When subjecting your Nargear equipment to the wildland fire arena, special attention is needed to keep your zipper prime. When on the fireline your equipment will encounter large amounts of heat, firebrands, ash, soot, dust, forest debris, and ample amounts of dirt. All of these can degrade the materials weakening them and gunk up your zipper coil which in turn, clogs the zipper slider heads.
Simply use a dry, old toothbrush or stiff brush of some sort and thoroughly sweep & clean the zipper. Then repeat once or twice more with soap and water. After it is dry, lubricate the zipper coil and slider heads. Then thoroughly work the zipper with the slider heads so the lubricant is evenly dispersed along the entire length of the working zipper coil. Any silicone, liquid, or spray found at your local hardware store should do the trick.
Do this twice a year or whenever the zipper becomes sluggish.
All of the cleanings in the world can’t help if you are over-stuffing or misusing your equipment. If your crew is over-loading their bags, the VICTIM fireline pack has more volume and a drawstring vs. zipper. The VICTIM is a top loader pack with a drawstring closure and an expandable top hat which allows ample room to pack extra gear.