The paper presents the development of highly stretchable and tough hydrogels by combining ionic and covalent crosslinks. These hydrogels, composed of polymers that form networks through ionic and covalent crosslinks, can be stretched beyond 20 times their initial length and exhibit a fracture energy of approximately 9000 J/m². The toughness is attributed to the synergy of two mechanisms: crack bridging by the network of covalent crosslinks and hysteresis by unzipping the network of ionic crosslinks. The covalent crosslinks preserve the memory of the initial state, allowing for significant deformation upon loading and recovery upon unloading. The ionic crosslinks cause internal damage that heals by re-zipping. The study demonstrates that the mechanical properties of hydrogels can be significantly enhanced by combining weak and strong bonds, making these materials ideal for various applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, and biological studies.The paper presents the development of highly stretchable and tough hydrogels by combining ionic and covalent crosslinks. These hydrogels, composed of polymers that form networks through ionic and covalent crosslinks, can be stretched beyond 20 times their initial length and exhibit a fracture energy of approximately 9000 J/m². The toughness is attributed to the synergy of two mechanisms: crack bridging by the network of covalent crosslinks and hysteresis by unzipping the network of ionic crosslinks. The covalent crosslinks preserve the memory of the initial state, allowing for significant deformation upon loading and recovery upon unloading. The ionic crosslinks cause internal damage that heals by re-zipping. The study demonstrates that the mechanical properties of hydrogels can be significantly enhanced by combining weak and strong bonds, making these materials ideal for various applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, and biological studies.