How To Determine If A Slide Topper Is Right For Your RV

If you've looked at, or used an RV before, you may have heard about slide toppers or slide awnings. They are small covers that go over slide outs and pull in and out automatically with the slides. Some RVs come with them pre-installed, some offer them as an option, and others can have them installed aftermarket. These toppers are designed to protect your slides, make them easier to clean, and insulate, which means it's much easier with toppers to keep your RV warm on chilly nights.

While slide toppers aren't necessary for your RV, they can be nice to have around for certain campers. Unfortunately, they are just as likely to cause problems for others. If you're looking to buy an RV and can't decide whether or not you want slide toppers, you first need to find out which category you belong in before you buy them to prevent a headache or regret down the road.

Overall, in theory, slide toppers are a great idea. Though they help with insulation as an added benefit, their main purpose is to make it easier to clean off the top of the RV slides. Without them, every time you pull in your slides, you're supposed to climb up to the top of the RV to sweep off any debris and water to prevent your seals and roof from getting damaged.

With slide toppers, you don't have to climb up on your roof nearly as often. It also prevents water from getting inside your RV if you pull in the toppers when it's raining or after washing your RV, which helps ensure your RV floors will stay clean and your carpets don't get moldy.

Slide toppers also do a great job against snow and ice. Usually, if you are in a snowy area and you have your slides out you'd have to carefully get off all the snow and ice before pulling them in to prevent any damage. However, because slide toppers are flexible and they roll, all of the snow and ice will just fall right off of them, making moving around easy even in winter, which is great if you're looking at tips for parking your RV for free overnight.

All of that sounds great, right? Unfortunately, while slide toppers sound like the dream solution, in reality, they aren't always so perfect. There are a lot of issues with them, as well, that may make them not so ideal for your situation. The first is if you're a sensitive sleeper. These toppers are basically awnings, and just like awnings, they flap around in the breeze. A slight breeze and they'll be snapping in the wind, and possibly waking you up every time they do so. 

Some slide toppers, especially the wider ones, also have a bad habit of growing loose over time. They'll hold on to a pool of water until a good breeze dumps it all out, which is a pretty frightening noise to hear in the middle of the night. If debris blows in sidewise, it may also still sit on the roof of your slides, but now, you have to find out how to clean under the awnings, which can be more frustrating than helpful.

Additionally, they're pretty expensive. Those who get toppers installed in the factory usually save a little, but otherwise, you're looking at a couple hundred dollars per slide for the material and the labor at a later date. And of course, it's just one more thing that can break and be costly to replace. If you're tired of expensive RV fixes, or want a little less to worry about on your plate, then you may want to avoid these toppers, especially if you don't mind climbing on the roof on occasion.