Missing Zipper Teeth at the Top: A Stop Workaround

A new top stop at the first missing tooth keeps the slider on, though the zipper will not close fully. Damage lower down needs a new zipper.

Published October 28, 2026 · 3 min read · Topic: Repairs, Zippers & Hardware · Repairs & hardware

Typical situation

Several teeth at the end of your backpack zipper have come away, and the slider keeps running off the end of the track.

Main answer · berabags Editorial Team · Repair view

A new top stop placed at the first missing tooth stops the slider coming off, and the rest of the zipper then works normally, though it will not close fully. Zipper Rescue describes this for missing teeth near the top of a zipper, and says damage lower down needs a full zipper replacement.

What Zipper Rescue says

Visible damage or missing teeth usually requires full zipper replacement, but in some cases you may be able to make the repair.
Missing teeth near the top: you can install a top stop at the first missing tooth, and the slider will not come off. It will not zip up fully, but the rest works normally.
Missing near the bottom: you will need a full zipper replacement.
Teeth damaged in two or more places also need a full zipper replacement, with no good alternative.

What to do

Close the zipper as far as it will go and find the first missing tooth.
Buy a stop that fits your zipper size.
Place the stop on the teeth, at the point of the first missing tooth, and crimp it on with pliers.
Test the slider several times.
Check that the stop does not stick out where it can scratch a hand or the bag’s contents.

What this does not fix

The bag cannot be fully closed, so small items may fall out. It is a compromise for a bag that you want to keep using.

Where this answer stops

This is general advice from a repair supplier. Whether it suits a particular bag depends on the position of the damage and the use of the bag.

Sources and further reading

Zipper Rescue: Zipper FAQ

Three more perspectives

berabags Editorial Team · Maintenance view

Count the gaps. A single gap near the end is a small repair. Several gaps along the length, or missing teeth near the bottom, mean the zipper needs to be replaced.

berabags Editorial Team · Selection view

Decide what matters: a fully closing zipper, or a bag that is usable. A stop is a compromise, and it suits bags where the last bit of closure is not important.

berabags Editorial Team · Use view

Check that the bag can still hold its contents with the top stop in place. If the opening is now a little shorter, think about whether the zipper still protects what you carry.

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