O-frame & U-frame Racks

The rack is an excellent device. One of its best features is that one can add or remove brake bars from service while on rappel. O- and U-frame (i.e., closed-frame) racks sacrifice this utility in favor of added strength. For general use, the extra strength probably isn't needed, so I stick with J-frame racks.

The Howell-N-Mann Titan racks are an interesting variation. Made from certified titanium and featuring an O-frame, they are incredibly strong, but again, the ability to swap out a single bar is lost.

The last two columns in the table are the internal width and available length. These are arguably the most important dimensions for determining how well a rack functions, as opposed to how bulky it is for transport. I defined and measured the entries in these columns as follows:

ID Device Description Acquired Weight Height Width Thickness Std. volume  Int. Width  Avail. Length
931 ASR NFPA 9.8 mm SS frame, 1 long & 5 standard solid unfinished bars, lock & cap nuts Roy Schrader, 2003 943 315 111 25 891 37 75
389 Bassett Metal Studios Mini 8 m SS frame, 1 hyperbar & 3 standard hollow SS bars, cap nuts John E. Weinel, Inc., 1994 348 225 63 19 269 16 72
549 Bassett Metal Studios Pico-Rack 6.4 mm SS frame, 2 16.5 & 1 14 mm hollow SS unnotched bars, lock nuts. PED Bassett Metal Studios, 1997 150 119 41 18 88 19 NA
527 Bassett Metal Studios, Version A 9.8 mm SS frame, 1 dual hyperbar & 5 std hollow SS bars, lock nuts Inner Mountain Outfitters, 1997 824 310 120 24 893 33 94
1006 Bassett Metal Studios, Version B 9.8 mm SS frame, 2 dual hyperbar & 2 std hollow SS bars, lock nuts Barry Duncan, 2005 702 255 120 22 658  34 97 
928 Behto 8 mm steel frame, 2 20-mm hollow painted steel bars, 1 std Al bar, 1 Al hyperbar. John E. Weinel, Inc., 2003 376 223 62 20 278 26 72
901 CMI Firefly Personal Escape Rack 6.6 mm SS frame, 2 19.2 & 1 16.1 mm anodized Al unnotched bars, lock nuts, PED Karst Sports, 2001 145 125 41 19 98 20 NA
991 CMI 8 mm SS frame, 2 22 mm solid hyper & 2 19 mm solid soft anodized Al bars, lock & cap nuts Barry Duncan, 2005 431 211 89 23 423 28 53
508 CMI Microrack 8 mm SS frame, 2 22 mm & 2 19 mm solid unfinished Al bars, lock & cap nuts Karst Sports, 1995 340 208 51 22 233 18 85
509 CMI Rescue Rack 9.8 mm SS frame, 1 long solid 25 mm Al & 6 sttamped steel bars, lock & cap nuts Karst Sports, 1995 1015 410 102 28 1171 34 144
390 Goldlock Curlew 8 mm SS frame, 4 solid soft anodized bars, lock nuts Al Fincham, 1981 317 166 64 20 212 37 22
1104 Krok 4-bar 7.9 mm steel frame, 18 mm bars (2 hollow, 1 solid & 1 inverted hyperbar), oxide finished, jam & lock nuts, plastic cover Petrenko World, 2007 521 240 70 18 303  26 87
1105 Krok 5-bar 7.9 mm steel frame, 18 mm bars (2 hollow, 2 solid & 1 inverted hyperbar), zinc plated, jam & lock nuts, plastic cover Petrenko World, 2007 587 240 70 18 297  26  66
391 Howell-N-Mann Mini 6.5 mm Ti frame, 1 dual Ti/Alhyperbar and 2 Ti/Al bars, screw gate, prototype #0001 Howell-N-Man, 1993 184 195 74 19 274 24 0
392 Howell-N-Mann Mt. Sira
9.8 mm Ti frame, Dual Ti/Al hyperbar, 2 short & 1 longer Ti/Al bars, lock nuts Ed Sira, 1994 281 213 62 20 264 21 73
393 Howell-N-Mann Titan I 9.8 mm Ti O-Frame, 1 dual Ti/Al hyperbar & 2 standard bars, screw gate Howell-N-Man, 1993 457 210 105 22 485 43 5
394 Howell-N-Mann Titan II 9.8 mm Ti O-Frame, 1 dual Ti/Al hyperbar & 4 standard bars, screw gate Howell-N-Man, 1993 334 282 105 22 651 43 24
395 Kong-Bonaiti 7 mm SS frame, 2 22 mm & 2 20 mm solid unfinished Al bars, machined & pinned posts Speleoshoppe, 1982 287 205 48 22 216 27 51
1057 Mio Mechanical MIO-R 9.5 mm SS rods on cast Al body, 4 solid 25.5 Al bars, lever actuated brake cam, overspeed control CWC Supply, 2007 2160 358 157 85 4797 29 29
1066 Mio Mechanical MIO-R2 9.5 mm SS rods on cast Al body, 4 solid 25.5 Al bars, lever actuated brake cam CWC Supply, 2007 1397 299 142 81 853 29 23
1064 Mio Mechanical RR-1A 9.5 mm SS frame, 4 solid unfinished Al bars (hyperbar, short, long & short) CWC Supply, 2007 853 287 114 25 853 36 107
1065 Mio Mechanical RR-2A 9.5 mm SS frame,1 solid Al hyperbar and 5 short solid Al bars CWC Supply, 2007 979 290 115 25 853 36 62
1070 Mio Mechanical RR-3S 9.5 mm SS frame,1 SS tube hyperbar, 5 short SS tube bars, 1 center swivel tie-in bar CWC Supply, 2007 1394 350 114 26 853 36 80
397 Pathfinder Sports 9.7 mm SS frame, 2 solid & 4 hollow unfinished Al bars, 2 set screw spacers, hex & lock nuts Pathfinder Sports, 1979 778 306 63 26 501 35 109
597 PFH Rap-Rak 8 mm SS O frame, 3 hollow SS bars Inner Mountain Outfitters, 2001 236 165 52 19 165 29 29
598 PFH Rap-Rak 8 mm SS O frame, 4 hollow SS bars, lock-off tab Inner Mountain Outfitters, 2001 309 225 52 19 226 29 23
599 PFH Rap-Rak 8 mm SS O frame, 6 hollow SS bars, lock-off tab Inner Mountain Outfitters, 2001 412 281 52 19 282 29 41
525 R.E.D.E. Rack 9.8 mm SS frame, 4 solid soft anodized & 1 long hollow bar /w rubber ends, springs, nonbraking bar, lock & cap nuts Desert Rock Sports, 1997 780 262 242 32 2029 33 20
398 Rescue Systems Inc. 9.8 mm SS frame, 1 long & 5 standard solid unfinished bars, lock & cap nuts John E. Weinel, Inc., 1989 957 330 111 25 916 36 96
517 Roloff Rack, Version A 8.4 mm SS frame, 3-10 mm welded steel & 2-16 mm pivoting Al solid bars, noncommercial Ed Sira, 1995 254 180 62 17 190 32 0
545 Roloff Rack, Version B 8.4 mm SS frame, 3-10 mm welded steel & 2-16 mm pivoting Al hollow bars, noncommercial NSS Auction, 1998 196 220 50 16 176 26 0
396 SBCI 7.3 mm SS frame, 2 22 mm & 2 19 mm solid grooved unfinished Al bars, machined & pinned posts John E. Weinel, Inc., 1990 301 207 50 23 238 28 51
912 SBCI (?), Version B 7.3 mm SS frame, 2 22 mm & 2 19 mm solid unfinished Al bars, machined & pinned posts Jason Brown, 2002 295 204 50 22 226 28 50
399 Single Rope Technique DR3 8 mm SS frame, 3 solid soft anodized bars, machined & pinned posts Single Rope Technique, 1989 307 167 58 22 213 34 0
400 Single Rope Technique DR5 8 mm SS frame, 5 solid soft anodized bars, machined & pinned posts Single Rope Technique, 1989 494 257 57 22 322 34 70
401 Speleoshoppe SupeRack 9.8 mm SS frame, 4 25 mm solid square bars, spacers, hex & cap nuts Jennifer Kerrigan, 1982 822 323 73 25 589 39 149
402 Storrick Monster Rack, Version A 11.3 mm SS frame, 3 25 mm & 3 19 mm solid square bars, spacers, hex nut & machined posts, noncommercial Robert W. Storrick, 1975 1179 354 88 28 872 51 75
403 Storrick Monster Rack, Version B 11.3 mm SS frame, 3 25 mm, 3 19 mm solid square bars, 1 round hollow bar, spacers, hex nut & machined posts, noncommercial Robert W. Storrick, 1975 1249 354 88 28 872 50 71
1014 X-Rack 7.5 mm SS frame, 5 19 mm round hollow bars Andrew Tupalski, 2006 250 248 46 19 218  25  57
521 Speleobooks Keychain Rack 5 mm SS frame, 5 hollow SS bars, cap nuts.
UNSAFE! Decorative use only.
Speleobooks, 1996 37 74 25 5 9 12 NA


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©2007, Gary D. Storrick