Looking at a gulf stream conquest 255 with slide out and a 25lx heartland prowler no slide out. Rest of the features are about the same. Price the same. It's me my wife 2 girls 7 & 10. Plus two big do...
Slides are way down the list of potential problems that you will encounter. Leaks and delamination are usually the biggest problems. I wouldn't worry about the slide.
I'm in the "No Slide" camp though. We've had both with and without and just don't see a need for it. We are camping -- not reproducing our house on the road. Smaller and lighter is much more fun and less stressful for us.