Core gear – Happy Six & d20

Table of Contents

Zipper slider replacements

https://zpacks.com/products/double-pull-zipper-slider

Zpacks tents now ship with these as part of the repair kits that come with the tents.

While the Appalachian Trail did not give me trouble with zippers, I invariably had trouble with the zippers on both XMids and Zpacks tents both on the PCT and the CDT.

All Zpacks tents are designed with field replaceable zipper sliders. Being able to replace the sliders in the field allows you to stay protected and to stay on trail.

If your zippers are not sealing correctly the usual culprit is the metal on the sides of the sliders has worn down. The metal naturally wears down over time, especially in dusty trail conditions. Luckily they are easy to replace on trail:

Cut the ends of the zipper tape so the old sliders can slide off.

Push on the new sliders with your fingertip. The sliders have grooves in the sides which must match the orientation of the zipper tape. The bumpy side of the zipper tape needs to fit in the grooves on the sliders. If the zipper has two sliders (like a tent door), make sure they zip together evenly at the center.

Tape the ends of the zipper tape so the sliders can’t slide off. Our Dyneema Composite Fabric repair tape works well.