G
Guest
Guest
Zippers on tents and gear seem to have gotten “frailer” and more prone to failure over the years. That may be a manufacturer (or my) penchant towards lighter weight gear, or increased gear use in zipper-harsh environments, or less expensive zipper sourcing on some cheaper off-brand stuff.
That filthy MEMAQUAY bag is at least 30 years old; it has been everywhere and done everything and is still going zipper strong. It is a YKK zipper; kinda wish they stamped a “model” number on the zipper pull instead of just “YKK” on both sides.
Eh, the design/quality/durability of zipper pulls is another occasional dissatisfaction with cheap zippers; a broken pull tab is easily replaced with some Zingit cord or a zip tie, or in a Can’t-get-my-coat-off-dammit! struggle with a bread wrapper twist-wire. But a simple pull tab should outlast the zipper teeth.
I think most YKK zippers are worth the cost, and they are nearly ubiquitous except on the cheapest products. My nightmare is a tent door zipper failing in bug country, but anything with a broken zipper becomes problematic gear.
https://slate.com/business/2012/04/ykk-zippers-why-so-many-designers-use-them.html
I do (try) to maintain zippers; running a damp piece of clean sponge over open zippers when camped in dust and sand blown area, especially across the tent door zippers. Hopefully before the tent zipper begins to enunciate ‘GRRZZLLGURDGRIND” instead of a smooth “ZZZZZZZZZ”. The grit that comes off on the sponge is amazing when the wind has been blowing in a fine dust environment.
Beyond that field maintenance I clean and lubricate gear zippers at home. I tried wax, silicon spray and etc before settling on Teflon Non-stick Dry Film lubricant; I don’t need a sticky substance catching and holding windblown gunk in the zipper teeth.
Are there now better zippers, or YKK manufactured zippers to look for, or zippers to avoid?
In a yellow (once upon a time, now 30 years old dingy) 5 x 7 inch YKK zippered nylon bag:
That filthy MEMAQUAY bag is at least 30 years old; it has been everywhere and done everything and is still going zipper strong. It is a YKK zipper; kinda wish they stamped a “model” number on the zipper pull instead of just “YKK” on both sides.
Eh, the design/quality/durability of zipper pulls is another occasional dissatisfaction with cheap zippers; a broken pull tab is easily replaced with some Zingit cord or a zip tie, or in a Can’t-get-my-coat-off-dammit! struggle with a bread wrapper twist-wire. But a simple pull tab should outlast the zipper teeth.
I think most YKK zippers are worth the cost, and they are nearly ubiquitous except on the cheapest products. My nightmare is a tent door zipper failing in bug country, but anything with a broken zipper becomes problematic gear.
https://slate.com/business/2012/04/ykk-zippers-why-so-many-designers-use-them.html
I do (try) to maintain zippers; running a damp piece of clean sponge over open zippers when camped in dust and sand blown area, especially across the tent door zippers. Hopefully before the tent zipper begins to enunciate ‘GRRZZLLGURDGRIND” instead of a smooth “ZZZZZZZZZ”. The grit that comes off on the sponge is amazing when the wind has been blowing in a fine dust environment.
Beyond that field maintenance I clean and lubricate gear zippers at home. I tried wax, silicon spray and etc before settling on Teflon Non-stick Dry Film lubricant; I don’t need a sticky substance catching and holding windblown gunk in the zipper teeth.
Are there now better zippers, or YKK manufactured zippers to look for, or zippers to avoid?