Slide Out Toppers ???

[dryhorn2]

Are they worth the extra cash to install over slide outs ? Pros and Cons please before I pull the trigger and buy three for my Tracer.

[Redterpos3]

Lantley wrote:

The water stretches the fabric and makes the toppers loose and floppy.

I was worried about this especially through our winters, but the fabric comes right back at least with mine. In fact you can practically see it bounce back as the water/snow melts off. I think the give is intentional. However, mine doesn't stay floppy, so if others do that wouldn't be good.

[fj12ryder]

I'm with GMandJM: I really don't care if they're a bit floppy, not that mine seem to be. I guess we'll find out in a couple weeks when we're at the Outer Banks if they get flappy in the wind.

[Lantley]

fj12ryder wrote:
Could someone please explain to me why water pooling on a slide topper is such a horrible thing. I completely fail to see the problem. The water will go away when you bring the slide in prior to moving. I suppose if you're parked in one place for a few weeks/months it could be an issue for mosquito breeding, but other than that I just don't see it.

The water stretches the fabric and makes the toppers loose and floppy.

[Redterpos3]

SoundGuy wrote:
Our current trailer is the first one we've owned with a slide and it's a shallow sofa slide so I chose to not install a topper. :E

I think this is a good point. I have a very deep slide (43") and the topper is nice for that. I think a shallow slide wouldn't be as helpful for the cost.

[jody_h]

Mine dont hold water and it dont flap in the wind. Will alway have one on mine.

[GMandJM]

Water pooling caused the toppers to sag. When the water is gone, the toppers are floppy and flap when it's windy.

It doesn't really bother us noise wise, even with a floppy topper right over the head of the bed.

We did ask our tech in Red Bay if they could somehow be made more taut. Apparently not.

Haven't tried the beach ball thing, but, like FJ, sloppy/floppy/flappy toppers don't seem like such a big deal to me so far.

[fj12ryder]

Could someone please explain to me why water pooling on a slide topper is such a horrible thing. I completely fail to see the problem. The water will go away when you bring the slide in prior to moving. I suppose if you're parked in one place for a few weeks/months it could be an issue for mosquito breeding, but other than that I just don't see it.

[SoundGuy]

Our current trailer is the first one we've owned with a slide and it's a shallow sofa slide so I chose to not install a topper. A short 3-step ladder travels easily in the back of the truck yet is readily available anytime I might want to check the top of the slide before retracting it. Perhaps if we owned a larger rig with multiple deep slides I might change my tune but I doubt it as the ladder was but a fraction of the cost of several slide toppers. Hey, I'm cautious as it is about having my power awning deployed in windy / rainy conditions, I sure don't want to add slide toppers that can't be retracted without also retracting the slide(s) to my list of concerns. :E

[SoundGuy]

Our current trailer is the first one we've owned with a slide and it's a shallow sofa slide so I chose to not install a topper. A short 3-step ladder travels easily in the back of the truck yet is readily available anytime I might want to check the top of the slide before retracting it. Perhaps if we owned a larger rig with multiple deep slides I might change my tune but I doubt it as the ladder was but a fraction of the cost of several slide toppers. :E

[Lantley]

While they do keep the sun and debris off the slide. They also flap in the wind, a pool water in the rain.
You can add beach balls to control the flapping and pooling but in the end toppers create as many issues as they resolve.
For the cost I prefer not to have them.

[Cummins12V98]

Broke camp yesterday am. Was parked in the trees, lots of leaves had fallen and were on top of the slides. Also it was raining so the leaves were lightly adhered to the surface. Went up on the roof in 5 minutes had the 3 slides swept off. Point is under the same conditions there would have been leaves stuck to the toppers if I had them and they would have been rolled up when retracting the slide unless I went up there and swept the toppers off.

I had toppers on one RV thought they were great! BUT, two rigs later neither with toppers I DON'T MISS THEM ONE BIT!!!

[Redterpos3]

My slide topper helped protect my slide out when we had a freak hail storm that sent down hail the size of baseballs at my house. Others had grapefruit size. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Of course, now the topper has all these hole marks (didn't break through though) when you look up through them into the sunlight. I will need to replace sometime, but I know it saved the roof of the slideout!! The rubber roof of the trailer was OK.

[steve-n-vicki]

I installed a slide out topper on my TT , I found less heat intrusion afterwards , no need to sweep the top of the slide off, less rain noise on the slide , I have not heard any flapping noise when the wind is blowing, so I see all the pro's and none of the con's, all of this was a few coins shy of $300

[Anmacc2]

Trackrig wrote:


If you don't have toppers, you have to leave the slides out, raise the jacks, then move the MH, TT, 5th, or whatever back and forth to get the water off before bringing the slides in with the water still on top of them. Some Class A's might not move with the slides out so you're stuck hoping the water will drain off of the top when you raise the jacks placing the MH into an unleveled position.

The toppers are well worth it.
Bill

I'm sorry, that's just silly. If it's raining when I'm packing up, I place one of those high absorbency towels on top of the slide at the front and back end once it is retracted. Most of the water is swept away by the rubber seal as it retracts. I'm glad you enjoy your toppers and the convenience they provide you. I prefer not to have them.