Lowepro’s Workshop Tips

Your Lowepro camera bag was built and designed to protect your camera gear through the toughest situations and the most challenging assignments. It is built not only to be useful and comfortable, but also to be durable so that it can last longer, reducing both our and your environmental impact.

That's why we have created Lowepro Workshop Tips, a series of guides on how to maintain, repair, and refresh the integrity and functionality of your camera bag, so it can have a longer life.

How to Clean and Maintain Your Zippers

Hello, adventurers!
In this post, we'll talk about cleaning zippers and delve deeper into some common zipper issues and how to address them.

Cleaning your Zippers

Over time, zippers can collect dust and dirt, making them less smooth and causing them to wear out faster.

The best way to clean your zippers is with compressed air.

Tools You Can Use:

1. Compressed Air: If you don't have a compressor, many car washes and gas stations offer free or coin-operated compressed air machines.
2. Can of Compressed Air or Rocket Blower: These are slower but effective alternatives that you might already have.

Cleaning Tips:

Blow from Inside to Out: This prevents fine grit from being blown into the space where you keep your camera and lenses.

Common Zipper Problems and Solutions

Skipping Teeth

Sometimes a zipper might skip a tooth, often due to tension or compression while closing it, usually from an overpacked bag.

Solution:

Coil Zippers: Move the slider back past the gap and then over it again to close correctly. If this keeps happening, the zipper might be wearing out, and it could be time for a replacement.

Repair Tips:

Local Repair Shops: Check if a local luggage or shoe repair shop can replace the zipper.

DIY Fixes: If you can't use the pack, try fixing it yourself. You don't need to remove the old zipper; you just need to apply the new one. One photographer even had a bag with four rows of replacement zippers!

Oiling Zippers

We occasionally get questions about oiling zippers. This isn't necessary for our current packs, as the zippers are designed to not need lubrication. In fact, lubrication can attract dust and dirt, leading to faster wear.

We hope these tips help you extend the life of your bag! Thanks for reading, and good luck with your zipper maintenance.