Broken Zipper on a Rainbow Country Hercules, replacement?

[Webguy]

Hello,

I purchased a Rainbow Country Hercules jacket from Barnstormer (Japan) in spring 2026. I have only worn the jacket a few times since then.
Today I noticed that the zipper has broken (photos attached).

So what do I do now?
Obviously I wouldn't send the jacket back from Germany to Japan for a repair.

I emailed Barnstormer if they could proivide me with a replacement zipper and I will get my local tailor to fix this.

Any other ideas whre I could get a replacement zipper for this (or what else to do best)?

Many thanks.

 

[jacketjunkie]

Not for a thousand dollars would I ever put the same zipper onto that jacket again. Screw that authentic repro zipper horse**** and just have your tailor install a good one instead. Not every technical update made in the past 80 years is the result of cost cutting, some stuff weren't as good as it is today. A repro of garbage is still garbage. Whatever the hell is going on with that weird zipper pictured here, 100% wouldn't have happened with a quality modern zip.

edit: Pardon my emotional reply, but I have had the same **** happen to me way too often, with both repro and NOS zippers. And finding a good leather craftsman to replace a zipper on a 2000 USD jacket without messing it up and leaving extra stitch holes here in Germany? Good luck. I live in a 500.000 population city and have yet to find one. Companies installing good hardware on a 2000 USD product off the rack would have saved me a lot of mental space in the past 10 years..

 

[Team_Feisar]

Yeah I would really think twice about having the zipper replaced by a local shop. I live in a semi large city in Germany, too, and the only shops I found so far that were at all willing to work with leather jackets of that thickness were specialized in repairing motoring gear. My gut feeling is that "perfect aesthetics" are not the top priority there and I never risked it in the end.
If you are not offered to send the jacket back to Japan for a repair, you could write the team at wildfang (https://www.wildfangdesign.de/). They are, to my knowledge, the only leather jacket manufacturer in Germany that are in the range of the brands discussed on this forum and maybe they can help or recommend some competent shops.

(Noble House in Ulm is also an option and they do repairs for tier jackets afaik. I just personally wouldn't want to deal with a German shop that glorifies WW2 wehrmacht "heroes".)

 

[Webguy]

Hi,

Thanks for the responses so far.

So what would you guys suggest? I live in Hamburg btw.

If I get a new (modern) zipper installed which model could you recommend?
Has any1 sent back a jacket to Japan to get it fixed.

 

[Bennarion]

I emailed Barnstormer if they could proivide me with a replacement zipper and I will get my local tailor to fix this.

It's better to send the jacket to Japan. The kids from Barnstormer are professional, they know where to put the jacket for repair.

 

[Bennarion]

If I get a new (modern) zipper installed which model could you recommend?

Post in thread 'Leather jacket main zipper replacement?' https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/leather-jacket-main-zipper-replacement.117716/post-3162056

 

[Webguy]

It's better to send the jacket to Japan. The kids from Barnstormer are professional, they know where to put the jacket for repair.

Hi,

That's what I have been thinking, too.

Barnstormer would probably send the jacket back to Rainbow Country and they would have all the necessary spare parts and machinery to fix this.

Do you have any experience how long the turnaround time for such a repair in Japan would be ?
Is it one month, half a year whatever?

Many thanks.

 

[Peacoat]

RiRi and Ideal Zippers are generally considered high quality products. I can't tell what size zip is on there now, but I would replace with a #8 or maybe a #10.

To determine the size zipper on your jacket, measure across the teeth. The number in mm is the size of the zipper.

 

[Bennarion]

Hi,

That's what I have been thinking, too.

Barnstormer would probably send the jacket back to Rainbow Country and they would have all the necessary spare parts and machinery to fix this.

Do you have any experience how long the turnaround time for such a repair in Japan would be ?
Is it one month, half a year whatever?

Many thanks.

Only they will be able to tell you about the terms of the repair. I have no experience.

I wanted to buy this jacket, now I doubt it.

 

[Webguy]

Hi,

I found a local taylor who could replace the broken zipper (5 mm) with a YKK VT metal zipper and probably do a good manual re-stitching job. Brass teeth, silver puller as the original color scheme.

The alternative is sending the jacket back to Japan and have it fixed there by Rainbow Country. I havent geard back from the Japanese dealer about the costs for that as yet (plus shipping, customs etc.)

What would you do?

 

[gjchristy]

So this must be a common problem with rainbow. I just bought a used rainbow jacket with a replacement YKK. I’m an original fanatic — and nearly all my historic jackets the have broken zips get orginal NOS zips or zips from doners ( cringe ) even German Ruhr… try finding those in USA!! So the rainbow is a replica… zip is a replica… doesn’t really matter !! You bought jacket to wear, best usable zip is fine. Replace/ repair? If sent to OEM - best (should be under warranty!!) send to someone with correct machine 2nd best.. send to local tailor??? Nah wear it open.

 

[Bennarion]

@Webguy
If the tailor can sew a zipper into the same holes, you can contact him. Shipping to Japan will be expensive and time consuming. I'm not sure if they'll sew a zipper for free.

 

[Bennarion]

I found a local taylor who could replace the broken zipper (5 mm) with a YKK VT metal zipper and probably do a good manual re-stitching job. Brass teeth, silver puller as the original color scheme.

I think this is the best option

 

[Webguy]

Hello,

I received a response from Japan.

I would have to send the jacket back to the store and they would forward it to Rainbow Country for repair.
Cost for work and parts would be Yen 28000 (Euro 150,-). No guarantee mentioned by the shop..

It would take approx. 2 months to be completed.
I would also have to pay for postage to and back from japan to Germany which would amount to €150,- each way if sent by FedEx.
So the total would come to €450,- (plus possible fun with customs) plus a 2 month waitimng time,

The local tailor would to the job (replacing with YKK VT metal zipper) for €150,- total (work and parts) and it would take 2 weeks max.
I could drop off and pick up the kjacket at his place (he is 20 mins away from me).

What would you guys do?

Thanks.

 

[Herrvallmo]

Hello,

I received a response from Japan.

I would have to send the jacket back to the store and they would forward it to Rainbow Country for repair.
Cost for work and parts would be Yen 8000 (Euro 150,-). No guarantee mentioned by the shop..

It would take approx. 2 months to be completed.
I would also have to pay for postage to and back from japan to Germany which would amount to €150,- each way if sent by FedEx.
So the total would come to €450,- (plus possible fun with customs) plus a 2 month waitimng time,

The local tailor would to the job (replacing with YKK VT metal zipper) for €150,- total (work and parts) and it would take 2 weeks max.
I could drop off and pick up the kjacket at his place (he is 20 mins away from me).

What would you guys do?

Thanks.

I had the same issue with a Rainbow Country Hercules and I chose to just find a local cobbler/leather worker to replace it with something that'll last.

Paying a good amount of coins just to get another ****ty replica zipper is just madness in my eyes, so I would suggest that you find someone local that can change it to a YKK, Riri or similar high quality zipper that won't break in another month or two

My 2 cents!

 

[Bennarion]

Hello,

I received a response from Japan.

I would have to send the jacket back to the store and they would forward it to Rainbow Country for repair.
Cost for work and parts would be Yen 8000 (Euro 150,-). No guarantee mentioned by the shop..

It would take approx. 2 months to be completed.
I would also have to pay for postage to and back from japan to Germany which would amount to €150,- each way if sent by FedEx.
So the total would come to €450,- (plus possible fun with customs) plus a 2 month waitimng time,

The local tailor would to the job (replacing with YKK VT metal zipper) for €150,- total (work and parts) and it would take 2 weeks max.
I could drop off and pick up the kjacket at his place (he is 20 mins away from me).

What would you guys do?

Thanks.

The answer is obvious here

 

[Bennarion]

Yen 8000 (Euro 150,-).

Interesting currency exchange rate

 

[Webguy]

Interesting currency exchange rate

Sorry, I meant yen 28000.

 

[marker2037]

Man, what a bummer, but I think you have your answer on what to do. This makes me second guess ordering an RC Herc, which I was just about ready to do, although I would be buying local in the US, so anything wrong could be remedied by the seller…Still, makes me think if this is the jacket for me.

 

[jacketjunkie]

Sorry, I meant yen 28000.

Ich an deiner Stelle würde das Risiko eingehen, dass dein örtlicher Schneider es vergeigt und ihn einen vernünftigen Reißverschluss einbauen lassen. Sag ihm halt, das Ding war teuer, er soll's im Zweifel von Hand einnähen und sich Zeit lassen und wenn er dafür n 50iger mehr will, auch okay. Japan ist zu teuer und dann hast du da wieder Schrott eingebaut und mit Pech den gleichen Ärger wieder in einem Jahr.

Translation: Don't send it to Japan, their zippers are trash.