diving with a pony vs doubles

[bigman241]

When looked at doing my ow cert. last winter i was told not to jump into doubles wait till i dove some and then do my aow.
Here my question how is diving with a pony differnt then diving doubles. Is doubles really not for newbis.

[Jack Hammer]

These really are questions for your instructor. Solo diving isn't something to just jump into - there are a lot of variables you need to be aware of and learn how to handle those alone should a situation arise.

That said, doubles are great, but they can be big, bulky, and heavy. You need to have solid control of your trim bouyancy and generaly understanding of propulsion techniques before you start using them. I know lots of experienced divers who the first time they dove doubles they ended up "turtling" on the lake bottom. It helps to have an experienced doubles diver with you to mentor you and let you know what you need to improve on.

Carrying a pony is much easier than doubles, but you still need to set it up properly and know how to actually prepare and deploy it. The size of the pony can make a difference in how and where you may carry it.

Jack

[fire diver]

You need to relax and just dive a while. A lot of these questions will answer themselves, or at least make a lot more sense after you have some time under your belt.

[Johncalloway]

What is the biggest advantage of diving doubles?

[comet24]

Most people get into doubles because they need more gas and redundancy as there diving advances. For most dives within rec. limits(no Deco, no penetrations) they are overkill. Go dive with a single tank and get comfortable first.

The biggest advantage is redundancy and more gas.

Why do you want to go doubles.

[tonka97]

Originally Posted by bigman241

When looked at doing my ow cert. last winter i was told not to jump into doubles wait till i dove some and then do my aow.
Here my question how is diving with a pony differnt then diving doubles. Is doubles really not for newbis.

Suggest that when you choose to try doubles, that you borrow a buddies set.

Doubles (esp. steel) are HEAVY, more complicated than slinging a pony, expensive, and are more challenging to your trim. Maintenance is more difficult.

[bigman241]

I will it will be a few years before i head there. Just wondered. Though i do plan on buying a pony before next spring

Originally Posted by tonka97

Suggest that when you choose to try doubles, that you borrow a buddies set.

Doubles (esp. steel) are HEAVY, more complicated than slinging a pony, expensive, and are more challenging to your trim. Maintenance is more difficult.

[Nemrod]

Originally Posted by Johncalloway

What is the biggest advantage of diving doubles?

1. more volume/capacity
2. with an isolation manifold and twin regulators you have full redundancy
3. some like the balance

But:

1. they are hugely heavy
2. require a wing and a big one at that
3. some people don't like the balance
4. fills cost an arm
5. expensive

Most dives simply do not need doubles or that level of redundancy unless you are going into overhead or deco. Even solo divers in open water do not really need all this redundancy and would be better served by more minimalistic rigs that are selected on the basis of maneuverability and high reliability. A pony slung is a good choice for deeper solo excursions.

N

[CompuDude]

Good point Nemrod, that's one thing that's often forgotten when some discusses using doubles for recreational dives.

All of your fills will cost double. Not a huge deal with air fills, perhaps, but if you're diving Nitrox the costs can add up pretty quickly. I've seen Nitrox fills for $8-15, with an average around $12, from what I've seen. $12 for a dive, no biggie, but $24 per dive starts getting expensive.

Most Dive Ops charge for TWO fills when filling doubles, whether your tanks are below 50% or not. (There are some exceptions, like the places in Florida that charge by the cubic foot for fills, but most shops automatically change x2 when they hook a set of doubles up the whip.

[Scuba Pete]

How is that any different than using 2 tanks on 2 dives. You are actually paying the same amount for air. I can get 2 or 3 dives from my doubles so i think that is an invalid point.