Introduction
Two-way (or dual) zippers can open from both the top and the bottom, making them especially useful for adding space at the hips, accessing a harness, or increasing ventilation. They're highly functional but they can also be a bit trickier to operate and occasionally get stuck or misaligned.
This guide will demonstrate how to identify a two-way zipper and walk through simple techniques for getting it unstuck, realigned, and working smoothly again.
Read through the entire guide before starting the repair, and gather the necessary tools and materials. While Patagonia-specific materials are ideal, they are not required. Patagonia replacement parts can be obtained by calling or messaging Patagonia Customer Service.
Alternatively, Patagonia products can be taken to a local retail store for a repair evaluation or sent in to Patagonia through their mail-in repair service.
The 3 Stages of Patagonia Zipper Repair
- Identify the zipper type
- Diagnose the issue
- Repair the zipper
Video Overview
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Before starting, determine what type of zipper is on the product. See a full list of zipper types here.
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Two-way zippers (also referred to as dual zippers) have two sliders:
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One opens the zipper from the top and the other, oriented upside down, opens the zipper from the bottom.
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Two-way zippers don't have a zipper box.
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They allow long jackets to separate below the waist for bending or sitting.
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They provide access to a climbing harness or gear around the hips.
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They enable venting at center front and pit zips to release heat without fully opening the jacket.
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Stack both sliders at the base of the zipper line.
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Insert the pin from the opposite side through both sliders (top, then bottom).
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Pull up the top slider to zip the jacket!
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Check for damage to any of the zipper parts (see Steps 7 and 8).
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Identify the issue. Some common problems:
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Misaligned zipper track (See Step 5)
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Slider stuck at the base or along the track (See Step 6)
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Pull the top slider down as far as possible.
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Lightly pull the slider tab/handle to disengage the slider locking mechanism.
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Try removing the zipper pin from the top slider to separate the two sides.
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If that doesn't work, keep the pull tab to the slider engaged with one hand and move the slider and zipper downward with your other hand until it reaches the bottom of the zipper tape.
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Unzip completely and restart using the process in Step 3.
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Lift and twist the pull tab while applying gentle downward pressure on the slider body. This helps the channels of the slider realign the teeth.
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You may hear or feel a click. This will indicate that the teeth have reset and the slider should move again.
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If you have a plastic tooth zipper, check out this guide to diagnose the issue.
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If you have a coil zipper, check out this guide to diagnose the issue.
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Split from the bottom or the middle
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Not zip entirely
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Be very difficult to pull up
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