I attend a LOT of trade shows. I have become somewhat jaded, and when I am asked by friends and industry peers if I have seen anything “neat-o” I often say, “No, same stuff from last show”. That is why I scour the fringes of the trade show floor seeking out companies who don’t yet have enough points to sit at the big people table. And sure enough, virtually every show, I run across something both cool and completely unexpected. This OR Summer market was no exception. Granted, there was lots of interesting and innovative gear at OR but there can only be one “Most Innovative Product”. For me, it is the Flipanzip Interchangeable Zipper Slider.
It is so simple to use I figured it out the first try. The threaded fastener is held under tension with a spring and controls the connection between the top and bottom bodies. This allows you to replace broken sliders. Additionally, when used as a slider you can quickly clear fouled zippers arising from misaligned teeth or loose material. The latter often happens with puffy cold weather clothing. Additionally, the fastener can be tightened completely to keep a zipper from accidentally opening which could be very useful on packs.
The Flipanzip currently comes in two sizes. One accommodates 8, 9, and 10 coil as well as tooth zippers. Conventional or invisible, makes no difference. The other fits 6 and 7 zippers. Additionally, the Flipanzip is available with a dual pull option so it can be used with sleeping bags or reversible garments. Word is that the military is very interested in the technology, so hopefully we will see it integrated into US combat equipment soon.
Visit Flipanzip on the web.
