I have seen a few comments on TC forums and other RV forums regarding the benefit of entering without having to open a slide.I was just wondering what the thought process is.

I spend a lot of time in National Parks. Most have pullouts, rest stops, observation points. It is great to be able to pull off the road and be able to use the restroom, cook a meal, and or take a nap. Of course, I do the same during road trips and often use rest stops.I would only buy a TC that had full functionality without opening slides. In fact I bought a TC without any slides. I do not need to find a campsite with room to operate slides. I often "stealth" camp. Without slides I can spend the night just about anywhere without needing extra space and without making it obvious that I am camping. Slides add to the mechanical complexity, add weight, and increase the potential for leaks and water damage. Typically most of what you get from slides is floor space and not much else of functional value.

We use ours to travel during the day, do activities, eat meals, etc and then find a place for the night. We often stop and enter the TC for different things such as eating, grabbing snacks, changing clothes, bathroom breaks, etc. An average day probably had 8-10 stops. To have to open a slide adds to the inconvenience plus a lot of wear and tear. Think 9 slide cycles per day for 50 days each year and that will go up to 150 days when I retire soon. It's also impossible to stealth camp if the slide must be out. And if you do stealth or boondock, it adds time to bugging out in an emergency.We won't buy a TC with a slide because of the inconveniences. We don't think the added space is worth the headaches, lost storage, extra weight, extra cost, added leak potential and possible problems.

I wouldn't buy a TC with a slide that blocked the entry door when its "in". Some slide configurations only block some of the interior space. Others, especially the double and triple slide TC's, there is no way to use the unit without putting the slides out. Our 1121 is totally accessible with the slide in, and the side-door 1161 which was produced alongside the 1121 is also fully functional with the slide in.I also don't want any plumbing or appliances in the slide, and I realize that I'm probably way out of step with most RV owners opinions on that (no problem). I would buy a no-slide TC before I'd buy one with either of those designs. Unfortunately, that means Lance doesn't make a TC that I would buy today. The no-slide models are all too small for us, and the ones with slides all either block the door or have plumbing and/or appliances in the slide. :):)

There are those that trade off space when parked vs not pressing a button. Mine is partially blocked, so I can't say how much a pain a full blockage would be. Maybe someone who actually has one that blocks the entry and doesn't like it will post. Seems like most complaints are from those who don't have one.

My single slide allows me to squeeze around the corner when it is in, but I hate to think about its malfunction. So my worry would not be if I need to move the slide a bit to get in, but how the emergency operation looks like. I do have emergency crank for my slide, but knock on the wood, have never used it.

Importance of accessing TC without opening a slide.

Bedlam
Moderator
Jun 26, 2017
I wanted a vehicle that could tow 10K+ lbs, had 4wd and did not take up a big footprint. The truck camper with slides gives me a very compact package with big tow capabilities, yet expands out to a very comfortable living space. This may be a completely different usage model than some owners would follow or even want pursue, so they don't understand using a truck camper in this application.
LamboDesigns
Explorer II
Jun 26, 2017
csh_2088 wrote:
Never understood the reason for slides in a truck camper. For a couple of extra feet you pay more, have more weight, more mechanical issues, and an area where cold air can get in. For people in Class A and Class C motorhomes who spend weeks in one campground I can understand but a truck camper is more back roads and parking lots for a night here and there and a slide is more trouble than it's worth.

Some of us do use them to stay in a campground for a week or two. We just wanted the truck camper to be able to tow the boat and run our son around for his math camps while we are staying in a campground for a week or two and loving it over our old class C. We also use it for some back roads and parking lots on the weekends when he isn't in his camps. I knew all the downside to the slide and still think it is worth it for us but know they aren't for everyone. Great thing about RVs is there is a size/type/etc. for everyone that wants one.... some more than one... and that would probably be me if I had more room/money/time.
travelnutz
Explorer II
Jun 25, 2017
Freep,

The Lance 992 sure is a really nice TC though and we had one on order for 6 days. That is until we both decided to just keep our big Lance Legend which had been stored inside for 11 years as we used our 9.5 foot lance on our 2500 truck until selling the 9.5 to a friend. The big Lance Legend was still actually new and we'd have lost a lot of by money selling it. I'd sold the dually truck as the ride was too rough for my disabled wife to handle. Carry the big Legend our 2004.5 Chevy 2500HD Duramax crew cab long box 4X4 truck handles the big Legend just fine and for over 100K so far. Just have oversized tires, airbags, and Rancho 9000X adjustable shocks on the truck.

We sure do realize how much we'd not like having to open slide just to enter the TC even to use the toilet and sure do know we'd made the right decision.
csh_2088
Explorer II
Jun 25, 2017
Never understood the reason for slides in a truck camper. For a couple of extra feet you pay more, have more weight, more mechanical issues, and an area where cold air can get in. For people in Class A and Class C motorhomes who spend weeks in one campground I can understand but a truck camper is more back roads and parking lots for a night here and there and a slide is more trouble than it's worth.
Freep
Explorer
Jun 21, 2017
Bedlam wrote:
Maybe in your case, you should run a hardwired remote to your cab over? I don't think the wired connection times out like the wireless.

:) Thought of that. It does time out.
Bedlam
Moderator
Jun 21, 2017
Maybe in your case, you should run a hardwired remote to your cab over? I don't think the wired connection times out like the wireless.
Freep
Explorer
Jun 21, 2017
Bedlam wrote:
You're never trapped. There is an escape window or hatch to get out of the cabover. If you have proper isolation from the truck battery, you then just need to connect jumper cables between the TC and truck battery to operate the slide.

Yeah I'm not really worried about that for the reasons you mention. The (very minor)issue for us is that while we can close the slides from the bed using the remote, the reactivation switch is just inside the door and is almost impossible to get to from the inside with the slides in.

Lesson learned. The next TC, if we ever get another one, will allow us to move to the door and bathroom with the slides in. A tight squeeze is preferable to climbing over the table and then doing a hand stand to get to the activation switch. I've only done that once and I'll do it again if I'm in another windy snow storm.
cartmancartman
Explorer
Jun 21, 2017
I would take more square footage over being stealth any day of the week. I dont think I would ever buy a non slide camper, a bit too small for my tastes. Again, to each its own.
jimh406
Explorer III
Jun 20, 2017
I've put my slides in when it is extremely cold. Not required, but it does prevent the furnace from running as much.
zb39
Explorer
Jun 20, 2017
I agree, I could go out a window or the up graded escape hatch in bed room. I don't put slides in when I'm in the camper.......ever........no reason that I can think of. I never stay where I'm not legal...period. There is simply no need for that because there are so many FREE places already. Just pick one. I parked my 45ft coach pulling a car 4 wheels down all over the country for free at night many, many times. I was around 64 feet long, 24 tons. Never an issue.