Fixing a rain-jacket zipper

November 9, 2017 7:41 AM

My wife has an older Mountain Hardwear rain jacket with pockets that zip shut; these zippers were not sewn down to the surrounding fabric but instead were bonded with some kind of glue strip, and that glue is no longer holding. We're wondering how to re-attach the zippers. A couple of photos of what I'm talking about: the zipper, the bonding strip
posted by adamrice to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)

I think you need seam seal tape, like this:
https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/black-hot-melt-seam-seal-tape-.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlNnDl-yx1wIV1xiBCh0P8QU6EAQYByABEgIYm_D_BwE

(Can't recommend that exact product or store)
posted by slipthought at 7:53 AM on November 9, 2017

Mountain Hardwear is one of those outdoor companies I like because I've always had pretty good luck with them for getting repairs or replacements, as well as advice. They have a limited lifetime warranty policy, so before you invalidate it fixing it yourself, it's worth a call to their customer service number to see if they will repair it for you or have advice on how to repair it. Link. It may be "normal wear and tear" but they may still repair it for you for a very small fee or just S&H.

(I forgot which one of their products - the Dry Q? something like that - but it had a much more comprehensive policy in addition.)
posted by barchan at 8:02 AM on November 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

2nd-ing barchan. Mountain Hardwear isn't quite up there with Patagonia in the repair-to-infinity sense, but their customer service is still miles above most clothing companies. At minimum they'll get you some information to DIY a solution, and they might even offer to fix it for a nominal fee.

I personally wouldn't use generic products on technical fabrics (having had that go sideways too many times), but they'll be able to point you in the right direciton.
posted by furnace.heart at 8:11 AM on November 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Yeah, I would give them a call. A lot of these outdoor companies are pretty good about stuff like that. You'll have to send it off to them for evaluation, which is free. If they can't repair it, perhaps they can send you some of the glue they use, or at least advise you as what to use.

"This Limited Lifetime Warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship for the practical lifetime of Mountain Hardwear brand products manufactured by Mountain Hardwear or its affiliates. Only original, unaltered, and unmodified materials and workmanship are covered by this policy. This limited lifetime warranty does not cover damage caused by normal wear and tear, improper care, misuse, accident, neglect, or the natural breakdown of materials over time. "

Here's an article from their FAQ about what "lifetime" means.

If the rest of the jacket is in good shape, with the zipper torn off due to poor workmanship, that's probably a good reason for them to fix it. However, if the jacket is worn all over, they may not help you. This is totally reasonable, IMO.
posted by bondcliff at 8:42 AM on November 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Nthing MH's awesome repairs policy. I had a busted zipper they replaced for free--I just had to pay to ship it to them. Email their customer service and they will get you sorted.
posted by stillmoving at 9:14 AM on November 9, 2017

If Mountain Hardwear won't repair the jacket directly, they may be able to refer you to a local outfitter who can. There's almost certainly an outdoor gear specialty shop in your area that does repairs--if nothing else, your local REI should be able to point you in the right direction.

This is something I'd definitely leave to an expert. Those sealed zippers are so much better for waterproofing than stitching.

Truly, the upside of shelling out for gear and clothing at this price point is that it's almost infinitely repairable.
posted by padraigin at 8:14 PM on November 9, 2017