Exactly how important is a slide?

[sillynikki]

I said I'd never get a camper without a slide, but we've found a hybrid that looks really roomy and doesn't have a slide. It's a 2007 Roo 233. The price is right and it appears to be in good condition. We're going to look at it in person tomorrow (it's 2 hrs away from us). I'm just wondering how many of you gripe about NOT having a slide in your hybrid. Does it really make THAT big of a difference in the hybrids?

[Wizfisher]

Floor plan plays a part on whether or not a slide is necessary.
We have a Starcraft 229TB and the layout (in our opinion) works without needing a slide.
Everything is usable while closed. There is enough room behind the dinette, between the kitchen counter and fridge for our kids to play on the floor while the adults play games at the table.
We can still sit 5 comfortably at the table and I plan on extending the table somehow to add 2 more seats utilizing the sofa.

It seems that the older hybrids were designed with very narrow walkways.
We would have wanted a slide if that was what was available when we were shopping around.

[tailgater]

You absolutely, most definitely do NOT need a slide.

Until you do.

[musicman54]

we are not small people so a slide makes it easer to get around in our rv

[DiskDoctr]

Chuck_S wrote:
The slide in our Coleman Bayside popup and Roo 23SS hybrid doubled the floor space inside. Yeah, that's an exaggeration, but not much. 😉

Our Starcraft HTT has a small slide for the sofa with a hard topped and glass window called the 'star gazer' which goes out farther than the bottom (think wedge shaped)

It only comes out about 2', but it seems like it adds ACRES of space 😉

For us, we would not buy another camper or MH without a slide. The caveat would be making sure you can still get to your stuff and use the space when the slide is retracted.

[Padlin]

I look at it like power windows or air conditioning in a car, living without doesn't phase you if you've never had them, but once you do...

We don't have a slide and never having had one, don't mind at all. The side bunk on ours is like PAThwackers minus the bunk beds.

[Oasisbob]

It is purely preference. Our family of 6 does fine without. Happy trails

[PAThwacker]

No slide out needed! Could use one when turtled. I don't have access to the front of the dinette or front storage area. Open it up and its fine.

[3LittleDucks]

Our PUP had a slide, our HTT doesn't. We don't miss it. See how the floorplan feels to all of you when you see it. 🙂

[Chuck_S]

I'm still wondering about the slide "problems" alluded to as well. We're in the 9th season with our Roo 23SS and the slide has popped a breaker one time. Came right in with the hand crank.

All the dirt on top of the slide comes in with it but a slide "topper" awning eliminates almost all of that.

-- Chuck

[drenjoey]

bikendan wrote:

JM6479 wrote:
i have a new Shamrock 233 (same model as the Rockwood you are looking at), and ours has the slide (not sure when they added the slide). We camp with me, wife, 3 little boys, sometimes the dog. We spend some time inside when the kids need to rest or get out of the sun, or when it's raining. We like the slide, it works for us...

you have a 233S, not a 233. the 233S is a 233 with a sofa slide.
the 233 has been around for almost 10 years, while the 233S has only been around for about 2-3 years. but it's the hottest selling hybrid right now.
as far as needing a slideout, our slideout is 12' long on a 24' HTT, which really makes a difference.
we love our slideout and with a slide topper, issues of debris on top aren't a concern and our slideout has been trouble-free.
we would never consider any RV without one now that we've had ours.

I agree with the above. We're on our second HTT both with 12' slide out, and never had any problems. We're only my wife and I and still wouldn't go without the slide out.
I didn't read many complaints (if any) on this forum regarding problems with them.
However the decision is yours, and you will have to live with it.
Dre

[Hoosierdaddy47]

Our Antigua is a virtual clone of the 233, without all that pesky storage space. 😞 2 adults, 2 teens, 2 small dogs. While we've been REALLY lucky regarding weather on our trips last year and this, our luck will NOT hold forever! While we agree that time camping is best spent outside, a dinette slide, as on the 233S, would be really nice for those days when the weather is foul. My advice: have the whole family hang around the dinette. Sit, move around, that kind of thing. See how you all fit. Also, bear in mind that we use the sofa as dinner table seating. Couldn't do that with a slide. And it looks like you lose a bit of precious storage space with any slide!

[PAThwacker]

We don't have a slide in our unit. The side bed gives an illusion of space.

[Chuck_S]

The slide in our Coleman Bayside popup and Roo 23SS hybrid doubled the floor space inside. Yeah, that's an exaggeration, but not much. 😉

-- Chuck

[Campfire_Time]

Our new Jayfeather X20E has a small slide that is just for the couch. It only moves out about a foot but man, what difference that foot makes! We often camp with 3 adults; myself, my wife, and adult daughter. In the morning when everyone is getting up and showering and getting coffee, etc. its really nice to have that extra room to move around. The slide is what sold us on the unit. And its one like Rockhillmanor said, when slide is in it doesn't block anything.

If slides are so prone to break, why do the majority of new trailers I see have them? Many with 2 or more slides. Yes, we read about the problems here, and maybe we even know someone with a slide that has problems. But on the whole the complaints I see are few and far between compared to the sheer numbers of slides I see in the campgrounds and RV parks.

Ultimately you have to get what you like and what you can live with. I hope what are going to look at works out for you. No matter what happens, its always fun!