Slideouts: Benefits and drawbacks
For those considering a camper with a slide out, or without, I will offer my 3 cents worth:
Benefits:
More space!
I love the expanded floor space I get in my AF811 with the slide out.
I can imagine that with 2 people, the extra space would even be more advantageous, because you can walk past each other without going sideways.
When I was camper shopping in mid to late 2009, I also considered the AF865, but went with the 811 because it was shorter, and it would also more easily accommodate installing a power inverter.
Shorter camper, with less weight was a huge consideration for me at the time due to payload capacity of my truck, as well as the fact that I always have a trailer with me when the camper is on the truck.
Knowing what I know now, after having lived with a slide out for 3.5 camping seasons, would I buy a camper with a slide out again? Probably so, because I love the extra floor space.
Drawbacks (or minor annoyances):
1. The back portion of the camper is very cramped with the slide out retracted. The camper really isn't intended to be used with the slide in, though I have gotten in and out of it with the slide in.
Loading groceries enroute is a PITA with the slide in.
Getting in the bathroom is also a challenge, unless you are good at doing a side-step dance maneuver while shimmying through the narrow space between the wall where the sliding bathroom door is and the dinette.
2. Without a slide topper awning, you will likely get water in the camper when you retract the slide if the slide roof is wet. The water won't all get squeegeed off the roof by the rubber flapper seals when you pull in the slide. What water remains up there will run off the roof, and into the camper interior once you start moving down the road.
The first time I encountered the above was when I was returning from the Overland Expo two years ago. The weather got cold coming through California, and I hit snow near Mt Shasta. I stopped for the night, and put out the slide, never giving a thought to the snow accumulating on the slide roof. (DUH!! What the heck was a thinking?!? ) The furnace ran a lot that night. In the morning, I had to climb up on the roof and clear the snow off the slide roof. NOT FUN! Once the slide was in I had to clean the residual snow/water off the slide roof with some towels.
Later down the road, I realized I should have left the slide in. It would have prevented the snow/water problem, and probably would have provided better warmth too, with less air space to heat.
Last night I stopped for the night, and shortly after parking, it started to rain, so I immediately retracted the slide after I remembered the problem above.
Neither of the above are meant to sound like a person shouldn't / can't extend the slide during inclement weather. The instances I encountered as described above were minor concerns / issues for me because I was just stopping for the night, with the intent to hit the road as soon as I woke up.
So, what is everyone elses list of benefits and drawbacks of a slideout?
Benefits:
More space!
I love the expanded floor space I get in my AF811 with the slide out.
I can imagine that with 2 people, the extra space would even be more advantageous, because you can walk past each other without going sideways.
When I was camper shopping in mid to late 2009, I also considered the AF865, but went with the 811 because it was shorter, and it would also more easily accommodate installing a power inverter.
Shorter camper, with less weight was a huge consideration for me at the time due to payload capacity of my truck, as well as the fact that I always have a trailer with me when the camper is on the truck.
Knowing what I know now, after having lived with a slide out for 3.5 camping seasons, would I buy a camper with a slide out again? Probably so, because I love the extra floor space.
Drawbacks (or minor annoyances):
1. The back portion of the camper is very cramped with the slide out retracted. The camper really isn't intended to be used with the slide in, though I have gotten in and out of it with the slide in.
Loading groceries enroute is a PITA with the slide in.
Getting in the bathroom is also a challenge, unless you are good at doing a side-step dance maneuver while shimmying through the narrow space between the wall where the sliding bathroom door is and the dinette.
2. Without a slide topper awning, you will likely get water in the camper when you retract the slide if the slide roof is wet. The water won't all get squeegeed off the roof by the rubber flapper seals when you pull in the slide. What water remains up there will run off the roof, and into the camper interior once you start moving down the road.
The first time I encountered the above was when I was returning from the Overland Expo two years ago. The weather got cold coming through California, and I hit snow near Mt Shasta. I stopped for the night, and put out the slide, never giving a thought to the snow accumulating on the slide roof. (DUH!! What the heck was a thinking?!? ) The furnace ran a lot that night. In the morning, I had to climb up on the roof and clear the snow off the slide roof. NOT FUN! Once the slide was in I had to clean the residual snow/water off the slide roof with some towels.
Later down the road, I realized I should have left the slide in. It would have prevented the snow/water problem, and probably would have provided better warmth too, with less air space to heat.
Last night I stopped for the night, and shortly after parking, it started to rain, so I immediately retracted the slide after I remembered the problem above.
Neither of the above are meant to sound like a person shouldn't / can't extend the slide during inclement weather. The instances I encountered as described above were minor concerns / issues for me because I was just stopping for the night, with the intent to hit the road as soon as I woke up.
So, what is everyone elses list of benefits and drawbacks of a slideout?
