Version A	Version B	Version C	Version D

Overview

[ Top | Version B | Version C | Version D | Return to Racks ]

Version A
(#386)

Front View	Rear View	Side View

Technical Details

I acquired this rack from Speleoshoppe. I don't have a record of when, but it was probably around 1979.

Version A is 366 mm. tall, 70 mm. wide, 22 mm. thick, and weighs 773 g. The frame is made from 9.5 mm. stainless steel bent into shape, with an internal width of 35 mm. and a 28 mm. diameter coiled eye. There are six brake bars. The bars are 22 mm. in diameter, truncated to 19 mm. height, and have the centers turned down to 19 mm. diameter. The bars are 70 mm. long. Allowing 45 mm. for the rope gives a 111 mm. for spreading the bars.

Each bar has an "S" stamped on its end.

Comments

I used this rack for years. The brake bars are Ed Seaman’s design (The Nylon Highway #9) that has a turned groove to keep the rope centered. These bars are also slightly heavier than most aluminum bars, so they handle heat a bit better. The bars are why I used this rack for so many years. Once again, no frills, just functionality, and deserving of two stars.

[ Top | Version A | Version C | Version D | Return to Racks ]

Version B
(#1117)

Front View	Rear View	Side View

Technical Details

I acquired this rack used on eBay from Charles Knowles in 2007.

Version B is 363 mm. tall, 70 mm. wide, 22 mm. thick, and weighs 798 g. The frame is made from 9.5 mm. stainless steel bent into shape, with an internal width of 35 mm. and a 28 mm. diameter coiled eye. There are six brake bars. The bars are 22 mm. in diameter, truncated to 19 mm. height, and have the centers turned down to 19 mm. diameter. The bars are 70 mm. long. Allowing 45 mm. for the rope gives a 103 mm. for spreading the bars.

Each bar has an "S" stamped on its end.

Comments

This is essentially the same as Version A, except the bars are not anodized. Speleoshoppe also made bars with red anodizing.

The previous owner added two 1/2-13 UNC hex nuts to act as spacers. The nuts are only 11.2 mm. tall, so they do not function effectively.

[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version D | Return to Racks ]

Version C
(#3076)

Front View	Rear View	Side View

Technical Details

I acquired this rack from Granite Bay Treasure Island in 2021.

Version C is 371 mm. tall, 71 mm. wide, 22 mm. thick, and weighs 711 g. The frame is made from 9.5 mm. stainless steel bent into shape, with an internal width of 35 mm. and a 28 mm. diameter coiled eye. There are five brake bars. The top three bars are 22 mm. diameter, 71 mm. long Seaman-style Speleoshoppe bars. The third bar has a set screw in the slot mouth. The lower to bars are 19 mm. diameter, 71 mm. long Rockfarer bars. Allowing 45 mm. for the rope leaves 104 mm. for spreading the bars.

The top three bars have an "S" stamped on the notch end. The lower two bars have "ROCKFARER" stamped on the top (or bottom, depending on bar orientation).

Comments

Although this is a standard length rack made for six bars, the previous owner only installed five bars. These pivot on the open leg rather than the safer arrangement where they would pivot on the spine.

The third bar is drilled and tapped for a set screw that extends into the slot opening, preventing this bar from opening. This also prevents the frame from closing enough to allow the top bar to open. The slot in the second bar was enlarged so that it could open for rigging. I thought perhaps that the limitations that the set screw placed on frame opening might prevent "bump opening" the bars, but a simple test showed that this was not the case - bars 2, 4, and 5 can be inadvertently opened by bumping the rack.

[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Return to Racks ]

Version D
(#1376)

Front View	Rear View	Side View

Technical Details

I acquired this rack from Speleoshoppe as new old stock in 2012.

Version D is 276 mm. tall, 71 mm. wide, 20 mm. thick, and weighs 575 g. The frame is made from 9.5 mm. stainless steel bent into shape, with an internal width of 34 mm. and a 28 mm. diameter coiled eye. There are five brake bars. The bars are 19 mm. in diameter and 71 mm. long. Allowing 45 mm. for the rope leaves only 19 mm. for spreading the bars.

Each bar has "ROCKFARER" (a product name used by Speleoshoppe) stamped on top.

Comments

This is a rather standard short rack, similar to the BlueWater and PMI models. Five bars barely fit on a short rack like this, particularly when I have not filed them to move them to the back side where they belong. In effect, this rack, as rigged, is a constant-friction device when used with five bars.

[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D ]