SMC Racks

Angled, Straight, NFPA

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Straight

This is a fairly normal rack. I have this one set up with three oversize bars in the top positions. The frame is long enough for a sixth bar, and it probably should have one added.

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Angled

Some harnesses orient the seat carabiner vertically. Since I prefer to have the rack oriented vertically, with the opening away from me (this makes adding and removing bars easier), I would want to use a rack with the eye twisted 90 degrees if I were wearing such a harness. The bend in the frame centers the eye - a nice touch.

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NFPA

The SMC NFPA rack adds a steel stamping that is loaded in tension when the rack is subjected to breaking tests. This allows the rack to meet what I consider to be arbitrary N.F.P.A. strength criteria (when was the last time a rack broke in when being used properly?) and keeps the lawyers happy, but it destroys the best feature of the rack - the ability to add and remove bars while on rappel. Of course, one must be properly trained to be able to do this, so why not be trained?

I tried to buy the plate by itself, but the distributor (not On Rope 1) insisted in selling the entire rack because "the plate was precision fit to each rack." Mine has about 4 or 5 mm. of slop, hardly much precision. One of the SMC distributors (again, not On Rope 1) told me that NFPA standards require the manufacturer to sell complete units, not parts. I can believe this, but since standards are heavily influenced (but not completely controlled) by manufacturers, I don't accept this excuse (I work in one of the two most heavily regulated industries in the country - and fly under the regulations of the other - so I appreciate the need despite some of the nonsense).

I give this whole idea the lemon award. Throw the plate in your souvenir drawer, and you are left with an excellent rack that you can use properly. If your lawyer wants the strength, get a U-frame rack.

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