My tent zipper broke in a downpour at Lake Tahoe

I was setting up my old two-person tent when the main door zipper just gave out, right as the sky opened up. I had to get creative fast, so I used a carabiner and some paracord from my pack to hold the flaps shut. It wasn't perfect, but it kept most of the rain out until morning. Has anyone else had to do a quick fix like that on a zipper?

3 comments

3 Comments

seth_martinez211mo ago

That carabiner and paracord trick is solid. I had a tent zipper fail on a windy night in Utah. All I had was a roll of duct tape and a couple of binder clips from my notebook. Taped the flaps down and used the clips as extra anchors. Looked ridiculous but it held. You do what you have to.

wright.dakota1mo ago

Remember my buddy tried to fix a busted backpack strap with a shoelace and a keyring. It worked for about two miles before everything came loose and his gear went down a hill. @seth_martinez21, your binder clip idea is way smarter than that. Sometimes the weird fix is the one that lasts. What did you do with the tent in the morning, just keep it taped up?

adam_butler385d ago

Ha, that shoelace and keyring story is a classic case of being too clever by half. I honestly can't believe it lasted two miles before giving up the ghost, that's actually pretty impressive for a total hack job. But yeah, the binder clip idea is pure genius because it's basically a clamp that won't slip if you get it tight enough. I've definitely been in that spot where you're staring at a busted zipper at midnight and duct tape feels like the only friend you've got. The fact that it held all night with the Utah wind trying to tear it apart says a lot about the power of a cheap office supply and some faith. Sometimes the dumbest looking fix is the one that saves your whole trip, I guess.