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RV slide toppers are retractable pieces of fabric that cover RV slide-outs. These toppers are designed to keep water and debris off the tops of RV slides. However, many RVers think they are more hassle than they are worth.
In this article, I’m diving deep into the pros and cons of RV slide toppers, so you can decide if they are a good upgrade for your RV.
Contents
What is an RV Slide Topper?
A slide topper is basically a mini RV awning. In addition to providing shade over the slide, it also covers an RV slide-out to keep sun, leaves, and water off of it. Slide toppers are sometimes also called RV slide-out awnings.
Pros of RV Slide Toppers
Keeps Debris Off the Slide Roof
The main purpose and advantage of an RV slide topper is to keep dirt and debris off the slide. Without a slide topper, leaves, pine needles, and branches will fall onto the top of the slide-out. If these items aren’t removed before the slide is pulled in, they will be dragged under the slide’s upper sweep seal and could potentially cause an obstruction and damage the slide.
Therefore, RV campers without slide toppers have to get a ladder out and sweep or blow off their slide-outs before pulling them in for travel.
Helps Prevent Water Intrusion
In addition to keeping debris off the slide, slide toppers can also keep water off the slide-outs. If slide-outs are properly built and maintained, they should be water-tight, so water pooling on the slide should not be an issue or cause water damage.
However, a slide-topper may act as an extra layer of protection and help prevent water from spilling into the RV interior if the slide has to be retracted during or shortly after a rainstorm.
Added Insulation
Slide-out awnings may also provide a little extra insulation. With the topper extended over your slide, the sun doesn’t beat down directly on the top of your slide, so an RV with slide toppers may stay a bit cooler inside on sunny days.
Cons of RV Slide Toppers
Additional Maintenance and Repairs
Like anything on an RV, slide toppers break. So adding them to your RV means adding another thing that may need to be repaired. Like awnings, the fabric can rip in high winds or may sag over time and have to be replaced.
Slide toppers also have to be cleaned regularly to prevent mildew on the fabric. They may also need lubrication on moving parts. While RV owners with slide toppers don’t have to clean the slide every trip, someone will still need to pull out a ladder to maintain these toppers.
Can Cause Leaks
The rail of the slide topper that holds the extended fabric in place has to be secured to the RV with numerous screws. Of course, each of those screws puts a small hole in your RV. These holes can end up being a point of entry for water if they are not sealed properly.
The sealant can also deteriorate over time, which is another aspect of the slide awnings that needs to be inspected regularly.
Debris Can Still Happen
Since the sides of the slide toppers are open, it is still possible for debris to get on the slide underneath the topper. If something gets in that area, it will be even more difficult to remove than if the slide topper weren’t there.
If campers are assuming the slide topper is preventing debris and are not inspecting it, then stray debris caught under the slide topper will likely get dragged toward the RV and damage the topper or the slide seals.
Added Cost
Each slide topper costs hundreds of dollars, not including installation. With a professional installation, campers will easily pay over $1000 for each slide-out.
Slide toppers may be worth the investment to many RVers, or they may come with your RV. However, if you are considering adding slide toppers, the cost is definitely an important factor to consider.
Final Verdict: Slide Toppers – Yes or No?
After considering all the pros and cons, we decided not to add slide toppers to either of the RVs we’ve owned as full-time RVers.
Given the maintenance requirements for toppers and other areas of our RV, we have to travel with a ladder, so checking and cleaning the slides is no big deal for us. Plus, we are relatively frugal, and the benefits don’t seem to justify the cost.
However, that doesn’t mean slide toppers aren’t for everyone. Older campers or campers with mobility limitations may find slide toppers useful if they are not able to visually inspect the top of their slide-outs after every trip.
If you do decide to install toppers, be sure to have them inspected and maintained regularly, especially if you’re not climbing up there yourself.
Thanks for reading our guide to the pros and cons of slide-out toppers. While we don’t recommend this RV upgrade for most campers, there are plenty of RV enhancements we strongly endorse.
Check out our guide to 40 RV upgrades every RV owner should consider.
Happy Camping!
Christina Pate is a seasoned full-time RVer who, along with her husband Justin, has journeyed across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Drawing from her extensive travels, RV repairs and RV renovations, she founded Travels with Ted to guide and inspire fellow RV enthusiasts. Christina is also the co-author of The Owner’s Guide to RV Maintenance and the creator of My RV Log Book.
