By Gail Marsh
We’re not sure what to do. Our first RV had them. We’ve had three RVs since, all without them. I’m talking about slide awnings or slide-out toppers. No matter what you call them, people have very definite opinions concerning these covers.
Why now?
We’ve had our current fifth wheel RV for two years so you might be wondering why this topic is just coming up. Here’s what happened: We were in Florida last year parked under a mahogany tree. (FYI, the fruit of a mahogany tree is a very large, rock-hard nut. Sometimes when a mahogany tree’s nut falls from the tree, the shell cracks and breaks upon impact.)
Well, when we arrived home from Florida, we traveled to Iowa. Upon opening the slides, you guessed it, broken mahogany seed pod pieces slid out. We’re not sure how we were able to successfully retract the slide and then extend it again without incident. But it certainly made us stop and think about awnings for our slide-outs.
What do other RVers say about slide awnings?
As with many things RV-related, there are as many opinions as there are RVers. Here are some pros and cons we’ve heard:
Pros for slide awnings
• They protect gaskets and seals from damage.
• Protect top of slide when leaves, nuts, seeds, etc., fall on the RV.
• Protects from snow and ice.
• Adds protection from rain.
• Saves time and energy (you need not climb onto roof to clear slide top).
• Keeps RV cooler by shading slide-out from sun.
• Flies and other insects won’t get inside RV.
• Eliminates debris from getting into slide top gaskets, binding up slide when retracted/extended.
• Extends the life of the slide-out.
• Provides a more “finished look” to the RV.
Cons for slide awnings
• The shade flaps in the wind and makes a lot of noise inside.
• A strong wind can pull the awning off—just another unnecessary cost.
• Snow can stretch the awning fabric and it won’t look or retract as well.
• A cordless leaf blower will clear the slider top for much less money and potential hassle.
• Installation introduces more holes that have potential to leak.
• Not all RVs are constructed with necessary structure to support them.
What do the “professionals” say?
One experienced salesperson told Hubby, “Save your money. An awning isn’t going to do anything to protect your slide-out.” Other salespeople strongly endorse the functionality, durability, and looks of the slide covers.
“If the awning wind noise causes you trouble, you can always bring in the slide. Or, put a beach ball under the awning to stop the flapping noise.” What? If we bring in our slide, we have difficulty moving around inside our rig. And wouldn’t a beach ball crammed between the slide top and the awning stretch the fabric?
“Take it from me,” another RV dealer advised. “Awnings eventually rip, rot, and ruin. You’ll be just fine without them.” Another employee from the same dealership happily boasted that the must-have awning slide covers came “standard from the factory.”
Still another salesperson passing by overheard our conversation and advised, “It all depends on where you camp. If you’re boondocking in the desert, it’s one thing. If you’re set up under trees in the forest, that’s totally different.” Hmmm… I’m still contemplating that advice. He walked off before I could ask, “What if we want to do both?”
Do you see why we’re confused on the slide-out awning question? What do you think?
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RVDT2733
Would not be without them!
Agreed. Very, very seldom do they flap in the wind if tensioned properly. Very important over the bedroom slide, right above my pillow, as they soften the raindrops which would otherwise be pitter-pattering on the top of the slide. Any debris that falls on them automatically falls off when the slide comes in. Only disadvantage I found in wintering in Arizona is I need to hose the dust off the top of the slide before bringing it in. Without a slide topper I’d still have to do that but the top of the slide would be just a little bit more accessible. I did have one rip tear about 2 inches at one end next to the camper rail. I removed the slide topper, cut off 2 inches, reinserted the spine.
Agreed. All the good reasons to have them already said. If others don’t want them, no problem for me!
Had a trailer with and without a slide awning. I would never have one again. They make an awful noise when it’s windy, and nothing we tried, including a flap holder(?), worked to quiet it. This alone negates one ‘with’ ever again. Of course our next trailer (fiberglass) won’t even have a slide to worry about.
In the Deep South, help keep the temperature down.
My feelings are they help. But have seen factory installed ones that were too short, they didn’t even cover the roof completely. I think they should cover from end to end of slide, would help even when the slide was in keeping roof water alway from the seals.
Awning type make it pretty hard to maintain upper rubber seals.
I like the rigid slide toppers I commonly see in Europe. They are hinged at the roof and latch to the slide wall. Yes they can partially cover windows with the slide retracted. How often do we live in an RV with the slides retracted. Being hinged on just one side, they can be lifted to do rubber seal maintenance.
We have had them on two of our three campers. Our current 5th wheel has them over both slides. I would have to carry a 17 foot ladder to safely get up on the roof of our camper to clean the slides before retracting them, and that just doesn’t work for us. The slides are too high to reach from the ground. I vote for slide out toppers.
On a windy day, a camper next to me had a slide topper, and it was making a lot of noise. After awhile, it sounded worse, because it tore apart. I have an extendable ladder and a Ryobi cordless blower that I use to clear my slide top before I retract the slide.
I consider it a safety issue. I don’t want to have to climb an extension ladder for each of our 3 slides to clear debris when we camp under trees.
Slide out toppers are a must for us … the pros far outweigh any cons (if there are truly any cons) … have never had any toppers flapping in the breeze … highly recommend
I have slide toppers on our motorhome, but they came with it. I have put slide toppers on all of the travel trailers we have had, that had slide outs. I wouldn’t be without them.
I have a trailer with one slideout. I thought about getting a slide cover, but several experienced RVers talked me out of it. Issues: noise, winds damage, etc.
My method is: take a photo of the top – if there’s no debris, just close the slide. If there is debris, I get a stool and a long handled soft sponge mop. I’m tall so I can reach halfway across the top from each end. After that, I close the slide. It takes only about 5 minutes.
We have an awning on our single rear slide and I like the protection it provides for the slide. I’ve never noticed any wind noise coming from it. Overall, I’m very happy with it, but I have had two issues:
I use this from Amazon. It’s just ok.
Slide Out Sweep Attachment
I wouldn’t get a slide topper but I also avoid trees and other debris sources like the plague. I still use this RV Slideout Sweep all the time to check and clean the roof of our slide room before bringing it in.
As someone who worked in the warranty department of a dealership I learned to have a strong dislike for slide topper awnings. Just another thing to have to maintain and repair at the least convenient time.
You can eliminate the need for slide out awnings by devising your own slideout sweep. Fitting a floor mop to an extendable handle at a right angle, using PVC with enough reach to sweep your slides’ tops while standing on the ground, works very well. Fewer systems to maintain and a lot cheaper.
Thank you for the discussion, Gail! Both our RVs had/have them. Seems quite beneficial to have the top of the slide, especially the seal, protected from weather and debris. Have a great day and safe travels!