To do or not to do Slide Out Toppers!

[Mrsfish]

Think you all for your replys. Even though I wasn't the OP, your insight has been very helpful.

 

[ChangingPlaces]

We fitted ours after we purchased, never do without them now. As regards to the wind we bought some Airwedges that fit in the gap nicely and stops the flapping.

 

[Doubleringer]

Slide out toppers work great to keep things from getting into the rubber seals. I put together a plastic pipe support for the longest one, keeps from flapping and drains rain water, then just disassemble when closing, easy to store.

 

[Duramax1]

The need for slide toppers is a function of where you set up camp. I have been camping for 12 years now without slide toppers in British Columbia, the Pacific northwestern states and the south western states. In all of that time I have only felt the need to get on the roof three times to clean off debris. The last time we were in Arizona, our friends had to bring their main slide in because their slide topper was ballooning up like a parachute in the desert wind.

 

[Rottiesmom]

We have always had toppers on all three of our rigs and would never have a RV without them. They help keep the leaves off the slides and pushes any water off as the slides are coming in. In my opinion they are worth the money

 

[Speedy]

On thing that can stretch the toppers is to put something such as a beach ball under the topper to keep it from flopping around.

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the toppers? Having to drag out a ladder and climb up to the slide to install a beach ball is no different than climbing up there to clean pine needles or leaves.

The two rigs here with toppers (one a Landmark) all had issues and damage because of high winds. They both had to pull in their slides and ride out the storm until the next day. We have no toppers and had no issues or damage. Would not consider them and it would be a deal-breaker if they were on a rig. Again to each their own.

 

[jmgratz]

Seems as though there are as many pros as there are cons to having toppers. Guess what it boils down to is personal preference. As for us Yes we want them. We have been in winds of 50 mph and have never had to put the slides in.

 

[Dave]

We like them except for the wind noise. Plan on having a method to keep the wind from snapping them if you find yourself out in 40 plus mph winds.

We ran into the flapping topper while in Canada last summer. What I did was I ran a small diameter rope around the entire slide out and over the topper, this kept the topper from sounding like it was getting ready to let loose from the camper!

 

[Lindstrom1950]

We have a 2014 Landmark Key Largo, did not order it with Slide Toppers. We will be getting slide toppers before we start full timing in March. Should I order them from Heartland, Dometic or Care Free? Our big slide is 201" and Dometic doesn't make it with the metal wrap and Care Free does, is the metal wrap important?
Thanks for any help in this issue

John & Alina Lindstrom

 

[dave10a]

Slide out toppers work great to keep things from getting into the rubber seals. I put together a plastic pipe support for the longest one, keeps from flapping and drains rain water, then just disassemble when closing, easy to store.

After a rain storm the flapping stops because the water pools up on them I would not be without slide toppers because they keep the crap off the slides.

 

[marvmarcy]

I've mixed thoughts on slide toppers. They help if you're under trees and have little wind. If you are in the open and have a lot of wind, they are a problem. I've had toppers on all my rvs with slides. I've had toppers damaged on every one as well, and had to replace a set of four on my previous fiver. My current rig has damage to both large toppers due to wind. We spend our summers on top of a treeless hill, and thunderstorms bring sudden winds of 50-60 mph and much higher (gusts at 80+ mph recorded). I tie the toppers down all summer but still get damage. I doubt I'd get toppers again.

 

[Lindstrom1950]

I appreciate all the responses. I'll be getting toppers before we leave in April to become full timers

 

[szewczyk_john]

I guess that is one advantage to still having a teenaged son at home. I do not have toppers so I do not hear them when we have wind and I send him up to sweep off the slides before bringing them. Is that the best of both worlds or what? I do not how many more years I'll have this option but I wanted to add my 2 cents to the discussion.