Slide Toppers

Who has the best topper? I noticed on several order forms that HL offers them as an option, what brand is that? Friend of a friend recommends "Carefree of Colorado". Have seen on another site bad reviews on "A&E" brand. Experiences with both? or other brand?..........................Boatracer95

I don't know who has the best topper, however I have a friend that has toppers on his slide. We were visiting with him one evening out at a lake side campgound. The wind came up and started raining. We could not talk. I asked him what was causing all the noise. He told me it was the toppers. We literally had to stop talking for a few minutes due to the noise they caused. He told me this happend when they were in a wind storm. He was going to have them removed the first chance he had.

FWIW
BC

Boatracer,

Heartland uses the Dometic A&E awnings for their slide toppers.

Carefree makes nice ones as well. Which is better? I am uncertain. If you have nothing now and plan to have them added after you take delivery of the trailer - I'd suggest trying one of the 3 Carefree models. Be nice to see some feedback on them.

Bob,

In a windy condition, if the trailer is pointed "just right", you will get that flapping. It can drive some people batty. I am glad I have them. I feel they are a net positive to the RV.

Jim

Thanks for the info guys, I am researching my purchase so all of these details are of importance. Would really like to hear from some one who has the "Carefree" brand as those are a little more expensive it seems. Higher cost does not always insure a better product, Although it may in this case. Sold on HL, now is it Cyclone or Big Horn?!!!! ...................Boatracer95

You also might get some feedback by posting on the RV Net forum.

EH!

My Bighorn came from the factory with the Domentic awning toppers and I love them. Have had no problem with noise in heavy rains or winds to this point, but they sure have saved me a lot of work keeping the tops of the slides clean before pulling them in. I have been in several campgrounds so far with lots of pine needles and leaves falling along with a few small limbs during some occassional rain storms. So far nothing has gotten under them and onto the slides. Would not be without them but would like to see some feedback on other brands for future reference.

I have Carefree on our truck camper slide and A&E (Dometicrap) on the Bighorn. The Carefree is still as tight as a drum after 4 years. The Dometicrap's are saggy and flop in the wind.
We tore up the A&E awning on the Bighorn and replaced it with a Carefree Eclipse. Wow! what a difference, one of the best purchases we made.

Our a&e are noisy.

The dealer included "Carefree of Colorado" slide awnings with our 2008 BC 3300rl, so I don't know what the cost is. I have no complaints about the operation, but they do flap in the wind, which I assume any brand will do if the wind is strong enough.

We are full timers, so, when we are going to be parked in one place for awhile, I insert blow up air mattreses (27" X 72") between the slides & the awnings to quiet the flapping. It works fairly well, but sometimes in a strong wind they will come out.

The best mattress to use can be found for $2.00 at the Dollar store.

We recently took a month long trip from Texas to Ohio through AR,TN,&KY. There wasn't any wind problem & it sure was nice to not worry about debris on the slides.

I bought a product at The Rally in Perry Georgia called "The Ant". It is several piece of PVC (1" I think) that you cut to size and assemble it. It has several 3 way and 4 way connectors that connect to the long pieces to make legs. You assemble it and slide it on top of the slide which keeps the slide topper taught. It also helps to keep from allowing rain to gather on top. I measured it, cut it to size and assembled it. When I slide it up on top of the slide it was a pain in the a.. to do so I took it out and gave up on the product. I feel like it was a waste of my money, mostly due to the length of the slide. It might work okay on a very small slide. I haven't tried it but the air mattress idea sounds good. I have heard of sliding a beach ball under the fabric as well. Mine does flap in the wind but nothing to violent.

Interesting to read. We just ordered our Cyclone and the dealer (Lakeshore RV) advised us to get the after market ones (don't know which brand) as he had customer complaints about the factory ones. Maybe we'll be glad we paid the little bit extra

I had the link to the Awning AirWedge saved for future consideration but, Dollar Store air mattresses @ $2.00 sound like a better use of my whopping Stimulous Check!