I've just had to throw out a couple of board/gear bags because the zips were locked solid with a white crust around them. I tried soaking in hot water (for hours), WD40, and a lot of brute force, but they just wouldn't move. I pretty much mangled the zips in the process. I'm about to buy another bag to take gear overseas, and I *really* don't want it happening again. Anyone had any experience in this area?
Buy yourself one with plastic zips (not just the zippered part). They are available for surfboards etc.. Have experienced same prob as you and havn't had problems since going for all plastic.... You may need to pay more.. Can't think of brand names at present.. sorry..
I guess you could avoid salt build up all together, and rinse of your board before it goes in the bag.
I would have thought soaking it in water would work, maybe try hosing it off. It must be really stuck if WD40 can't crack it.
Yep. First avoid metal zip sliders (or whatever they are called) by always buying fully plastic ones. They are worth the extra dollars. Having said that I also have a couple of board bags that have metal sliders. They attract salt. Best to hose down the whole zip and board bag every now and then, but I don't do that
If they get stuck I pour a bit of water over the slider and jiggle it a bit - comes loose in a couple of jiggles.
Wash the salt off the zip is best but if you want you can then spray it with a plastic lubricant like the one they use to lubricate popup plastic sprinklers - get it at the retic shop
If they are left in the back shed for a season they are usually too rusted to recover
Vinegar dissolves salt build up. It may sound like bull but its true so try it. A lot of people in Cape Town used to wash their windows with a vinegar based water solution because of the high wind high salt combo which caused salt build up on the windows and made them look misty. This can also be used with kiteglasses with a salt build up problem.
Just pour undiluted vinegar on the salted item and the salt should break free soon afterwards. Can't guarantee that the zip will still work though, in a lot of cases where there is heavy salt build up, the zip is rusted through and will break shortly afterwards.
When I was sailmaking, we used to replace them all the time. Save the bags (probably too late now) and go to a sailmaker and get them to sew one in. Unless they're a tight ass, it should only cost $20 to have a brand new plastic zip in its place. Whats a new bag worth??
From personal experience, look at the actual tooth size of the zip. The bigger the better when it comes to avoiding this sort of problem.
EDIT: Try silicon spray once you have a new zip in place. I can only think of 1 thing it cant be used to lube up... 
Thanks for the quick answers guys the missus (to be) was impressed with how helpful you all are
Will try to keep some silicone spray on the new one (with large plastic teeth/zip), and will try vinegar if it happens again.
If anyone wants to try resurrecting them or hit up a sailmaker for a new zip, let me know, I'm in Sandgate QLD. The bags aren't in the bin yet but tomorrow's moving day, so let me know quick. I have a Cabrina 190cm (huge) roller bag, a nobile board bag, and an old dakine 145ish double board bag missing one roller.
the metal oxidises forming combo of metal oxides and metal chlorides.. any acidic based cleaners would do the trick.
Most of the top brand bags have gone to fully plastic zips now, the current dakine, Cabrinha, Slingy, Best are all plastic, big teeth.
Silicon spray works well, and pick the salt and corrosion away with a pin, then work the zipper loose, if it has been frozen for a couple of years, then just replace the zip or zip slider.
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve
I have an old Dakine bag with BIG plastic teeth that looks like it will never have a problem.
I cannot, cannot, cannot,believe that that metal zips are still being used on surf bags/wetsuits/equipment.
submerge the corroded zip in a dish of boiling water and shake it about a bit - watch the corrosion salt fall off and work loose then stick loads of vaseline all over it
Of course they still use metal zips that is the name of the selling game - make it look bling but not last more than a season... and zips do that easy!
don't leave your kite flapping on the beach - another great tip!
Real golf bags make awesome travel bags for kite stuff.
Someone should start a valuable tips thread!
Have to agree, soak in vinegar to get it moving again, then like already mentioned silicone spray the entire zip every few months depending on use.
Coke is the dogs dodahs for freeing crusty salty zips, just poor a good amount of coke on it leave for 5 mins and haypresto unstuck. Had to do it last week on a windsurf sail bag that hadnt been opened for over a year, well salted up, its now working as new.
Coke not diet coke.
