Someone who recently ordered and received a jacket through our online store has complained because the zipper car is on the left. He claims this is difficult and inconvenient for him because he is right-handed.

Rick and I had never even thought about this before with our own jackets, so we checked our closet. Of three unisex sailing jackets, two had the zipper on the left and one on the right. An extra-large ski jacket has the zipper on the left.

We tried on all these jackets and had no difficulty zipping them regardless of whether the zipper car was on the left side or the right side.

So I started a survey by calling my daughter, who has a large family. She went through all their jackets and the results were: 19 jackets with zipper car on the right and 3 jackets with the zipper car on the left.

So I guess the question is:
Does it matter whether the zipper car is on the left or the right, whether you are lefthanded or righthanded?

This will give you a chance to clean out your closet while you are checking your zippers.

Mine is on the right.

But this is quite a random topic :P

What is a random topic? We're talking about sailing jackets. Maugan, you really need to develop a sense of humor.

The thing is, this is a potentially sexist issue. As everybody knows, in the case of button shirts, men's shirts have the buttons on the right side and women's shirts have the buttons on the left side.

Therefore, I think some people might think that men's jackets would have the zipper car on the right side and women's jackets would have the zipper car on the left side.

No self-respecting guy wants people to think he is wearing a women's jacket. And, obviously, everybody pays close attention to which side of your jacket has the zipper car. Sort of like earrings.

I was going to post something about how a man's and woman's button up shirts have the buttons and button holes on opposite sides - wondering if the zipper thing was along those lines. But then I realized someone might start to theorize as to why I knew that.

I do have a sense of humor about it!!

I think its funny actually that someone took the time to notice a difference :P

I know Jake, I've taken my girlfriends' shirt off her many times and noticed the same thing >:-)

(no the apostrophe is not out of place)

Ever notice that when a woman is wearing blue jeans and a button down top that the flap on the pants is facing opposite as the flap of the shirt?

GARY

Gary, you're right. I had to get my jeans out of the closet to check.

But this is not relevant to the question: Does it make a difference to you whether your jacket has the zipper car on the left or right side of the jacket?

This is a serious, but humorous, survey for the benefit of manufacturers of sailing gear. Two life jackets I have found in our household have the zipper car on the right.

Is that a problem for lefthanded people? Is there a safety issue here?

I guess the most typical zipper us guys contend with is the pant zipper which we have to operate many times a day (depending on fluid consumption etc.). and this zipper is ALWAYS on the right. So I can see why all of a sudden having to zip on the left side would be awkward.

This depends solely on whether you are on a port or starboard tack.

On slacks and jeans I can't tell which side the car is on. It is just a straight up and down, because it is attached at the bottom.

A jacket is different, where you have to put the bottom together and the car is either definitively on the left side or the right side.

Possibly men have a problem with small-motor coordination and it makes a big difference to them whether they slide the zipper into the car from the left or the right. That is why I have asked this particular audience for your input on whether it is easier for you to put a zipper together when the car is on the right or on the left.

Please try to cooperate in this survey.

Well then if you really want to know, I can tell you that I think that all zippered products for men should be operated from the right. That is the way they are accustomed to using the zipper.

While I can quickly start the zipper and zip up my pfd without even looking, if it were backwards it would cause a short stumble of my attention.

Women can use zippers easily from either side because they are used to using both. So a unisex zipper should be of the male gender and be operable with the right hand.

GARY

But regardless of whether the zipper car is on the right or the left side, once I put them together at the bottom, I always use my right hand to raise or lower the zipper. I think this would be true regardless of whether the zipper raiser was right- or left-handed.

It is possible that if, in the design of the product, the flap overlaps toward the left, that would be more convenient for the left-handed person, and if the flap overlaps to the right, it might be better for the right-handed person.

But let's just disregard the direction of the flap for now and concentrate on the design of the zipper itself. I'm sure we can save the flap issue for a later thread.

The reason that the buttons are opposite on sides: This enables a man to get a womans shirt off with out having to think too much....the way I got it figured.

Mary,

What I meant to say is that I am sure that it's a customary use thing. I think the basis of it is that we usually operate the tool with our right hand, and use the left to assist. When hooking the zipper at the bottom (with a right hand zipper) you hold the zipper car with your right hand and hold the tab with the left. And once you hook it you immediately shift fingers and zip the zipper right up (with your right hand). No having to change hands or anything. I think a zipper car on the left side is intentionally made that way for left handed people. Or possibly the factory gets a better price on the left handed zippers and never thought someone would complain about it because they may not have stopped to think about why it ould make a difference.

Did you call the factory to ask them why they did it this way?

Mary all I have to say is welcome to the world of retail!


Thanks,
Brad Stephens
www.sunjammers.com<------new site!
Authorized Hobie/Vanguard Dealer
Division 15 Chairman
Panama City Beach, FL
brad@sunjammers.com
850-235-2281

Hi Mary,

For the benifit of your survey I use a Wave wake boarding jacket with side entry zipper that zips upto your armpit.

This is located on the left side off the jacket. I have never thought about it too much but now I think about it, I being right handed, would find it awkward if the zipper / entry was from the right side.

I hold the car in my left hand, hook in the right zipper track with the right, start the car up the zipper about 2 inches with my left, and switch to my right to pull up. I had to go put my jacket on and observe because it's instinctive. I never realized that I switch hands to pull the zipper up. I'm right handed, and putting on a girl's jacket or sweater, I fumble and take a while, probably switching hands a few times. In all honesty, though, my lifejackets have plastic clasps that fit much better than a zipper jacket, anyway.

Are you talking about putting a girl's jacket or sweater on yourself or on her? And I assume you are referring to jackets or sweaters with zippers?

I am asking because I have not been able to find any difference between jackets designed for women and men. Most zipper cars seem to be on the right.

However, the ones that my daughter found that had the zipper car on the left side were mostly children's jackets, which would make sense if an adult is zipping them up, because when you are facing the person you are zipping up, it is easier for the right-handed person who is doing the zipping if the zipper car is on the left side. Whereas, if you are zipping up your own jacket on yourself, it is easier if the zipper car is on the right (unless, of course, you are left-handed).

We still have not heard back from the jacket manufacturer as to whether there is a reason for putting the zipper car on the right or the left, and whether there is any symbolism or sexism or handism involved. Perhaps the designer of the clothing was left-handed?

Mary, The only jacket that I have that zips on the left is my foul weather gear, Henry Lloyd made in Europe. I don't know if that has any thing to do with it but it does take getting used too.