Stop the zipper pulls from jingling on my Aeronaut

[apbailey]

I've taken my Aeronaut on one trip and just did a packing "dry run" for a 2 week trip I'm taking this summer to Europe. LOVE the bag, but the jingling of the zipper pulls as I walk is driving me crazy. Anyone have advice for how to silence the pulls?

[dorayme]

You could remove them and replace them with the cord pulls, though you would loose the ability to lock the Aeronaut if that is of concern. This thread also has some suggestions.

[backpack]

You can add Cord Zipper Pulls to the metal pulls, thus silencing them.

Tom Bihn Inc sells a Package of 8.

Cord Zipper Pulls by: TOM BIHN


All my bags have them and they don't make any noise, the cord and plastic of the Cord Zipper Pulls are very good at keeping stuff stealthy.

[Lani]

If you have a little patience, you can always use something like Plastic Dip to coat the zipper tabs. They're like spray-on liquid rubber that hardens, but in a dip version. I'd decant it into a little disposable cup. You can put your Tri-Star sideways or upside down (angled, with one of the corners on the very bottom would be best) and then bring all of your zipper tabs from the three sets of zippers (total 6 zippers) so they are all hanging, and then slowly dip each pair (the other option is to brush the liquid plastic on). You can let them sit there until they are dry enough for you to set the bag down.

If you want to coat the zipper tabs from the front zippers, you would likely need to lay the bag flat on a stool or something so the tabs are hanging down.

[moriond]

I was composing a reply earlier, when I noticed that dorayme had finished a reply that linked to the thread containing my answer about using cord pulls. However, since backpack mentioned this again, I'll append a picture. This will also answer dmaunder's post in another thread:

Borrowing an idea from another bag I have, I was thinking if TB made the actual cords for the pulls a little longer, they could be laced through the zippers as shown in the pics. This would not only help deaden metal zipper noise, but it would also eliminate any reason to ever permanently remove the metal pulls. In the 2nd pic, I loosened the cord up a little to better show how it was looped around and through the pull.

Attachment 2252Attachment 2253

This picture by ratdeau illustrates how to thread the cord pulls to silence the zippers, and is taken from the New: Cord Zipper Pulls ($3) thread:


I actually have the cord threaded through the metal zipper ends (as in dmaunder's right photo), for my Tri-Star. If you want to see more variations of cord threading (by ratdeau), look though the earlier images in this linked thread on Noisy Metal Zipper Pulls, such as:


Both those threads were linked in the my post in the linked thread that dorayme posted. Another option is to use a Red OXX Monkey Fist, but these don't tie in as easily to silence the zippers, as well as not being Tom Bihn products.

HTH

moriond

[apbailey]

Thanks dorayme, moriond, and backpack. I purchased some zipper pulls from another retailer and tried the method above. They certainly help the jingling but make the bag look less professional (I'm vain, I know .

I'll try the liquid rubber. Thanks for the tip, Lani.

[Lani]

It's a little bit of a tight operation, but you can do the same with Tom Bihn zipper pulls. Check it out:

[backpack]

Thanks dorayme, moriond, and backpack. I purchased some zipper pulls from another retailer and tried the method above. They certainly help the jingling but make the bag look less professional (I'm vain, I know .

I'll try the liquid rubber. Thanks for the tip, Lani.

I have seen zipper pulls from other sources but I think Tom Bihn's look the most professional.

Yet another solution is to use the 8" Key Straps, the weight of the 8" Key Strap prevent the zipper from moving (I have only tested them on the Packing Cube Shoulder Bag at a walking pace, I can't vouch for the noise level at sprinting speed)

Key Strap: TOM BIHN

Color Key Strap: TOM BIHN


One zipper can also hold an Handle Loop, handy when wearing gloves or having sticky hands (the pinkie can do the job of opening the bag)

Handle Loop: TOM BIHN

[dmauder]

I finally got my TS today and I see no possible way to loop the cord zipper pulls as shown in the pics from moriond or Lani. There is simply not enough cord....

The cords I received are 3.5" long. The TS has some short/stubby zipper pulls, and some longer ones (on the front pockets). Even on the short/stubby zippers, if I loop the cord through the back hole of the zipper pull as shown in the pics above, there is barely more than 1/2" of cord sticking past the end of the zipper pull, and it's impossible to get the plastic thingy on and clamped to the cord. I tried every which way to coax it on, but it just ain't happenin'.

I checked my other (non-TB) bag and the cords are just over 6" long, so there is more than enough to loop them around as needed.

The only way I can use the TB cord pulls is to just loop them through the large hole in the end of each metal zipper pull. That's not really what I wanted to do, and I also don't t think it will silence the metal jingling noise.

[darbs]

dmauder, Have you thought about just taking the metal pulls off and replacing them with the cords? That is what I did on my MCB. I know dorayme posted a link above to another thread discussing this very thing. I'd seriously consider that if it is bothering you that much. Good luck!

[dmauder]

dmauder, Have you thought about just taking the metal pulls off and replacing them with the cords? That is what I did on my MCB. I know dorayme posted a link above to another thread discussing this very thing. I'd seriously consider that if it is bothering you that much. Good luck!

I know that is an option, but I could never bring myself to purposely mutilate my new TB bag! I will probably just go buy some cord myself and use the TB plastic parts.

[Lani]

The cords I received are 3.5" long.

The cords I got from Tom Bihn are 4.5" long. Did you get yours from Tom Bihn? I can see how 3.5" would be too short. At that length you'd really need to clip the zipper tabs off, and I don't know that you want to do that.

If your cords are from TB, you might want to ask them if they could send you longer ones. At 4.5" it's tricky but very doable, but at that length I get one inch of cord to work with.

[Chiro75]

I always cut metal zipper pulls off bags and replace them with 550 paracord. ITW's Tac Toggles are awesome to add if you want a little more grip/grab on the replaced pulls.

[dmauder]

The cords I got from Tom Bihn are 4.5" long. Did you get yours from Tom Bihn? I can see how 3.5" would be too short. At that length you'd really need to clip the zipper tabs off, and I don't know that you want to do that.

If your cords are from TB, you might want to ask them if they could send you longer ones. At 4.5" it's tricky but very doable, but at that length I get one inch of cord to work with.

Yes, the 3.5" cords came with my new TS from Tom Bihn. I would love to get longer ones, preferably around 6".

[snowbot]

I bought some cord from REI and cut it to useful lengths to thread my zipper pulls the way Lani describes. I think that my cord is a bit thicker than the Tom Bihn cord, so getting the end caps on was a bear!