Pro tip: my tent zipper broke in a storm at Crater Lake and I had to get creative

I was camping at Crater Lake last fall when a surprise rainstorm hit around 2 AM. The main door zipper on my old 2-person tent just gave up and got stuck halfway open. I ended up using a carabiner and some paracord from my pack to basically tie the door shut from the inside, which worked but was a soggy, cold mess until morning. Has anyone else had a tent fail like that and found a good, permanent fix for a busted zipper track?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_emery3d ago

Ever try just sewing in a new zipper? That carabiner trick is a solid save, but a proper fix with a needle and thread is way more reliable for the long haul.

ray1363d ago

Sewing heavy gear is a pain though, lol.

joel_martinez3d ago

Respect the skill, but it's not always worth the effort. I've had mixed results sewing zippers into heavy backpacks, and the stitching often fails under real load. For a quick field repair that gets you home, that carabiner is a lifesaver.