My tent zipper blew out during a storm in the Smokies last October

I was camped at Elkmont around midnight when the wind picked up and my main zipper just split apart. Had to use paracord and a trash bag to jury-rig the door shut for the rest of the night. Has anyone found a reliable way to fix tent zippers on the trail or do you just pack a backup shelter?

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calebw505mo ago

my main zipper just split apart" - yeah that's a rough spot. Just a heads up though, Elkmont's more of a campground than a backcountry spot so you probably could've walked to your car for a backup if you had one. For trail fixes though, I've had good luck carrying a tiny tube of Gear Aid zipper repair lube and some dental floss to stitch it back together.

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claire_hayes355mo ago

I helped a friend fix a busted zipper on a tent once using dental floss and it held for about two more trips before it gave out entirely. How many times have you actually had that floss repair hold up for a full season without resorting to a full zipper replacement? I'm curious because I've never gotten more than three or four uses out of it before the stitches started pulling loose.

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