[pct-l] SuperSecrets - Zippers

[Phil Baily]

One suggestion:
         Use a rain cover for your pack. They are lightweight and they keep 
the pack from absorbing water which then leaks into the inside of the pack 
as pointed out below. The elimination of absorbed water keeps the pack 
weight from increasing. Stuff inside my pack has never gotten wet from rain 
when I have used a cover.

Pieces



At 01:43 PM 7/2/06, Hiker97 at aol.com wrote:
>I know everyone has their  SuperSecrets low level light on since the List has
>been down.  So, here is  the latest.
>---------------------------------------------------
>
>Zippers can be a pain.  Even  ZipLock zippers can break and come off track.
>Here are some  suggestions.
>
>1.  Be very careful about  adding extra zipper pulls to jackets, tents,
>sleeping bags, etc.  This is  very tempting to add a reflective or longer 
>material
>to make it easier to  grasp.  This might seem to make sense at night when you
>are trying to  find the zipper.  I do not recommend doing this, except may be
>for  tents.  Why?
>
>2.  Zippers mechanisms are  delicate.  They can break easily.  The more
>pulling power you have the  more likely you will damage your zipper.  Just 
>use the
>little metal zipper  pull that comes with the zipper.  Be gentle and slow in
>using your  zippers.  I would recommend this with tents too, but if you are
>very  careful a reflective material for the door zipper is nice.  You be the
>judge if you can use the extra pull material gently.  Use a little wax 
>to  make
>them easier to slide.
>
>3.  What about the zipper type  ZipLock bags?  The complaint about them is
>that the lock will tear and  break.  Some people recommend the snap together
>bags.  I  disagree.  The ZipLock bags work fine if you are gentle and 
>don't put
>too  much pressure on the lock device when you open and shut the bag.  I use
>ZipLock bags for everything  backpacking and they work fine.  They keep 
>things
>organized, dry, and  clean.
>
>For rain protection I recommend you  still put your bags inside a pack bag
>too.  This is a large waterproof bag  inside your pack, like a trash 
>bag.  The
>reason for this is that the  ZipLocks will get very wet on the outside 
>from the
>rain even inside your  pack.  When you go to put them inside your shelter,
>the outside bag water  will wet everything.
>
>I mark each of my ZipLock bags with  the contents and weight.  If you want to
>keep the markings from rubbing  off, just put a piece of clear packing tape
>over it.  Works  fine.
>
>4.  Here is a trick to stop  zippers from opening too much.  Use a little
>ShoeGoo (the product I  recommend on the bottom of your shoes to keep the 
>soles
>from wearing) on the  zipper track where you do not want the zipper to 
>open any
>farther.  This  may be on backs and belly packs.  I use this method on my
>belly pack to  keep the main zipper compartment from opening too much and the
>contents slipping  out.
>
>You have to decide how to use your  zippers and bags.  If you are gentle,
>then everything will work  fine.
>
>Your hiking buddy, Switchback
>Conqueror of Mt. Whitney .............. Portal Parking  Lot
>
>
>
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