Slides

[mrioux]

Hello, new to the forum but not new to truck campers. I'm currently looking to upgrade to a newer used camper and can see in todays market lots of campers in the 9'6" range have slide-outs.

Never had one of these before and wondering if they make a significant difference in comfort versus the add'l weight (my 3500 Silverado will handle the weight) and maintenance that comes with them.

This will be a camper that I will be spending winters in full time while in Mexico (3-4 months) so again wondering if it would make life more pleasant.

Thanks

[Kayteg1]

RVs went long way since I start using them.
Started with 20' ClassC and when my family expanded and grow up, ended with 40' bus. In the mean time I had one DP who was wide body. You might say that 8" extra width is not much, but it really made the motorhome much more spacious.
Now the slides were invented about 20 years ago.
The first generation was adding +- 18", but last year on campground a neighbor invited us to new TT.
It wasn't long trailer at all, but thanks to opposite slides in the rear, they had huge living room, kitchen island, working fireplace on Central wall HOLY ****- lot of people don't have half of that in stick house.

[JimK-NY]

My wife has no difficulty getting by without the extra floor space of a slide. In fact she is considerably smaller than me and doesn't feel at all cramped. We almost never have excuse me events. If one of us is cooking, the other typically sits closer to the bathroom and back entry. Another big factor is our Lagun table leg. Look at the YouTube videos and you will understand.

[CAJW]

If you’re leaning toward a non slide TC, don’t let the wife see one with a slide(s). No going back to look at non-slide models after mine saw the AF 996. Admittedly, I think the slides add a lot to the open feeling and does indeed increase the usable floorspace. No more “excuse me, I need to get by you to get to the bathroom” conversations. We’re not big people, but if we were, I couldn’t imagne trying to move around in there without slides.

[JimK-NY]

I do not have a slide but I have looked at quite a few with them. I see little advantage. Typically the dinette area slides out but often the dinette is no bigger than in a camper without a slide. The big difference in space seems to be the extra floor/aisle space. Personally that means very little to me. Of course there is also the newest big sized campers with multiple slides. Those often require at least dualies and often 450 or 550 level trucks and are not feasible for many of us.

If you do get a camper with a slide, I recommend you make sure the camper is totally useable with the slide in. I often stop during the day to cook a meal, use the restroom and maybe take a nap. I don't want to have to deal with a slide. In many areas, such as truck stops and rest stops, using a slide would not work even if I had the patience to deal with one.

Another issue is stealth camping. Some people seem to believe this is some sort of nasty, illegal behavior. In fact sleeping in your camper overnight is legal in most areas of the country. Many decades ago most of the vagancy laws were found to be illegal by a Supreme Court decision. Even so local LEOs have a lot of leeway. You don't want to be obvious, make a nuisance of yourself or try to extend a slide.

[gpascazio]

Agree with previous posters. It makes a very big difference. We have an EC1160 with two slides. We spent 5 months in it in 2012 on our trip to Alaska. It worked flawlessly had no issue with the slides the whole time we have owned it

[2oldman]

Yes, it will.

[fpoole]

Yah, short answer for me is, it does make a big difference...

Don't know about the extra weight, but the extra room is nice. I had a friend who had a camper, North Star? or something like that, but no slide. He felt it was too closed in.

He looked at mine and felt that a slide would be best route for him. He got a Toy Hauler instead, but his feedback that 'Yes' definitely a camper w/slide..

I would suggest you look at them both, with and without, and see if you notice a big difference, keeping in mind you tend to get used to either one after awhile... Adapting etc...

For a Solo, might work out fine..
If I were to do it again, I'd do a slide, just one, not the 3 that some campers have, that's a little too big for moi...

Hope that helps..

ps. Only problems I've had with the slide is the rollers on the bottom popped out. Have to keep them lubed/spray, no big deal, but that's about the only prob I've had with it.

[Kayteg1]

Yes it makes HUGE difference.
My slide is only 18" but 18" added to 18" center pass makes double floor size.
On practical note, it makes single dinette side bench into 2-persons bench.
Even we don't need the extra sitting, I can recline on the bench while watching movies.