Slide Canopy Covers

[dnismenace]

I need your opinions. We now own a 2003 Wildcat 27RL with one slide. It is our first camper with a slide, so we had a slide cover installed when it arrived from the factory.
We are looking to replace the camper and I have seen many more slides without covers than with. Do they actually provide a benefit or do they make the owners feel better because they have had them installed? Thanks, dnismenace

[fj12ryder]

"Biggest problem I have relates to rain...they pool like crazy. Vinyl resists pooling way better than acrylic but both are a hassle."

This seems to be the most common complaint about slide toppers. But could you please explain why the water pooling on them is a hassle? When you pull the slides in to leave, either the water has evaporated or it runs off. It can be a hassle if you're standing beside the slide when the water runs off, 🙂 , but what does the hassle involve.

Not attacking, just honestly curious.

[fj12ryder]

I was exaggerating for effect. 🙂

[Atom_Ant]

fj12ryder wrote:
So you've never had them but are sure they're the devil's invention?

No I never said that, I just said they are junk. Not exactly sure why you can't handle that. I won't ever have them and I will never recommend them, regardless of how that bothers you.

[B_Sjulestad]

Hondavalk wrote:
I like them because they keep debris off the top and I would think they also help keep the temperature lower. JMO

X2 and I would make sure they have the metal wraps for sun protection when not extended.

[jamway]

We have had slide toppers on our last two trailers. If we get a new trailer we will have slide toppers on it too.

The time we had about two inches of snow on our trailer and was planning to leave that morning impressed me very much. The snow just fell off the topper as it came in. That was a lot better than it going into the trailer. I am not able to get on the top and push the snow off.

If the wind is blowing just right they will make some noise and after eight years our toppers looked kind of thin so we replaced them last year.

[netjam]

Had slide toppers for 7 years (except for one year after one ripped off in the wind and I didn't replace it). Had both types A&E Dometic and Carefree. We full time in most states (east to west) and Canada (in the snow). I have to agree with Adam Ant. There are lots of + and - to toppers but on balance, I'd say better without them. Biggest problem I have relates to rain...they pool like crazy. Vinyl resists pooling way better than acrylic but both are a hassle.

[fj12ryder]

So you've never had them but are sure they're the devil's invention?

I've been in severe rainstorms, gully washers, frog stranglers, whatever you want to call them. I've never even thought about bringing in the slide toppers, to be honest I simply didn't think about them. Also windstorms that were bad enough to wonder if the 5th wheel was going to stay upright, not an issue. But these are first hand experiences, not what I've seen, not what other people have said, these are my experiences. I really liked them on the first 5th wheel we owned, enough that I ordered, and paid for, them on the new one.

And I base my statements on what I know, not what I assume after seeing and hearing from other people. I have heard from people that the Ford diesel is not a good engine, this from people who have owned them and have told me personally. However I don't tell people that the Ford diesel is a bad engine, because I don't know this from first hand experience. I may say I have heard that some don't like it.

You should be upfront with your advice and state that it is simply second-hand and apocryphal, not first hand experience, since you've never had them.

[Atom_Ant]

fj12ryder wrote:
We've all had a bad experience with one thing or another. At least I'm assuming that Atom Ant has had a bad experience with them, and not just decrying their usage because of an opinion rather than actual first hand application.

I'm decrying their usage because of an opinion rather than actual first hand application just like everyone else on here. I don't need to buy a Yugo to understand the negatives of owning a Yugo by simply being observant.

What I do hear on the forums is a minority that seem to really need to give them a good testimony, which I suspect is to help support their decision to buy them, yet in reality I physically see far more negatives to owning them than benefits. I see them hanging off the slides after they've ripped in half, degraded, de-laminated. I've seen people out trying to cram stuff under them to keep them from banging around, I've even seen slides tip in at the top in a storm and break open the slide seal allowing rain water in because the toppers are billowing up in a windstorm and there are no choices to release them other than bring in the slides. We have entertained strangers in ours at the lake because they had to bring in there slides due to a storm, the same as the tent trailers. I've seen the stretched material in the center because they sag on the new higher slides that have more headroom but also leave less room for a good pitch on the toppers, causing them to not be able to roll back up in the middle.

Next time the wind comes up or a gully washer settles in and starts dumping down on you enough that you figure you better bring in the awning, think about how you are going to bring in those toppers - you're not!

We've had the opportunity to order them on the last two rigs, and I feel strongly enough against them after seeing some people suffer with them, they were the only option we didn't get. We were even looking at an inventory unit that had them and priced having them removed.

There are regions where they may be useful, but I've yet to find it.

[fj12ryder]

We've all had a bad experience with one thing or another. At least I'm assuming that Atom Ant has had a bad experience with them, and not just decrying their usage because of an opinion rather than actual first hand application.

[Atom_Ant]

Allworth wrote:
We wouldn't be without them.

(And, Atom, we have traveled out West extensively in all kinds of weather including deep snow and high winds.)

Isn't that weird, you wouldn't be without them and I would never use them. Now from that one side or the other needs to decide which of us represents "most" people so we can put it in our article, or maybe we should just leave it at "to each his own" and not try to draw conclusions.

PS, traveling and staying are two different things - You could not "honestly" say you made the right choice if you were staying at some of the places we do in the same weather, you would just be justifying your purchase.

[Allworth]

We wouldn't be without them.

(And, Atom, we have traveled out West extensively in all kinds of weather including deep snow and high winds.)

[Atom_Ant]

ependydad wrote:
Strongly recommend:
http://www.learntorv.com/2014/01/slide-toppers-aka-awnings-definitely.html

There are some cases where you shouldn't get them like LynnandCarol mention, but for most situations- they're a benefit.

That is quite an assumption in your article given you never ventured out of the East. Bring them wind slappin, snow and water holding pieces of junk out west and see if you have the same attitude before you publish. I would say the need for them is the exception rather than the rule.

[fj12ryder]

We usually stay in places with a lot of trees so the toppers were a must for us. The flapping has never been issue for me.

[RollandB]

We've had them on several rigs and would not live without them. We camp on the Oregon coast and mountains so have trees above in a lot of sites. We've been in high winds and haven't had issues. I believe having them installed with the right tension is key. If the wind rips one off someday it will get replaced. Good Luck!

[fairhaven]

Our fiver has 4 slides. I did not order it with toppers. After two trips last year having to climb on the roof and sweep off the 4 slides I purchased slide toppers. Best thing I ever added to a rv.