Have you been thinking about purchasing Outdoor Blinds for your Alfresco area or Outdoor Entertainment area, but feeling a little overwhelmed by all the information out there?
It’s best to keep things simple
It’s Best To Keep Things Simple When Considering what type of Outdoor Blinds to choose for your alfresco area or outdoor entertaining area.
In this post we look at Zipscreen and Ziptrak which are the two leading outdoor channel blind products on the market.
Why Zipscreen or Ziptrack?
Zipscreen and Ziptrak distinctly have side channels or runners and a unique top pelmet to help enclose an outdoor space.
Whether you want to stay cool on hot summer days, trap the heat in the cooler months, or simply create a barrier to protect you from insects and inclement weather, these external shade blinds create a comfortable outdoor area in any season.
What's the difference
Both are well-known for their durability, but the biggest distinction between the two is how the fabric is held in place in the side channels or runners and how it sustains in wind tunnel conditions. Let’s take a closer look at the differences.
Manufacturer
Zipscreen | Ziptrak |
Are designed and manufactured by Acmeda one of Australia’s largest Blinds componentry companies. In 2015, Acmeda joined US company Rollease to become Rollease Acmeda. | Ziptrak Blinds are designed and manufactured by a South Australian company – Ziptrak. |
How is the fabric held tight?
Zipscreen | Ziptrak |
Zipscreen use a single sided zip named z-Lock. The z-Lock is welded on one side of the fabric. The z-LOCK side-tensioning system uses a one-of-a kind, Japanese-made zip, which fits perfectly into the slim side channels and stays hidden from view. | The blind fabric is held into the track using Cordura tape commonly known as Kedar. In this instance the Kedar is fixed to the blind material through high frequency welding to create a strong join. |
Mechanism used to hold the fabric tight.
Zipscreen | Ziptrak | |
Spline type | Zip | Kedar |
Visible Spline | Yes | Yes |
Spline Fixed | Welded | Welded |
Spline Colours | Black, White, Cream, Beige, Charcoal, Light Grey | Not available |
How much wind can ZipScreen vs Ziptrak blinds sustain?
Zipscreen | Ziptrak |
Testing performed by Monash University. | Testing performed by the University of Adelaide. |
A 2.4m x 2.4m Zipscreen Blind withstood the maximum achievable wind speed of 140km/hr**.
**Even with these impressive results, it is always recommended to raise your Zipscreen shades when the wind may exceed 50km/h. |
A 2.5m x 2.5m Ziptrak Blind can resist a wind loading up to 82.4km/hr when installed with aluminium rivets and up to 139km/hr when installed with stainless steel rivets**
**It is always recommended to raise your Ziptrak blinds when the wind may exceed 50km/h. |
Source: Click here | Source: Page 8 of Ziptrak-8-page-catalogue-20210730_05-AU.pdf Click here |
Result: Zipscreen withstood a higher wind load
From the table above, ZipScreen withstood a higher wind load. However, both manufacturers recommend raising their shading systems when winds exceed 50 km/h as a precaution to avoid voiding your warranty.
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About this Article
This article was written by the team at Top Spot Blinds.