The zipper on my favorite winter coat gave out in 12 degree weather yesterday

I was walking to my car in Chicago and the zipper pull just snapped right off the track, leaving the coat flapping open. I grabbed some pliers and a paperclip from my glovebox and managed to jury-rig a temporary pull that held for the rest of the day. Has anyone found a reliable way to fix a jacket zipper at home without replacing the whole thing?

3 comments

3 Comments

harper_foster2d ago

Chicago at 12 degrees is BRUTAL with a busted zipper. I fixed mine by taking a small zip tie and threading it through the zipper slider hole, then cinching it around the top stop. It worked way better than a paperclip cause it didn't slip off. Also try putting a drop of superglue on the edge of the slider track if the teeth keep separating. The pliers trick with the paperclip is a classic though, thats what I did BEFORE I knew about the zip tie hack.

shanelee2d ago

Hold on now. You're out here talking about zip ties and superglue like your jacket's gonna fall apart if you don't fix it right then and there. 12 degrees in Chicago is cold, sure, but it's not like you're stranded on a mountain top. A busted zipper's an annoyance, not a life or death situation. You can just hold your jacket closed for the few steps from your car to the door. Seems like a lot of fuss over something you can probably ignore for a day until you get a new jacket.

smith.anna2d ago

Ask you this - how long does a paperclip actually last when you're messing with it in the cold with gloves on? I tried that once and dropped the thing three times before giving up. Zip ties sound a lot more practical for not losing your mind in the process.