I will never understand the insistence on brands putting in PU-coated zips. Fine if it's X-Pac and it's being marketed as water resistant, but when you have bags like the Alpaka Flight Satchel that clearly are in a non-water resistant material, what's the point other than introducing another component that will fail in just a few years?
Point is for marketing. To market to people who post in this sub who get excited about new materials and think it must be high quality because the brand’s videos and instagram is cool.
There’s a reason good companies like Osprey, TNF, Cotapaxi, Pentagonia don’t use them.
But those brands aren’t popular here because they’re mainstream and don’t have bags that are PU Coated X-Pac EDC Carry Lite Pro Flight Sling.
I see way more female college students and white collar professionals with their stuff than Aer. Which is interesting because Aer aims towards the yuppie “professional” crowd. But Cotapaxi probably has a way bigger market share there too for female yuppies age 18-35.
You got to signal that you hike to all the other high earning white collar professionals.
I'm sure the upper layer that is peeling can be removed somehow, but unfortunately there is a white layer that looks like its woven onto the zip itself, so it going to look pretty shitty either way when contrasted with the black fabric of the bag
Same happened to me. I peeled it off by hand rubbing it with my nails, took a few hours but the result was worth it. Will be better to have non pu coated zippers to start with
Just to second the request below. I’ve seen so much of this peeling lately I really ma just return my new sling for one that doesn’t have the coating, but it would be very helpful to see how it turns out when removed.
Mate are able to post a pic of your work? Been worrying about this lately, got a few bags that have PU zippers and have read on other forums that the best thing to do was rub it with a relatively non abrasive material. Which takes long....
Are you able to share a photo of how it turned out?
I was thinking the same about using permanent ink. They have industrial sharpies, now called sharpie pro. It is weatherproof and made for wet, oily, dusty, and abrasive surfaces. The pro are supposed to resist fading.
Same about avoiding PU fabrics. I was in the market for a new carryon bag and the majority of brands have PU coated fabrics for the exterior and I just know they’ll all peel in a few years. Terrible.
Majority of bags don’t. I can grab any random Osprey, TNF or Jansport bag and it won’t have that. Could grab a Tumi or B&R if I want to be fancy. Won’t have it. Could go to walmart and grab a random one. Won’t have it either.
It’s not the backpack material, it is the zipper material and eg the AER CPP2 has Aquaguard/PU-coated zippers on the laptop and front pocket, so yes, this could happen to those, too.
2023?! That seems way too soon to be peeling. I’d reach out to Aer to see what they say warranty wise. You’ll get people saying ‘it’s normal’ and your fault. It’s not. For context what type of climate are you in?
EDIT: once you get a response from Aer, let us know what they say. It’s good to see how brands respond to things like this. To me, you’ve now lost a key feature of the bag due to premature degradation of the materials and Aer should rectify it.
I'm in a more humid climate, but I still think its kinda absurd that these expensive bags aren't built to last in any climate. I mean which consumer would know not to choose a bag because they live in a certain climate?!
Yeah let me try reaching out to them, hoping for the best because right now I don't even want to bring this bag out anymore, it looks a little ridiculous.
Well, I had a similar issue and they told me it wasn't covered under warranty because it was still "functional" and not a manufacturing defect. But good luck to OP. It seems like they generally don't honor their warranty but maybe OP get's lucky.
Ooof. That’s a piss take. I think another poster said they claimed the same with him till he argued back and they relented. Still rather not have to fight it. I mean is it even functional? If the water resistant plastic coating peels off, isn’t that a loss of functionality? I’d probably never buy an Aer product again if they did that with me.
I know... I was looking back at the order receipt and I realised it has only been 2-3 years?? I have been using it normally and honestly I haven't abused it in any way, but this is crazy.
That quality is absolutely terrible. I'm still using my Thule Crossover 32L bought in 2014 and it only has some minor wear and tear. I use it pretty much everyday for groceries/gym and sometimes for travel(one month in Thailand as the only pack for example).
I've actually tried to find a replacement pack for years, but none seem to really compare, even the newer Crossover models are just downgrades in functionality(they removed the helmet pouch, which I use mostly for shoes/dirty clothes/jackets/gloves/beanie).
I'm looking at the Able Carry EDC Max right now, but im also a little worried as one of its materials is X-Pac. It does not mention aquagard zippers anywhere, but the laptop zipper does look like PU.......
You’ll be fine with the Max EDC. It does NOT use PU coated zips anywhere. I remember they said somewhere that they purposely chose not use aquaguard zippers because they peel in humid climates like HK (where they’re from).
Xpac will also be fine, but you could go for ripstop if you’re worried about xpacne
Agreed. Get the ripstop. It shaves some weigh considering the bag is on the heavier side, is a more malleable fabric, and also saves you a bit of $$. Got mine about 6 months ago and am loving it.
Just be careful about wear on the base. The xpac version uses 1000d cordura to resist wear. I think the ripstop will wear more if you’re rough on your pack
Companies like Thule, TNF, Osprey make good clothing and bags. They’re not online instagram brands trying to appeal to niche communities. Actual hikers, mountaineers and skiers wear their stuff.
Didn’t they start online and with kickstarter? Sounds made for the chronically online.
They’re certainly not marketing at the ski festival like North Face. Or at the running club or gym like Nike. Not an office stable like Tumi or runways like LV.
That’s the reason I hate waterproof zippers. I have been buying high end custom packs since my time in the military back in the 90s. Every waterproof zipper I have every had, even from premium US made packs like Mystery Ranch, have done this on a fairly short timeline(2-3 years). There’s not one made that doesn’t start delaminating if it’s used reasonably hard.
Ouch - that hurts especially considering the price of Aer bags. I was considering getting an Aer CPP2 but after seeing this I'm kind of hesitant now. I also live in a humid country (PH)
My Bellroy Venture sling also has the same issues, though not as bad as this. I guess those coated zippers really wear down over time. I replaced it with a Toshi sling instead.
Just received my Toshi 2.5L and I have an unhealthy amount of love for that bag already. It's. So. Good. I've never seen that level of organization outside of a Fara VALR, and that's a much larger 4L.
Main compartment - T-Mobile tracker in the hidden air tag pocket. GKD Pixel 2 and Galaxy earbuds in main body. Olight I1r flashlight, eye drops and ChapStick in interior pocket 1. Spudz Micro fiber and Travalo Classic with lens spray in the pocket behind that. Anker Slim battery bank in third pocket, and USB C keyring cable in the 4th. Can still get my phone in the phone pocket behind those items.
Back pocket - Bellroy card wallet. And there's still room, especially if I don't mind stacking some things on top of each other.
How long did it take before that started showing and what did Bellroy say? (Mentioned above I’m considering returning my new venture 9L as I have no plans to ish this much for a bag every two years or whatever)
maybe about 2.5 years or so. Just mostly on the top part where the actual zip is, but it's still annoying for a relatively expensive sling. I just chucked it in my closet and didn't contact Bellroy anymore.
Ugh. That’s not very long. I’ve just emailed their support to ask if such a failure is covered within their newly defined 6 year warranty.
Anything other than a yes outright means I’ll return the sling. No desire to pay £150 every two years for a bag.
Thanks for the info.
BTW I bought what may be an authentic 6L from Ali express (ykk zippers at least) it took 6 months of use maybe twice a week before it started separating)
Yeah, that's number 1 reason why I never recommend PU and XPAC stuff (from any brand), its nature is to degrade over time, specially if it gets too much contact. I have a "normal" AER bag since 2022 and it still looks brand new.
I personally think it's overpriced and does not add much more waterproofness to the bag (as in, standard cordura already can sustain a light rain for a few minutes, but xpac will still not be enough for a heavy rain w/o an umbrella -- here you want an actual rain cover). It's also a laminated material, so its durability is def worse than cordura (like all laminated materials - see goretex). So you're paying more for something that last less and does not really add that much.
I’ve had good luck scraping off the PU-coating from a zipper with clear nail polish remover (acetone) from an Evergoods bag. It removes both the black rubber layer and the white glue layer. Super time consuming process.
I would be very careful doing this with X-pac though. I guess it can also delaminate the x-pac fabric.
I had the same issue on a 3 years old bag. In my case I live in a hot and humid country, so it may be related to that. Anyhow, I did contact their support service, attached some pictures (they wanted to see if the liner was completely detached) and they sent me a new bag for free. Amazing support
All Aquaguard zippers and similar tend to peel, so it's normal. What it's not normal is for it to happen that soon and so badly. If you can, use the warranty.
Dang, I’ve never seen them get this bad. I wonder if there are different grades of the PU zipper. My ILE bags have this type but they’ve never done this.
Ultimately I prefer a reverse coil but if it has to have a tape style, the more matte, fabric aquaguard (I act don’t think it’s an actual aquaguard) are preferred
PU coated zips peel and it's probably not covered under warranty. It's not an Aer issue, any zip like this will peel eventually, the speed depending on heat, humidity, use.
If the warranty period is longer than zipper coatings coming off. It’s absolutely a warranty issue in my eyes. Of corse that doesn’t matter but I’m considering returning my new venture sling now
You see a lot of people finding companies say it's wear and tear and not covered, although I definitely think it should be - they used the material knowing it would happen.
Honestly, I would still think its the brand's fault for choosing materials that are known to be prone to degradation, especially if its not covered under the warranty..
Yeah I've said the same thing before - all brands use them knowing this will happen and don't highlight it at all, it's not great. I always avoid PU coated zips.
The same could be said of interior urethane coating, but that usually takes far longer to degrade in most climates so it's not exactly the same.
Hopefully they will cover it for you, but unfortunately don't hold your breath.
Yeah now I know what to avoid, especially brands that use these shitty ass materials..
Do you know if the Able Carry Max uses PU? The specifications don't mention it at all, but the laptop zipper on it does look kinda like PU... damn!
I think there is a move away from PU coated zips - Tom Bihn were one of the first companies to actually stop using them on most bags because of this issue and because the water resistance isn't that much better because of how the zips are attached etc.
Able Carry and Rework Gear have also produced some bags removing the zips, too, although Able Carry still uses them on some bags.
Might have lines that use PU coated zips, but mostly don't:
Tom Bihn (except a couple)
Greenroom 136
Rework
Fjallraven
Jansport
Wontancraft
Evergoods
Matador
Alpha One Niner
Pioneer
Topo
ULA
Baboon To The Moon
Day Owl
Minaal
DSPTCH
Rickshaw Bagworks
Azo
Some bags in line up don't:
* Able Carry
* TomToc
* Aer (Go)
* Boundary
* Go Ruck
* Moment
* Arktype
* Mystery Ranch
Bellroy, Aer, Alpaka, Peak Design are some of the last big lines to move away.
Able Carry remains to be seen as they are not consistent e.g. the Daily line still has coated zips, but the Naughtiam version does not. I suspect they may remove the coated zips on a revised version.
This happens with all aquaguard zipper coatings, I believe. As far as warranty goes I suspect it is often considered fair wear and tear, depending on brand.
They do look bad, hence I now avoid aquaguard on main zippers. If I absolutely need waterproofing I'll find a rolltop or some other main closing mechanism.
This seems like an AER problem. I’ve used coated zips of all kinds from many manufacturers to include some of my military issued gear. I’ve only experienced some minimal to moderate peeling on very hard use gear that was in sun and humidity a lot over many years, which I find acceptable and reasonable. This seems like an AER problem. It’s usually AER packs we see here being posted with this issue.
Just out of curiosity, the Xpac fabric looks like it has heavy wear and tear.
How do you use the bag and how frequent it is exposed to the sun?
I'm asking because I have a 10 year old+ pants that has YKK PU coated zippers. It shows no wear at all and I throw it into a 2200watt dryer all the time.
The irony is that low humidity and ‘dryness’ preserves the PU coating. It’s humidity that will deteriorate the PU faster. Which is funny for something designed to keep water out
My tom Bihn aeronaut started doing this about 6-7 years after I bought it (bought in 2009, when the zips were rubberized side out) - I think they just dry up over time..
Got the small one back during release date (2022) and so far, mine still looks good as new…probably because I have humidity in our house monitored. Would’ve been nice if Aer has info on how to prevent PU coated zippers from peeling right in the product pages of X-pac models.
For me personally, I love how it looks and how it protects my stuff but what infuriates me about it is how hard it is to operate.
Because of storage under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions or hard usage? I guess.
I've been owning a jacket with YKK aquaquard zipper since 2019. it still looks and works fine, although it went through rainy or snowy day several times.
Anything with a PU coated zipper is ‘at risk’. The cordura version usually have RC (non-PU coated zippers) on most compartments aside from front horizontal zip and tech compartment.
Which is why I avoid PU coated zippers like the plague now. Like, I would love an Able Carry backpack but PU coated zippers makes it a no go. Same with Alpaka, Bellroy though I have some stuff from them before I knew about their longevity but no backpacks.
Alternate rec: Osprey, Tomtoc, Rework - I know don’t use PU coated zippers. For the closest aesthetic wise check out the Toshi Pack 20L.
Is it safe to say that Cordura ones will last longer? I have the xpac day3 sling that looks like OPs. It's a shame I really like this sling, if the cordura ones are different then I'd happily buy one again.
Yes they tend to do that but 2 years are disappointing. My peak design lasted 6 years. Though when they start peeling off and all gone they look ok..... Anyway so they eventually gonna tear off no matter what.
It’s mixed. Sometimes they do, sometimes they argue about it and claim wear and tear. I tried getting a straight answer out of them but couldn’t. They don’t want to put anything in writing but in store employees have said it’s covered 🤷🏻
But is this really such a big concern? To my understanding, isn’t it just a second layer of the zipper, and overtime it eventually goes back to looking and functioning like a completely normal zipper?
I have no experience with aquaguard zipper bags, but I’m thinking of buying one so when this starts to happen, isn’t it possible to peel the rest off? Or will it never look the same as a normal bag?
Damn, then I have no idea why these expensive backpack brands make bags with these zippers when they obviously know they’re going to degrade over time and look horrible.
At least one positive thing, it would work as a prepper bag. As the other commenter said, you would look like a hobo, so it’s less likely people would steal your bag in case something happens.
Yeah, AERs PU coated zippers can tend to it: https://www.reddit.com/r/ManyBaggers/comments/1ld14by/aquaguard_zippers_peeling_aer_tp3/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
It is generally why I try to avoid PU coated fabrics anywhere
I will never understand the insistence on brands putting in PU-coated zips. Fine if it's X-Pac and it's being marketed as water resistant, but when you have bags like the Alpaka Flight Satchel that clearly are in a non-water resistant material, what's the point other than introducing another component that will fail in just a few years?
Point is for marketing. To market to people who post in this sub who get excited about new materials and think it must be high quality because the brand’s videos and instagram is cool.
There’s a reason good companies like Osprey, TNF, Cotapaxi, Pentagonia don’t use them.
But those brands aren’t popular here because they’re mainstream and don’t have bags that are PU Coated X-Pac EDC Carry Lite Pro Flight Sling.
I mean Cotopaxi is awful, the whole bag is PU coated and peels.
definitely peels, and terribly. I was surprised to see it so high on so many Top Travel Bag lists.
Yeah but their stuff looks good.
I see way more female college students and white collar professionals with their stuff than Aer. Which is interesting because Aer aims towards the yuppie “professional” crowd. But Cotapaxi probably has a way bigger market share there too for female yuppies age 18-35.
You got to signal that you hike to all the other high earning white collar professionals.
peak design uses them... and they give you new bag if it happens
Planned obsolescence
Learnt an expensive lesson, hoping this doesn't happen often to others, it does look kind of hideous right now
Is there some way to remove it entirely, a solvent that won’t hurt the fabric but can take it off? Shaving it off or something?
I agree with you and others they should stop with it, largely.
I'm sure the upper layer that is peeling can be removed somehow, but unfortunately there is a white layer that looks like its woven onto the zip itself, so it going to look pretty shitty either way when contrasted with the black fabric of the bag
Same happened to me. I peeled it off by hand rubbing it with my nails, took a few hours but the result was worth it. Will be better to have non pu coated zippers to start with
Can you post a photo of how it looks removed?
Will help people decide if they should remove deteriorating PU over zippers.
Just to second the request below. I’ve seen so much of this peeling lately I really ma just return my new sling for one that doesn’t have the coating, but it would be very helpful to see how it turns out when removed.
Mate are able to post a pic of your work? Been worrying about this lately, got a few bags that have PU zippers and have read on other forums that the best thing to do was rub it with a relatively non abrasive material. Which takes long....
Use a black sharpie to cover the white. I did it. It doesnt look bad
Are you able to share a photo of how it turned out?
I was thinking the same about using permanent ink. They have industrial sharpies, now called sharpie pro. It is weatherproof and made for wet, oily, dusty, and abrasive surfaces. The pro are supposed to resist fading.
https://preview.redd.it/4wnfjeirf69g1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b15943ee99b9446e548e6c34ff430a89f097cfc4
This is done on my bellroy venture sling. Not the same bag but has the same aquaguard zipper
Looks better than the destroyed PU on the OPs bag. Is white showing through or is that light reflecting off the sharpie?
A person in this thread used nail polish remover to remove the white glue.
Yes it is the sunlight reflecting off it.
Good to know. I might get me some now and replace the color on this. Sadly the bag is still good. Just these zippers suck
Same about avoiding PU fabrics. I was in the market for a new carryon bag and the majority of brands have PU coated fabrics for the exterior and I just know they’ll all peel in a few years. Terrible.
Majority of bags don’t. I can grab any random Osprey, TNF or Jansport bag and it won’t have that. Could grab a Tumi or B&R if I want to be fancy. Won’t have it. Could go to walmart and grab a random one. Won’t have it either.
People like simple rules instead of nuance.
Yup. My PU coated bag lasted 3’ish years before the PU coating started peeling off. Avoided the material since.
Could you please clarify: this is not an issue with cordura backpacks, right? Never had AER before, considering to buy one.
It’s not the backpack material, it is the zipper material and eg the AER CPP2 has Aquaguard/PU-coated zippers on the laptop and front pocket, so yes, this could happen to those, too.
Those water proof zippers are a terrible idea. Avoid them at all costs especially where it's hot n humid.
That looks absolutely terrible. Would it be covered under their warranty?
2023?! That seems way too soon to be peeling. I’d reach out to Aer to see what they say warranty wise. You’ll get people saying ‘it’s normal’ and your fault. It’s not. For context what type of climate are you in?
EDIT: once you get a response from Aer, let us know what they say. It’s good to see how brands respond to things like this. To me, you’ve now lost a key feature of the bag due to premature degradation of the materials and Aer should rectify it.
I'm in a more humid climate, but I still think its kinda absurd that these expensive bags aren't built to last in any climate. I mean which consumer would know not to choose a bag because they live in a certain climate?!
Yeah let me try reaching out to them, hoping for the best because right now I don't even want to bring this bag out anymore, it looks a little ridiculous.
I also live in a humid climate. This happens to Everything PU coated here.
I will never purchase another bag with this coating or zipper style. It even happens to Vegan Leather jackets here.
Not a little, mate that looks like shit
Well, I had a similar issue and they told me it wasn't covered under warranty because it was still "functional" and not a manufacturing defect. But good luck to OP. It seems like they generally don't honor their warranty but maybe OP get's lucky.
Ooof. That’s a piss take. I think another poster said they claimed the same with him till he argued back and they relented. Still rather not have to fight it. I mean is it even functional? If the water resistant plastic coating peels off, isn’t that a loss of functionality? I’d probably never buy an Aer product again if they did that with me.
That looks like ass. Unacceptable for less than 2 years for that price they ask.
That math. 🧮
My basic math is at least better than their bags.
Fair enough.
That nitpick.
If you think < 3 years is acceptable, say so and explain why. That might be interesting.
Otherwise, speculating someone made a math mistake instead of a typographical mistake contributes nothing to the discussion.
Thank you for your contribution.
I wish more people knew their PU coated zippers and bag will eventually look like this before the rest of the bag is ready to be retired.
Haha you bet, I've gotten an expensive memo about this shit
I wanted to congratulate you on your love for the bag, which is at least 10 years old when I read 2023. What kind of shit is that?!
I know... I was looking back at the order receipt and I realised it has only been 2-3 years?? I have been using it normally and honestly I haven't abused it in any way, but this is crazy.
Even everyday use for 3 years shouldn’t look like this. Has it spent a lot of time exposed to sunlight? Or an excessively humid climate?
UV light will break down PU coatings faster than normal. I’ve heard very humid does the same. Hopefully Aer will consider this more than normal wear.
That quality is absolutely terrible. I'm still using my Thule Crossover 32L bought in 2014 and it only has some minor wear and tear. I use it pretty much everyday for groceries/gym and sometimes for travel(one month in Thailand as the only pack for example).
I've actually tried to find a replacement pack for years, but none seem to really compare, even the newer Crossover models are just downgrades in functionality(they removed the helmet pouch, which I use mostly for shoes/dirty clothes/jackets/gloves/beanie).
I'm looking at the Able Carry EDC Max right now, but im also a little worried as one of its materials is X-Pac. It does not mention aquagard zippers anywhere, but the laptop zipper does look like PU.......
You’ll be fine with the Max EDC. It does NOT use PU coated zips anywhere. I remember they said somewhere that they purposely chose not use aquaguard zippers because they peel in humid climates like HK (where they’re from).
Xpac will also be fine, but you could go for ripstop if you’re worried about xpacne
Agreed. Get the ripstop. It shaves some weigh considering the bag is on the heavier side, is a more malleable fabric, and also saves you a bit of $$. Got mine about 6 months ago and am loving it.
Just be careful about wear on the base. The xpac version uses 1000d cordura to resist wear. I think the ripstop will wear more if you’re rough on your pack
Did/does the Thule have a PU coated zipper?
I have the smaller crossover (2013) and it does not. Pretty wonderful bag for the time.
My zippers are starting to fail, but the bag still looks great.
Companies like Thule, TNF, Osprey make good clothing and bags. They’re not online instagram brands trying to appeal to niche communities. Actual hikers, mountaineers and skiers wear their stuff.
I wouldn't consider AER an "Instagram Brand".
Didn’t they start online and with kickstarter? Sounds made for the chronically online.
They’re certainly not marketing at the ski festival like North Face. Or at the running club or gym like Nike. Not an office stable like Tumi or runways like LV.
That’s the reason I hate waterproof zippers. I have been buying high end custom packs since my time in the military back in the 90s. Every waterproof zipper I have every had, even from premium US made packs like Mystery Ranch, have done this on a fairly short timeline(2-3 years). There’s not one made that doesn’t start delaminating if it’s used reasonably hard.
Ouch - that hurts especially considering the price of Aer bags. I was considering getting an Aer CPP2 but after seeing this I'm kind of hesitant now. I also live in a humid country (PH)
Thats why you get the Cordura CPP2
My Bellroy Venture sling also has the same issues, though not as bad as this. I guess those coated zippers really wear down over time. I replaced it with a Toshi sling instead.
Just received my Toshi 2.5L and I have an unhealthy amount of love for that bag already. It's. So. Good. I've never seen that level of organization outside of a Fara VALR, and that's a much larger 4L.
Does the toshi 2.5 have some decent space or is it a little tight for a 2.5L
Ample space. Mine is packed as follows.
Front pocket - hard shell eyeglasses case
Second pocket - keys
Main compartment - T-Mobile tracker in the hidden air tag pocket. GKD Pixel 2 and Galaxy earbuds in main body. Olight I1r flashlight, eye drops and ChapStick in interior pocket 1. Spudz Micro fiber and Travalo Classic with lens spray in the pocket behind that. Anker Slim battery bank in third pocket, and USB C keyring cable in the 4th. Can still get my phone in the phone pocket behind those items.
Back pocket - Bellroy card wallet. And there's still room, especially if I don't mind stacking some things on top of each other.
How long did it take before that started showing and what did Bellroy say? (Mentioned above I’m considering returning my new venture 9L as I have no plans to ish this much for a bag every two years or whatever)
Thanks for any info
maybe about 2.5 years or so. Just mostly on the top part where the actual zip is, but it's still annoying for a relatively expensive sling. I just chucked it in my closet and didn't contact Bellroy anymore.
Ugh. That’s not very long. I’ve just emailed their support to ask if such a failure is covered within their newly defined 6 year warranty.
Anything other than a yes outright means I’ll return the sling. No desire to pay £150 every two years for a bag.
Thanks for the info.
BTW I bought what may be an authentic 6L from Ali express (ykk zippers at least) it took 6 months of use maybe twice a week before it started separating)
Yeah, that's number 1 reason why I never recommend PU and XPAC stuff (from any brand), its nature is to degrade over time, specially if it gets too much contact. I have a "normal" AER bag since 2022 and it still looks brand new.
What’s wrong with xpac?
I personally think it's overpriced and does not add much more waterproofness to the bag (as in, standard cordura already can sustain a light rain for a few minutes, but xpac will still not be enough for a heavy rain w/o an umbrella -- here you want an actual rain cover). It's also a laminated material, so its durability is def worse than cordura (like all laminated materials - see goretex). So you're paying more for something that last less and does not really add that much.
Thanks for the info.
Is aer ultra okay?
Ultra is also a laminate.
Ohhh shit i just got an aer bag
Me too.
Me too and paid a fortune
Me too, and I absolutely love it, but this is very disappointing to see.
I’ve had good luck scraping off the PU-coating from a zipper with clear nail polish remover (acetone) from an Evergoods bag. It removes both the black rubber layer and the white glue layer. Super time consuming process.
I would be very careful doing this with X-pac though. I guess it can also delaminate the x-pac fabric.
Thanks for this. Do u have a pic of the zipper now that the coating is off?
This sounds better than using a sharpie pro on the white glue. As the other person wrote, please share a photo.
i hate aquaguard and PU coated zips with a passion
I had the same issue on a 3 years old bag. In my case I live in a hot and humid country, so it may be related to that. Anyhow, I did contact their support service, attached some pictures (they wanted to see if the liner was completely detached) and they sent me a new bag for free. Amazing support
All Aquaguard zippers and similar tend to peel, so it's normal. What it's not normal is for it to happen that soon and so badly. If you can, use the warranty.
Find me an Osprey bag with similar issues. Even then they’d replace/fix it for free.
Dang, I’ve never seen them get this bad. I wonder if there are different grades of the PU zipper. My ILE bags have this type but they’ve never done this.
Ultimately I prefer a reverse coil but if it has to have a tape style, the more matte, fabric aquaguard (I act don’t think it’s an actual aquaguard) are preferred
I dislike Aquaguard zips.
I just bought an aer bag not looking forward to this now happening crap
PU coated zips peel and it's probably not covered under warranty. It's not an Aer issue, any zip like this will peel eventually, the speed depending on heat, humidity, use.
If the warranty period is longer than zipper coatings coming off. It’s absolutely a warranty issue in my eyes. Of corse that doesn’t matter but I’m considering returning my new venture sling now
You see a lot of people finding companies say it's wear and tear and not covered, although I definitely think it should be - they used the material knowing it would happen.
Honestly, I would still think its the brand's fault for choosing materials that are known to be prone to degradation, especially if its not covered under the warranty..
Yeah I've said the same thing before - all brands use them knowing this will happen and don't highlight it at all, it's not great. I always avoid PU coated zips.
The same could be said of interior urethane coating, but that usually takes far longer to degrade in most climates so it's not exactly the same.
Hopefully they will cover it for you, but unfortunately don't hold your breath.
Yeah now I know what to avoid, especially brands that use these shitty ass materials.. Do you know if the Able Carry Max uses PU? The specifications don't mention it at all, but the laptop zipper on it does look kinda like PU... damn!
I think there is a move away from PU coated zips - Tom Bihn were one of the first companies to actually stop using them on most bags because of this issue and because the water resistance isn't that much better because of how the zips are attached etc.
Able Carry and Rework Gear have also produced some bags removing the zips, too, although Able Carry still uses them on some bags.
Trying to find good quality bags without coated zippers is very hard
Luckily many companies are moving away.
Might have lines that use PU coated zips, but mostly don't:
Some bags in line up don't: * Able Carry * TomToc * Aer (Go) * Boundary * Go Ruck * Moment * Arktype * Mystery Ranch
Bellroy, Aer, Alpaka, Peak Design are some of the last big lines to move away.
Able Carry remains to be seen as they are not consistent e.g. the Daily line still has coated zips, but the Naughtiam version does not. I suspect they may remove the coated zips on a revised version.
Tom Bihn wrote an interesting blog in 2021 explaining about their decision to move away from coated zips https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/zipper-updates.
No way... This is why PU coated zips ain't worth the worry.
This happens with all aquaguard zipper coatings, I believe. As far as warranty goes I suspect it is often considered fair wear and tear, depending on brand.
They do look bad, hence I now avoid aquaguard on main zippers. If I absolutely need waterproofing I'll find a rolltop or some other main closing mechanism.
This seems like an AER problem. I’ve used coated zips of all kinds from many manufacturers to include some of my military issued gear. I’ve only experienced some minimal to moderate peeling on very hard use gear that was in sun and humidity a lot over many years, which I find acceptable and reasonable. This seems like an AER problem. It’s usually AER packs we see here being posted with this issue.
Just out of curiosity, the Xpac fabric looks like it has heavy wear and tear.
How do you use the bag and how frequent it is exposed to the sun?
I'm asking because I have a 10 year old+ pants that has YKK PU coated zippers. It shows no wear at all and I throw it into a 2200watt dryer all the time.
The irony is that low humidity and ‘dryness’ preserves the PU coating. It’s humidity that will deteriorate the PU faster. Which is funny for something designed to keep water out
I just got my replacement from a warranty claim from them for this very reason. Was pretty painless for me.
I had same issue on my travel pack small
My tom Bihn aeronaut started doing this about 6-7 years after I bought it (bought in 2009, when the zips were rubberized side out) - I think they just dry up over time..
Got the small one back during release date (2022) and so far, mine still looks good as new…probably because I have humidity in our house monitored. Would’ve been nice if Aer has info on how to prevent PU coated zippers from peeling right in the product pages of X-pac models.
For me personally, I love how it looks and how it protects my stuff but what infuriates me about it is how hard it is to operate.
Because of storage under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions or hard usage? I guess. I've been owning a jacket with YKK aquaquard zipper since 2019. it still looks and works fine, although it went through rainy or snowy day several times.
Question is this for all the versions of the bag or just the xpac and or ultra? Curious
Anything with a PU coated zipper is ‘at risk’. The cordura version usually have RC (non-PU coated zippers) on most compartments aside from front horizontal zip and tech compartment.
Anyone here experienced this kind of thing on any Carryolgy x brands? Would like to read your story.
I live in FL, so hot & humid all the time.
Which is why I avoid PU coated zippers like the plague now. Like, I would love an Able Carry backpack but PU coated zippers makes it a no go. Same with Alpaka, Bellroy though I have some stuff from them before I knew about their longevity but no backpacks.
Alternate rec: Osprey, Tomtoc, Rework - I know don’t use PU coated zippers. For the closest aesthetic wise check out the Toshi Pack 20L.
Able doesn’t use PU coated zips on the max EDC and some versions of the daily plus.
Both of the cordura versions of the Daily Plus have PU coated zippers. No x pac since it feels and sounds like a thick, plastic bag.
Yes, it’s the Naughtiam edition that uses a RC zippers instead (but you’ll need to import)
Yikes
The reason I prefer Evergoods bags and Able Carry Max EDC. I have an Aer CPP2 too
pu coating is a disappointment in the long run
Is the PU coated zipper just for the Xpac?
and Ultra. Not for Cordura
Is it safe to say that Cordura ones will last longer? I have the xpac day3 sling that looks like OPs. It's a shame I really like this sling, if the cordura ones are different then I'd happily buy one again.
Any tips on prolonging it?
Not an expert. But if you search on Google some people rec to keep the coating lubricated, like once a quarter.
I have a pack from boundary supply that has the same zipper style and has been doing this as well. Although the wear on yours looks way worse.
Oof. Hopefully the zips on my tech pack hold up better than that.
🥴
I have the same exact bag but older and the only issue is a zipper pull came off and I use it everyday heavily.
Damn… I got the Aer Day Pack 2 for like 4 years, and it looks brand new (except mild scratches)
Maybe you had a bad batch. How much did it cost at the time, was Aer cheaper?
I'm looking to buy one, did u buy it directly from Aer or U recommend 3rd party sellers?
What did aer customer support say?
Sadly, my day 3 sling looks like this too. I'm contemplating buying a new one, knowing it'll be like this again in the long run.
Yes they tend to do that but 2 years are disappointing. My peak design lasted 6 years. Though when they start peeling off and all gone they look ok..... Anyway so they eventually gonna tear off no matter what.
Known issue.
Surely their warranty will cover it.
Theres a few posts about this and Aers answer regarding to the peeling. They do not cover this.
I had a similar issue with a sling and I went into the San Francisco store and they swapped it for me, no issues at all.
It’s mixed. Sometimes they do, sometimes they argue about it and claim wear and tear. I tried getting a straight answer out of them but couldn’t. They don’t want to put anything in writing but in store employees have said it’s covered 🤷🏻
And that’s why I prefer normal zips.
This is a well known issue for Aquaguard zippers and that's why I avoid them on Goruck, Mystery Ranch, AER bags etc
AER won't warranty it since it's wear and tear
At this point you could just cut the Aqua guard zipper off
fyi there is plastic protectant such as 303 marine
I knew these bags looked cheap. Tom Bihn all the way lol
lol they don't look cheap at all.
How hard do you use the bag?
The wear is uneven between the two outer zippers and the one inner zipper. Kind of looks like its gets dragged often.
But is this really such a big concern? To my understanding, isn’t it just a second layer of the zipper, and overtime it eventually goes back to looking and functioning like a completely normal zipper?
Yes because while functionally it’s okay, you now look like a broke hobo who can’t afford a decent bag.
I have no experience with aquaguard zipper bags, but I’m thinking of buying one so when this starts to happen, isn’t it possible to peel the rest off? Or will it never look the same as a normal bag?
No. You’ll have really ugly white zipper teeth underneath. It’s quite hideous
Damn, then I have no idea why these expensive backpack brands make bags with these zippers when they obviously know they’re going to degrade over time and look horrible.
At least one positive thing, it would work as a prepper bag. As the other commenter said, you would look like a hobo, so it’s less likely people would steal your bag in case something happens.