Showerthought: My rain fly zipper gave out halfway through a storm in the Smokies last week.

It was a 3 day loop and the seam tape on my old tent failed right as the heavy rain hit, soaking my sleeping bag. I ended up using a trash bag and some duct tape as a patch job for the night. What's your go-to quick fix for a busted zipper when you're miles from the trailhead?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese_lane292mo ago

Honestly, duct tape is a solid move in a pinch. That stuff is basically backcountry gold. For a busted zipper, a small safety pin from a first aid kit can work to hold the slider in place. Sometimes you just have to get creative and use a bit of cord to tie the door shut from the inside.

nora862mo ago

My old tent's zipper gave out and I used a paperclip, @reese_lane29.

scott.grace15d ago

That paperclip trick is actually genius. I've been in the same spot where a zipper just gives up and you're stuck with a flapping tent door. A small safety pin works great to keep the slider from sliding all the way down, but I've also had luck using a twist tie from a bread bag to hold it in place. You just gotta loop it through the zipper pull and around the metal track to keep it from moving. Did your repair hold up for the whole trip or did you end up having to mess with it again?