Zippers?

[canadianparkfan]

If you can see it/have rode it, what does it look like?...

I've not ridden it; and it's seeming unlikely that I will this year.

 

Assuming it's the same one from CNE year's gone by it's not one of the more forceful ones. That distinction (for me at least) would go to the one at the North Bay Fair that just about knocked me unconscious 9 or 10 years ago. Seriously, that one was flat out vicious.

If by north bay you mean north bay ontario, that's the one I've done as well. Pretty sure it's the one that used to be owned by WOrlds finest shows (WFS), and yes, when I've rode it, it was extremely intense. The ops (who, for carnies, are some of the nicest staff around, and really respect enthusiasts), found ways to keep my car spinning for about 5 minutes straight, then give constant pops of ejector airtime for the next five... Most Wickedly Awesome 10 minutes of my life!

 

This zipper, and Skyrider, will be deeply missed by me... Two of the most forceful rides in all of Canada.

 

R.I.P.

[BugEyed]

^ Yes, North Bay Ontario. Hands down the craziest Zipper I've ever been on. Gotta make my way back there soon.

[madsecar]

I rode one at the Minnesota State Fair, it was absolutely amazing! I loved all the airtime and the G forces.

[Woodie Warrior]

I rode a Zipper for the first time today at a local fair. It was fun, but for some reason I thought the cars were supposed to do complete flips. Ours didn't do any at all.

 

We also rode a Rock O Plane and that was a great ride, I think I liked it better than the Zipper. Also had my first elephant ear. Mmmmm so good.

[kamikaze.mike23]

i love this ride would love to own one i rode a zipper with friends this is the oldest ride but i still love it

[StuckInSD]

Yet to ride one, but I'll get my chance once the San Diego County Fair is back in season... and scams another $40 off me- ANYWAYS. Still has gotta be infinite-times better than the ghetto Crazy Mouse and pay-to-walk fun houses.

[canadianparkfan]

I wonder what chances new zippers will look like? I remember reading on this article that they're now making some old classics again, like zippers and tobogpan coasters.

 

http://www.carnivalwarehouse.com/brnews/newsarticle.asp?ID=675

 

Great news of you ask me! Always loved the zipper ever since my first ride a few years back.

[DoinItForTheFame]

If the could redo the Zipper ride with seats like these, I think it would be an awesome ride!!! (Not that I could stomach riding it, Zippers were always a bit to much for me.) Source.

Nice open air Zipper rides!

[canadianparkfan]

^If they could somehow have a lapbars version of those seats, that'd be pretty cool. Not sure if it's possible with all the wild forces, but one of the things I love about the zipper is how, despite being cramed into the pod, the restraints themselves give a lot of freedom.

[eddie200330]

^If they could somehow have a lapbars version of those seats, that'd be pretty cool. Not sure if it's possible with all the wild forces, but one of the things I love about the zipper is how, despite being cramed into the pod, the restraints themselves give a lot of freedom.

 

What restraints.....LOL

[Woodie Warrior]

I still don't get the hype about Zippers. I rode one at a local fair and I don't think we flipped or went upside down once. I'm hoping it was either just the certain one we were on or maybe it was our weight (I'm a lot heavier than my sister who rode with me) but I doubt that second one would make any difference. Either way, our ride on it was really really boring.

[canadianparkfan]

^Seems like it could've been just the particular one you guys rode. If it was a newer model, (newer models have heavier pods), that could explain things. Then again, I've also gotten really sh*ty rides on older models as well, so i think some of it just comes down to chance (no pun intended ) as well.

[WFChris]

^^Yeah, could have just been a bad luck ride. Sometimes you hit those ends with some lackluster rocking going on...and sometimes you hit it and you flip continuously till you reach the next end. I think that's part of the love for Zippers; it could be a really chill ride or it could be one of the most intense rides you've ever had!

[canadianparkfan]

^My thoughts exactly. I love the variety of experiences zippers (and other similar flats) give. A lot of the other flats, like round ups, scramblers, etc. get quite boring to me after a few rides. On something like a zipper or a Topscan, I'll rarely get bored. I can remember going to a carnival a few years ago, where I got bored of most of the large flats fairly quickly, however once I reached the zipper at the back of the fairgrounds, I spent a good couple hours there... The carnies certainly made a lot of money off me that day!

Edited December 7, 2014 by canadianparkfan

[Mr.Peabody]

A big part of the quality of the ride depends on the skill of the operator. The operator has control over the speed and rotation and it seems to me there's a certain amount of artistry involved, though I'm no expert. If you have an unskilled or uninspired operator, the ride won't be as good.

[larrygator]

A big part of the quality of the ride depends on the skill of the operator. The operator has control over the speed and rotation and it seems to me there's a certain amount of artistry involved, though I'm no expert. If you have an unskilled or uninspired operator, the ride won't be as good.

 

This is true, just like decades ago when ride operators could manipulate the spinning on a Tilt-a-Whirl with manual braking

[djcoastermark]

I had 2 fairly recent experiences on a Zipper. One was so so and one was great. Walked to a local church carnival where the operators just loaded you, seemed very disinterested in the ride and just pushed "run", with a very short cycle. and only in one direction. It was a bit disappointing. The other rides also ran with very short and slow programs. However a few weeks later we went to a different carnival with a different ride company and had an insane ride on the Zipper. The ops seemed to be into their job and even spun us after we loaded and ran it in both directions, flipping like crazy. I dont know if one was a newer model or not. Both looked the same, like most carnivals, a little worn, and a little sketchy. Likewise the carnival with the good Zipper had a Fireball that ran a 2 or 3 cycle insane program per ride depending on how many people were screaming. So yes, there is something to be said for a good operator of the rides.

[Moose]

I haven't been on a zipper in over a decade. I'm not sure my stomach could handle one anymore. The last time I rode, I lost a pocket full of change that rolled around in the cage and slowly fell out.

[Cygnus12]

Sometimes the skill of the operator can result in a good Zipper ride, but more often than not they're not allowed to toggle the conveyor movement because it wears out the switch faster. If you sit tight, you'll get a good ride by luck mostly, so the best thing to do is to rock the pod. When you're heading into a turnaround, try to rock it so that the pod is rolling into the turn. You might get multiple flips out of it, but you'll always get at least one, insanely forceful flip. Going around the turn with the pod pointed inward is also great; the resulting airtime makes El Toro feel like a kiddie ride.

[canadianparkfan]

Sometimes the skill of the operator can result in a good Zipper ride, but more often than not they're not allowed to toggle the conveyor movement because it wears out the switch faster. If you sit tight, you'll get a good ride by luck mostly, so the best thing to do is to rock the pod. When you're heading into a turnaround, try to rock it so that the pod is rolling into the turn. You might get multiple flips out of it, but you'll always get at least one, insanely forceful flip. Going around the turn with the pod pointed inward is also great; the resulting airtime makes El Toro feel like a kiddie ride.

Had no idea that running the ride that way caused so much ware and tear. Guess that's why the zipper at my local carnival got soled a few years back for maintenance issues. Apparently they weren't able to fix it at the other show who bought it, probably sitting in a junk yard right now. Real shame considering it was one of the last older models and, until it was plagued with issues near the end, seemed in great condition and was well kept.

[simaticable]

Very intriguing flat rides that I've heard about but have never ridden. I wish more would pop up. I'd love to get at least one ride in just to experience it.

[DoubleDown]

The Zipper is the ONE flat ride I have never ridden that I am most looking forward to riding one day.

 

Glad they're still around! And sure, someone COULD do an updated version, but nothing will be like the 1st generation Zipper where it basically looks like you're strapped into a rinkety chain linked cage, with nothing but a lap bar full of decade old padding, and then flung relentlessly head over heels. Hopefully I can get on one before they start becoming extinct.

[boldikus]

Just found out there is a traveling carnival in town just a few blocks from where I work and they have a Zipper! (In addition to some other decent flats) They're in town til April 12th, so gonna try to get over there one night next week for a few rides. I'll report back if I don't die! LOL

[canadianparkfan]

Well, for those who are worried about zippers becoming extinct, seems like there's good news. From what I've heard last year at IAAPA, chancs not only is making amazing coasters like LR at KK. Yhey've now started making flat rides again, including Zippers apparently one's already been sold.

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

The carnival in my hometown often had a Zipper. It's by far my favorite flat. What I love about it is how you can get drastically different rides every time you ride it. Sometimes you're upside-down for an entire length of the ride, sometimes you're flipping like crazy, other times you're rocking forcefully back and forth. I also liked to rock the pod and see if I could get it to flip more, and the more I rode it, the better I got.

 

IDK what the likelihood is of one of these becoming a permanent installation at a park, but I would love to see it happen! (Assuming the permanent installation was just as fun as the fair rides).

 

The other day I saw a tiny carnival here that had a Zipper, I was shocked. However, I didn't get a chance to ride it that day and the next time I drove by, it was gone.