SMC Aluminum Descending Ring
Designed to be left at the top of a rappel, this SMC Aluminum Descending Ring takes the place of a carabiner to facilitate rope recovery.
- 1-piece aluminum ring constructed without welds for strength
- Inside diameter of the ring is 1.5 in.
Made in USA.
View all SMC Belay and Rappel Devices| Best Use | Climbing |
|---|---|
| Weight | 11 grams |
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Great for Hanging Tarps / Hammocks
Bought to hang my hammock and tarp. These along with some this http://www.rei.com/product/782252/mad-rock-ultralight-bent-wiregate-carabine worked perfectly. Highly recommend this for rigging hammocks or tarps. Lightweight and strong enough for my purposes.
Weight Bearing
Safety rating I found online, I dont know if it is accurate but since this is the only ring Ive ever seen at REI I thought it might be nice to have this info available: 14kN 3,147 lb
They do what they are made for
When you are exploring off trail or through canyons, there are times when in order to keep going forward, one must rappel. One always tries to leave no trace. However, there are alway those times when leaving something behind is unavoidable. That's when this ring has its place. But, they are strong and dependable and can be used in many other applications. They do have a raw look to them though. That’s because they were designed to be left at the anchor point. However, I have been able to reuse some and I'm happy with how they have performed. They are so light so I always have some on hand.
Excellent
I use these for setting up my Hennessy Hammock very quickly and easily. They are perfect for that task. I would use the Omega Pacific climbing rings for climbing and these for less shock-prone tasks. These are rated to 14 kiloneutons. The finish is not perfect on these rings and if you are looking for perfect-looking rings, I would get the O.P. rings. These have slight scuffs and either clear or no anodizing, I cannot tell. I chose these for their larger diameter as compared to the O.P. rings for my intended use. They are very light, I cannot tell any difference.
made in USA, 14kN rating
packaging states, 14kN. made in USA! sku#81600
Sharp edges
I returned on of these quickly after I realized they often have sharp edges. For those that don't know, these are produced by rolling a piece of aluminum, leaving a rough exposed edge. They may be ok for single use, rappel only situations, but I personally won't knowingly use something that could damage a rope, cord, or otherwise. There are many alternatives to these that don't have this problem.
Hammock suspension
Recently changed to these rings for a Hennessey hammock suspension using mainsheet line (for strength, very low stretch, low creep spec) connected to tree straps via caribiner. Idea was quick setup and easy adjustment. Also was avoiding the silly knot Hennessey suggests using. I've used them twice. 1) On a canoe trip in June 2022 traveling/setting up every day. 2) Week long camp in one location where I set up once and didn't have to adjust again. I'm happy with the arrangement. If not these rings I'd be using whoopie slings. Since I don't backpack anymore weight is less an issue than it used to be, so rings and biners are satisfactory for my use. Please pardon the "Used for:" selection. There was no category for hammock or other.
Good Leavers
I bought a few of these for canyoneering. It sucks to leave gear behind but sometimes it’s necessary to be safe. These are great for that. Speaking of sucks, I’m so sick of REIs grossly oversized packaging. Four of these rings showed up in a shoebox sized package. Actually, half of the time the USPS holds our oversized packages at the P.O. because they’re too big for the boxes. Then we have to literally take paid time off to go get our stuff during P.O. hours. The most recent event we almost missed some critical gear before an overnight river trip. The over packing is also incredibly wasteful. Figure it out!!!
Get forged rings for sport purposes.
If you’re looking to hang a hammock, these are great. I slackline, and I bought these to use as line lockers. If it’s a short line that doesn’t need much tension, they’ll be fine. On longer lines, with more tension, they bend slightly. REI offers forged rings from the same company, and I’d recommend the forged rings over these for sport purposes.
Hammock suspension
The rings are a quick and easy way to hang your hammock to a tree. You can see exactly how on YouTube.