I'd love to read more details or photos or video of how you do it please.
Well I am 10 days away from my back zipper DS but let me try to describe...
I had a few different back zip DS and for all of them, I needed.someone to help me for about the first 10 dives, may be to break a bit the whole fabric.
After that, with a waxed zip, it works fine.
Some of the DS, I could even close them with only my hands some not as the placement of the zip may be a bit different (I haven't really "investigated" that
).
With the hands and if the zip is placed for "hands opening" if you can close your valves on a manifold, it should be ok. Indeed, the trick is to have your elbows next to your face when you look for the zip. Then, step by step, holding the left side with the left hand and pulling the zip with the right, you can slowly close it. It takes a bit of time and practice but if the zip is waxed (have I mentioned that already
), it is doable. The trick: be patient
.
The easiest way is with a short piece of rope or with your spool (we dive with a spool anyway so no need to make a special rope just for that; lets be dir
).
Just attach one side of the spool to a tree, a solid part of your car (don't put the spool inside the car and close the door on the line thinking the line won't slide... it will
), clip one side of the double ender to the zip and with a gracious move following the curve of your back, pivot your body to let the zip close. The line should not be too long otherwise you loose control in one of the dimensions.
With both methods, the trickest parts are, first, to engage the zip, then not to trap fabric from the under or the suspender when you reach the left shoulder, not to trap the zip itself with its inner flat when you cross across your back and finaly, to make sure it reaches the end properly.
At each steps, it is good to put your fingers.to feel the position of the different parts.
Of course, never force if it becomes stucked, just go back, check with fingers and move again.
Personaly, I remove the suspenders as they are the one giving most of the troubles because, even if they are tight, they move too freely and will stuck somewhere.
Wow, I would never have imagined I would have to explain how I zip myself.
Guys you have no shame on forcing me down that path
