Materials and technology

Hydrolysis

Hydrolysis is the breakdown of plastic by moisture and heat. In packrafts it mainly affects airtight zippers that are stored wet.

MRS and the Packrafting Store warn: if a boat with a TiZip zipper is packed wet, mould can attack the coating, it comes off and the zipper leaks. That's not covered by the warranty. Such a boat should never stay packed damp for more than 48 hours.

Sources and further reading

• Packrafting Store: packraft luggage systems overview
• MRS: TiZip Maintenance
• Packrafting Store: product and usage FAQ

Research as of 13 Nov 2026. We have marked manufacturer information as such.