My tent zipper gave out during a storm in the Smokies

I was camping near Gatlinburg last fall when a heavy rain rolled in overnight. The main door zipper on my old two person tent just jammed and then the pull tab came off in my hand. I had to use a piece of paracord and a carabiner to tie the door shut from the inside to keep the water out. It worked, but I spent a cold, damp night listening to that zipper tape flap. What's the best way to fix a busted tent zipper, or is it just time for a new one?

2 comments

2 Comments

henry10110d ago

That bit about the zipper tape flapping all night is the worst sound. I used to just replace the whole tent when a zipper went. Then I saw a guy in a campground fix one with a pair of needle nose pliers and a new slider from a sewing shop. He showed me how to crimp the new slider on the old teeth. It's not perfect but it got him through the season. I keep a spare slider in my repair kit now.

tessa1779d ago

That "crimp the new slider on the old teeth" trick from @henry101 is a total game changer. I've found a tiny drop of silicone lube on the zipper teeth after the fix makes it run way smoother. It turns a trip-ending problem into a five minute camp chore.