Zippers on WBBB

I was preparing my gear for a winter backpacking trip this weekend and remembered the problem I had with the interior foot zipper on the Blackbird last trip--if you leave it unzipped almost all the way to the foot when you climb in, it's nearly impossible to reach it. So I took a piece of Zing-it line a couple feet long, put a tab pull on it, added it to the interior zipper, and will lay the cord along the side of the hammock for easy access for zipping that pesky foot zipper after I get in.

Previously I had also put paracord and pull tabs on all the zippers, using a color (bright lime green) that is easy to spot. Nothing like fumbling around and not being able to find a zipper on a dark green hammock.

I'm sure someone else has figured this out before, but I thought I would post any way for other newbies like myself. :)

Happy Hangin',
--Linda

It certainly does help - and a great way to find it in the dark after a quick run for the call of Nature!

I put a short piece cord on each of the zipper pulls inside & outside, I used different colors on the head & foot end so its easier to identify. I usually just pull the zippers down part of the way before get all of the way in, that way they are easier to reach when I lay down.

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Originally Posted by UrbanWild

...So I took a piece of Zing-it line a couple feet long, put a tab pull on it, added it to the interior zipper, and will lay the cord along the side of the hammock for easy access for zipping that pesky foot zipper after I get in...

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I did the same thing last winter only with a mitten hook on the free end to clip to the ridgeline. This way I can just hook it with my foot to close it the last couple of feet or to open it to within easy reach. Hey!...don't call me lazy. Hammocks are for laying down...not sitting up and reaching.:laugh:

The knot in the middle was just to shorten it after deciding it was too long....

I ran into the same problem when I first got my BB several years ago and did the same thing. I used different colored pulls for the inside and outside zippers. Also use them on my Sock

Yep! Tied paracord pulls to all 4 of the zippers the same day the hammock arrived at my door :) Definitely helps and looks good too in my opinion!

I'm going to try these little gems to do the same thing, arriving tomorrow from AHE! They glow in the dark, are reflective, and look uber light for the gram counters out there. It is hard to tell from the picture but I hope they are small enough to not get in the way but be easy to grip when sleepy.

I'll have to try out the extension for the foot zipper too!

Jory

http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/u...pg?241?6829299

I've been using those glow in the dark pull tabs for a while now. They are easy to see and since the loop is always open, they are easy to use when I'm not really awake. I tried the longer line, but it always seemed to be in the wrong place and I caught it when I turned over.

Option are always nice to have... :cool:

I just attach some zing-it to all the zipper pulls. Yeah, upon sitting down, I pull the foot end up to me. then climb in and pull it up another foot and pull the head one down. Mine don't glow in the dark, but I have a headlight and a micro-light on my ridgeline to illuminate.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gmcttr

I did the same thing last winter only with a mitten hook on the free end to clip to the ridgeline. This way I can just hook it with my foot to close it the last couple of feet or to open it to within easy reach. Hey!...don't call me lazy. Hammocks are for laying down...not sitting up and reaching.:laugh:

The knot in the middle was just to shorten it after deciding it was too long....

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Clever solution, thanks for sharing. I'll have to try that.