Gifts for Someone Who Struggles With Zippers: 4 Easy Picks
November 2, 2026 · 5 min read
Short answer: the best gifts for someone who struggles with zippers take away the hard part, which is lining up the two halves at the bottom. A MagZip® magnetic zipper does that on its own. You can add one to a coat they already own with ZipperBuddy, have one made for an odd-sized zipper, or give a hoodie with MagZip built in.
A gift that lets someone dress on their own terms gets used every day. Here are four picks, who each one is for, and how to get the fit right before you buy.
Why zippers are the hard part
A regular jacket zipper starts with a small pin on one side. You slide it into a small box on the other side, hold both halves level, and then pull the slider up. That step takes two hands, a firm pinch and good feel in the fingertips.
Plenty of people find that step hard. Stiff fingers on a cold morning. One hand busy with a cane, a bag or a child. Shaky hands. Small hands still learning. The result is often the same: the coat stays open, or someone else has to zip it.
A bigger pull tab helps with the pull, but not with the join. The join is where a MagZip helps. Bring the two sides close and the magnets click them together and line them up. Then the slider runs up like any other zipper.
4 gifts for someone who struggles with zippers
1. ZipperBuddy MagZip: for the coat they already love
Most people do not want a new coat. They want the one they have to be easier. ZipperBuddy MagZip zips onto the jacket's existing zipper with no sewing and no tools, and puts a MagZip in the middle. After that one-time setup, they close the jacket with the magnets.
- Best for: a parent, grandparent or friend with a favorite winter coat.
- Fits: jackets, coats, vests and hoodies that open all the way down the front with a #5 plastic-tooth zipper.
- Price: $49.
This is our top seller and the easiest gift to give. If you can borrow the coat for a minute to measure, you can get the size right.
2. Custom ZipperBuddy MagZip: for a zipper that is not standard
Some coats have a zipper that is shorter than 22 inches, longer than 32 inches, metal, or on the other side. The Custom ZipperBuddy MagZip is built to one jacket: zipper type, length, slider side and color. A short finder asks four questions and lets you add a photo, and your answers travel with the order to the person building it.
- Best for: a long parka, a work jacket, or a coat with a metal zipper.
- Price: from $64.
- Good to know: each one is handmade for one coat, so custom orders cannot be returned. Order early in the season so it arrives in time.
3. FREEDOM Hoodie with MagZip: for a new piece that just works
If you would rather give clothing, the FREEDOM Hoodie is a heavyweight fleece zip hoodie with MagZip built in. No setup, no measuring the zipper. They pull it on, bring the sides together, and zip.
- Best for: anyone who lives in a hoodie, or who wants a warm layer under a shell.
- Price: $65. A matching hoodie and jogger set is also available.
4. MagZip Kids Hoodie: for kids learning to dress themselves
Kids want to do it themselves. The MagZip Kids Hoodie uses the same magnetic base, plus a fabric tab that gives small fingers an anchor point. It is a cotton and modal blend, soft and built for active kids.
- Best for: kids in school or daycare who zip and unzip all day.
- Price: $39.
How to check the fit before you buy
The clothing gifts come in regular sizes. The ZipperBuddy gift needs one quick check, and you can do it without spoiling the surprise.
- Check the zipper type. Flip the slider over and look for a "5" stamped on the back. Plastic teeth with a 5 means the standard ZipperBuddy fits.
- Measure the zipper. Measure from the top stop to the bottom stop, not the whole coat.
- Size down, never up. Pick the length that is the same or shorter: 22" for 22 to 23.5", 24" for 24 to 26.5", 27" for 27 to 29.5", 30" for 30 to 32".
- Anything else goes custom. Under 22", over 32", metal teeth, or not sure? Order a Custom ZipperBuddy and we will build it to the coat.
Our ZipperBuddy page walks through the same steps with pictures.
Why MagZip
MagZip is not a new idea we are testing on you. It launched with Under Armour and has been on major brands since, including Tommy Hilfiger and Lululemon. ANKHGEAR® makes it available for the coats and hoodies people already wear.
Quick questions
Is ZipperBuddy hard to put on?
No. It zips onto the coat's existing zipper with no sewing. Most people do it once and leave it on all season.
What if I get the size wrong?
Size down if you are between lengths. If the coat is not a #5 plastic zipper, or you cannot measure it, choose the Custom ZipperBuddy so we can confirm details first. You can also email info@ankhgear.com before you order.
Does it work with one hand?
Yes. The magnets do the lining up, so one hand can bring the sides together and pull the slider. More answers are on our FAQ page.
Give the easy morning
The best gift is the one they use every day without thinking about it. For someone who struggles with zippers, that is a coat they can close on their own. Gear that gets out of your way.
MagZip’s magnetic base lines the zipper up for you. Sew one in, zip one into a jacket, or wear it built in.