the surface. Once into the water it makes sense to test it, like any life-support equipment. Also, I like to check stages underwater at the down line before descent. By the same token, I can see situations where it makes sense to take a few breaths from the pony (or any second reg) before things go bad. For instance, if you use your second reg to descend the first few feet on a cold day you'll help avoid a main reg freeze-up. Usually, the ice forms while breathing on the surface. Since you switch to your main reg at say, 20' two min later, there'll be plenty of gas left in any decent pony. Further, whatever ice crystals have formed in your secondary reg (pony) will melt during the dive as you discontinue breathing from it. (With my doubles I'll use the short hose reg to descend and switch to the long hose reg on the bottom). Further, if I don't have a stage for deco and will go air/bottom mix nitrox anyway, I could very well do a deco/ safety stop on a pony. Gas management is not the issue, however, it's nice to keep the pistons of the secondary reg moving every now and then. Any reg that's never used will tend to get sluggish. (For the same reason I like to breathe the short hose reg of my Hogarthian rig for a short while on each dive). Whether this is a case of the infamous "independent doubles" is a question of semantics. At second thought it's definitely not since you don't rely on the pony for gas management and won't have to use it. It's a separate tank being employed at 20' at the end of a dive just for practice. The dive is over and you might as well play around with the options you have. The more recreational divers play around in the shallows the better trained they'll be for an emergency. If the pony is considered sacred until you're sure your going to die,... well that may very well be the correct assessment of the situation. If a recreational diver never switches regs unless there's an absolute emergency, chances are he/she never will. Practice! My conclusion: Ponies are for recreational diving. For true technical diving: doubles, complete with stages when needed. Carrying a pony is hardly "technical", which is just fine for recreational diving. There is no need to fake it. Don't bring what you don't need. Be religious about keeping the pony filled and working. This does not mean, never breathe from it -- it rather means, don't waste it on horseplay on the bottom. At the end of a dive: feel free to use it/test it/pass it on to your buddy etc. and REFILL it. :-) regards Hans -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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