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Even zippers often play a major role in backpack construction, design and utility, they are often overlooked both by manufactures and by backpacker. Zippers on backpacks can be made to be durable, lightweight, lockable, color coordinated and even fireproof if needed. Having the wrong zipper on your pack could make opening and closing the pack more difficult than it should be, not allowing it to be lockable, catch delicate clothing in its teeth or drastically shorten the usable lifespan of a pack as the zipper slowly eventually completely fails.
Size
There are many zipper sizes available but sizes #5 through #10 are most suitable for backpack use.
If a zipper is used for the main compartment, one should use #10 (preferred) or #8 to allow for enough durability for heavy use compared to smaller sizes.
Other compartments should incorporate #10 or #8 zippers. Manufactures often use size 5 for accessory pockets on packs.
There is also a YKK Uretek #5 water resistant zipper that is often used in some backpacks. The #5 zipper is a bit flimsy compared to its larger brothers, but the water resistance is a nice feature to have.
Size Coil Tooth #3 0 .165" ≈ 5/32" #5 0.275" ≈ 17/64" 0.225" ≈ 7/32" #8 0.284" ≈ 9/32" #10 0.417" ≈ 27/64" 0.335" ≈ 11/32"
Tooth Type
Coil (aka nylon zipper)- Coil teeth are extruded plastic, sewn onto the zipper tape. Although most are now made of polyester, there were formerly made of nylon and are still often referred to as nylon zippers. They tend to be self repairing, smoother opening, very flexible, easier to work with and much more forgiving to clothing and sleeping bags.. They are less tamper resistant and more prone to problems with dirt and sand than tooth type zippers. There is also a great selection of zipper sliders for coil zippers allowing for various styles and multiple lockable designs. The majority of zippers used in backpacks today are coil type.
YKK also markets Uretek and other water resistant coil zippers in size #3, #5 and #8 (more difficult to find). These zippers are inverted and require an inverted zipper slider, decreasing your selection of zipper sliders and making it more difficult to add sliders designed for padlocks.
Molded Plastic Tooth (aka plastic chain)- These have individually injected molded teeth, fused directly onto the tape of the zipper. Resins such as polyacetal and polyethylene used to manufacture these molded plastic chain are incredibly strong and comparably sized plastic tooth zippers are much more durable and stronger than coil type zippers. They also stand up to dirt and sand much better than coil zippers. These zippers are ideal for many medium and heavy weight garments or any outdoor application.
Metal Tooth (aka metal chain) - These have been around since the 1800s and are generally made from flat metal wire. They tend to corrode and fall apart with time and abuse. They also have a great tendency of catching loose clothing (or skin) in them. These are not ideally suited for backpacks or luggage but can still be found on inexpensive packs.
Aluminum Chain constructed principally from aluminum - oxidizes Steel Chain tend to rust Brass Chain constructed of brass, typically a combination of copper and zinc Antique Brass Chain made from brass that is chemically treated to give the appearance of worn or tarnished brass. Black Oxidized Chain made from brass that is chemically treated to a black matte finish. Nickel Brass silvery color
Brand
Quality varies between zipper manufactures and low quality zippers and zipper sliders tend to come undone and fail much sooner than higher quality zippers. YKK is a good brand for durability and dependability and YKK coiled zippers are preferred generally preferred for backpack use.
Sliders
Many backpackers choose to remove the metal pulls that most sliders come with and replace them with cord and cord locks. This gets rid of the audible giggle associated with zippers and makes the zipper easier to open with gloved hands. Removing the metal pulls generally makes it impossible to lock the zipper with a padlock and cord and often be weaved through the slider and pull tab so as to eliminate the giggle while still maintaining a lockable zipper. Metal cable can also be covered in a cord sheath and crimped to provide a much more lockable pull cord.
Padlock Zipper Slider
with single locking tab
Hasp Padlock Zipper Slider
Although most backpacks don't come with padlock sliders, these can be easily retrofitted onto a backpack. These sliders can be custom homemade jobs, single padlock tabbed sliders, multiple padlock tabbed sliders, or the hasp type padlock sliders.
Keyed Hasp Lockable Zipper Slider
Keyed Lockable Zipper Slider
Sliders with a built in locks can usually be easily picked with a paperclip and the keys may of course be easily lost.
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