Showing all 9 results
Mounting and positioning accessories for cylinders outside the manifold and rigging categories: argon cylinder holders in 1 L and 3 L sizes with multiple mounting configurations, complete argon tank sets, a pony bottle mounting system, rubber pad tank protectors, and single-cylinder tank spacers and straps for backplate mounting. Nine products covering argon dry suit inflation systems and single-tank configuration hardware.
Argon System Holders and Tank Mounting
Argon Cylinder Holders
Technical divers using dry suits often carry a dedicated small cylinder of argon for suit inflation. Argon has better thermal insulation properties than air and using it keeps the dry suit inflation gas separate from the back gas supply. The argon cylinder is typically a 1 L or 3 L cylinder mounted to the backplate harness, wing frame, or cylinder with a dedicated holder.
Four holder variants are available: a basic clip holder (16–18 €) for 0.5–1 L cylinders using a single rubber-lined clamp; a dedicated 1 L holder (25 €) with a more secure profile mount; a 1 L holder with 2 straps and screws (38 €, SKU 240329) for a rigid two-point attachment to a backplate or tank band; and a 3 L holder (34 €) for divers who carry larger argon volumes for extended dry suit diving. Choose the holder size to match your argon cylinder volume and the mounting point available on your specific harness or wing configuration.
The Argon tanks set (176–180 €) provides a complete ready-to-use argon system — cylinder, valve, and first stage — for divers setting up an argon system for the first time or replacing an existing set. The two price variants correspond to different cylinder/valve combinations; check the product page for the current specification.
Pony Mount System
The Pony Mount system (95 €, SKU 760833) is a mounting bracket assembly for attaching a small pony or bailout cylinder to a primary cylinder or backplate. It allows a small backup gas source to be carried integrated with the primary configuration rather than as a separate stage bottle. The mounting system uses a clamp-and-band configuration that can be positioned on the back cylinder for low-profile carry.
Single-Tank Mounting Hardware
The Rubber pad tank protector (9 €) is a neoprene or rubber pad placed between the cylinder and the backplate to prevent direct metal-to-metal contact, which causes scratching and noise. It also slightly increases friction between cylinder and plate, reducing lateral shift. The Tank spacer (12 €) is used to offset the cylinder position relative to the backplate — useful when a standard band position does not place the manifold or valve at the correct height for the diver’s shoulder reach. The Tank strap with spacer (43 €, for 110 mm diameter tanks) combines the band and spacer function for narrow-diameter cylinders that do not sit correctly in a standard width backplate band slot.
What to Look For
- Argon cylinder size and holder match: Confirm whether you are using a 0.5 L, 1 L, or 3 L argon cylinder — the holders are not interchangeable. The two-strap 1 L holder (240329) provides the most secure attachment for backplate mounting; the clip holder suits lighter travel configurations where rigid mounting is less critical.
- Argon set completeness: The Argon tanks set includes cylinder, valve, and first stage. If you already have a suitable first stage (the Sopras Tek Argon first stage is in the Regulators range), confirm whether a full set or individual holder/valve is the better order.
- Tank spacer vs. strap with spacer: The spacer alone adjusts the cylinder’s fore-aft position on the backplate. The strap with spacer is the complete solution for thin-diameter (110 mm) cylinders that need both a correctly sized band and a spacer to sit centred on a standard 171–203 mm backplate.
FAQ
Why use argon instead of air for dry suit inflation?
Argon is a denser noble gas with better thermal insulation properties than air — it reduces heat loss from the diver through the gas layer inside the suit. Using a dedicated argon cylinder also keeps suit inflation gas separate from the back gas supply, which means a suit inflation failure does not reduce the breathing gas reserve. For extended dives in cold water, the thermal advantage of argon can meaningfully increase comfort and warmth through a long decompression stop.
Where does the argon cylinder mount on a backmount configuration?
The most common position is on the right back cylinder, mounted with a holder at mid-cylinder height. The argon first stage connects via an LP hose to the dry suit inflation valve on the suit chest. The mounting position should keep the argon cylinder clear of the left valve knob reach and not interfere with valve shutdown drills. Some divers mount the argon on the left cylinder or on the underside of the wing — test the position before diving to confirm the LP hose routes cleanly and the argon valve is accessible if needed.