Zipper malfunctions

[Darius11 12]

Did a WS jump on my BirdMan GTI. Deployed went to unzip right leg and the zipper head ripped off once again. I was not applying too much force and this is the 2nd time this has happened.

Am I doing something wrong or is this a common occurrence?

This is the 2nd time in my total 8 WS jumps.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[mccordia 74]

It just depends on the age of the suit.
Most suits, when used a lot will need a zipper/zipper head replaced at some point in their career.

Ive so far demolished a zipperhead on a classic and a V1. Both suits had been used more then 'a lot'

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[Darius11 12]

It is a used suit so i know it has some jumps on it.
It's good to know i am not the only one with that issue

I will contact Birdman to see if i can get a replacement zipper head.

Thank you

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[monkycndo 0]

Had the same issue with an arm wing. Tried locally to find a replacement slider head for the OPTI zipper with no luck. Emailed BM and they sent me a replacement zipper. Nice customer service.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[PhreeZone 20]

I had the zipper head fall off of my S3 with just 3 jumps on it years ago when I first got it. I've had to completely replace that zipper to fix the issue.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[mccordia 74]

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Nice customer service.

Most manufacturers have no issues at all with sending patches of fabric, replacement zippers etc. to fix things. Even on very old/used suits..

Just send em an email..

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[Darius11 12]

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Nice customer service.

Most manufacturers have no issues at all with sending patches of fabric, replacement zippers etc. to fix things. Even on very old/used suits..

Just send em an email..

Yep i just did thx

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[monkycndo 0]

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I had the zipper head fall off of my S3 with just 3 jumps on it years ago when I first got it. I've had to completely replace that zipper to fix the issue.

My slider head broke. Had to remove the little metal stoppers to get the old head off. It took me a lot of fiddling and cussing to get the new slider over the ends of the zipper, and do it so the teeth lined up. But it was a lot better than having to seem pick the old zipped and have my rigger sew it back in. Learned lots of patience on that one.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[TomAiello 26]

I've replaced the entire zipper on three occasions for this problem. I also went with a burlier zipper than the one that came originally on one of those suits (I used a luggage zipper).

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[airdog07 0]

where did you get the zipper online or local. can you just replace the steel clip on the end of zipper for zipper stop?

"A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones ..."

[TomAiello 26]

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where did you get the zipper online or local.

Local. I just went to a local sewing store, and looked through their selection of zippers. They had some luggage zippers in various lengths that worked well.

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can you just replace the steel clip on the end of zipper for zipper stop?

I don't know.

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[moonglo 0]

I had to replace 3 leg zippers (one side twice!) withinin 3 jumps on my GTi after about 200 problem free jumps.

I think that suit was just a bit short on me and I put extra strain on the leg zippers, the arm zippers on that suit are still in great shape!

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

All but one of the original zippers on my old GTi were replaced at one time or another. The suit is still in service in California. I have never had any zipper blow-outs with any of my subsequent BM suits. That's a lie. I replaced one leg zipper on my first S3.

Chuck

[The111 1]

75 jumps on my GTi and 400 jumps on my S3... no problems.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[TomAiello 26]

The suits I've replaced zippers on were a Classic II and a Skyflyer 1. I suspect that BM upgraded their zippers at some point, because this used to be something I'd hear about frequently, but it's not that way anymore.

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[VectorBoy 0]

I've had a few zipper heads peel off, and once BM sent me the entire zipper but why do un-needed sewing?

I replace the missing head with a key chain ring, the one that is the size of a dime and cost about 5 cents to which I larks head some pull-up cord.

Its such an easy repair that I do it as a mandatory mod to all of my suits leg wing zippers which are the prime offenders.

[Tony-tonysuits 0]

Zippers are the bain of my life, I've use 3 diferant kinds in the last 3 years trying to get them to last,

think you guys would like a metal zipper??

Life is a series of wonderful opportunities,
brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.

tonysuits.com

[The111 1]

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Zippers are the bain of my life

You're so dramatic, Tony.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[basehoundsam 0]

I replaced all my old BM suits with metal zippers. They are incredibly bore reliable, and feel "easier" and "faster" to unzip in moments of extreme duress.

just my .02 cents

Jay Epstein Ramirez
www.adrenalineexploits.com

[phoenixlpr 0]

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I replaced all my old BM suits with metal zippers. They are incredibly bore reliable, and feel "easier" and "faster" to unzip in moments of extreme duress.

just my .02 cents

Cool! So you can almost cut anything and everything with that zipper.

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

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I replaced all my old BM suits with metal zippers. They are incredibly bore reliable, and feel "easier" and "faster" to unzip in moments of extreme duress.

just my .02 cents

I did the same with two of the zippers on my old GTi. They worked perfectly everytime.

[Darius11 12]

Sent an Email yesterday received a replay offering a free zipper last night. That’s what I call great customer service.

Can wait to get back in the air.
Thank you guys

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[Tony-tonysuits 0]

Zippers are the bain of my life

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You're so dramatic, Tony.
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Ha, first it was the wind tunnel mesh tearing the coil zipper away from the tape so I went to the teeth type, the teeth break so now were using [not on wingsuits] a reverse zipper, so the coil is inside the suit,
this is working on flat and freefly suits but wasn't suitable on wingsuits, too hard to do the arms up, even though it was on a wingsuit at convention that I first saw this type of zip. Ive used size #5 now #8's, 10's seems so large but i think its what a lot of wingsuits use, 8's seem to be doing ok, I'm using a snap at the wrist to stop the arm zip coming undone, haven't had one come open yet thank Lennon, as that just seems like the worst situation, having the arm zip come open in freefall Yuk
Oh by the way, I'm moved from Webbies as my Fav suit, Ive discovered the Raptor, I'm gonna kick Jeff's ass in it soon, Smoked him yesterday but he didn't have his Mach 1 on, soon.........

Life is a series of wonderful opportunities,
brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.

tonysuits.com

[cfalon 0]

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Quote

I replaced all my old BM suits with metal zippers. They are incredibly bore reliable, and feel "easier" and "faster" to unzip in moments of extreme duress.

just my .02 cents

I did the same with two of the zippers on my old GTi. They worked perfectly everytime.

What brand/model/type of zipper did you use and where did you get them? My poor old GTI is in desparate need of some new teeth after the coup detat of superman dive exits and high speed passes from the Skyvan at the Wingsuit Skills Camp recently.

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

They were metal-toothed and around number 10 sized. Large sliders. I had them installed at the local korean laundry (those are everywhere in Fayetteville, NC). They still work perfectly last time I asked.