zips for camping

Introduction

zippers are a common component of your camping trip that is at risk of failure
the quality of materials used for teeth, tape, sliders, and UV treatment, can determine rate of wear and breakdown
many prefer zippers manufactured by YKK as these have a reputation for quality and reliability

never force zips, if fabric gets caught, gently work it out
lubricate the full length of the zip regularly with dry lubricants such as Teflon or molybdenum-based products but don't use oil-based or wet silicone spray lubricants this attracts dirt, wipe it clean afterwards
- for portability, consider stick formats like Gear Aid Zipper Lubricant, which resists flaking and corrosion without drawing dirt
- wax sticks work but can gunk up in humid climates unless cleaned regularly
clean the zips regularly to remove sand, dirt or dust
- shake after use
- wipe down with cloth
- use a toothbrush
keep zips closed when erecting tents

the problem is most likely the slider and not the track
repair the slider
- often this occurs because the slider has become too wide
- this can be fixed by using pliers to squeeze the slider a bit to return it to its proper width
replacing the slider
- remove the stitching or the bottom stop at the bottom of the zipper which is acting as a bottom stop
- pull the slider off the track
- slide on a new slider onto the track - the nose or pointed part of the slider needs to go on first
- pull up the slider until you can see 2-3 inches of locked zipper
- re-sew the bottom stop with 15-20 stitches using a needle and thread

first make sure there is no material caught in the slider
- if so gently remove, you may need soap to help and perhaps a needle
- sometimes you will need to cut the material to get it out
otherwise the problem is most likely the track and not the slider
- damaged teeth generally mean you need a new zip
- sometimes use of lubricant such as graphite from a pencil, candle wax or WD40 silicone may help

try using a cable tie inserted into the slider in place of the pull
some chunky zips have a lock device and replacing the pull with string may allow it to be unlocked

coil zips consists of continuous spiral of nylon sewn onto both tape sides of the zip and require a coil type slider
- these are great for curving zips such as for D doors of tents
- main drawback is that they can easily kink or bunch up on itself resulting in stuck zippers that refuse to open or close.
chunky or tooth zips consists of individual teeth that are moulded onto the zip tape and require a chunky type slider
- these need to be in a straight line and are great for attaching annexes
- while very tough, tooth zippers can be rendered useless if the individual pieces of the teeth gets dislodged or broken

continuous zips come in 100m rolls and need to be cut to length and one or both ends closed by stitching or a bottom stop
open end zips are two separate components and are designed for attaching annex and jackets