RV Slide Topper What You Should Know! (With Keep Your Daydream)

40 thoughts on “RV Slide Topper What You Should Know! (With Keep Your Daydream)”

• Yessss!! My two favorite RV’rs! Been watching you both for a year and now, we got an RV!! Hope to see you on the road one day. God bless you all out there!

• They are one of the best upgrades we have installed.

• Ours broke they used wood screws instead of sheet metal the end cap gears broke slide wouldn’t open

• We always clean the slide outs when cleaning the outside. Clean the rubber seals underneath and on the outside edges. These are your slide out wiper blades, do not lubricate them, they're supposed to change direction to seal better. When the slide out is extended, the edges of the seals should have folded outward. Sometimes you have to go around and check them, take a rounded object and simply flip them out. Choose a topper to extend past the edges at least 4 inches on both sides so it'll try to keep the elements from getting under the topper. Only con I see in the toppers is having to pay for them! They are an investment. RV's have a tendency to LEAK!

• Does anybody have any thoughts on what the limit for the length of such a slide topper is? Our trailer has a fairly large (sofa and dinette), and I am concerned about both weight and size. On a larger slide like this, I am also worried that the middle would sag and collect water/debris. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

• Not sure what happened with my slide topper (haven’t climbed up top yet), but it somehow locked and was actually keeping my slide out from deploying. Me being the “won’t to no for an answer” type, assisted (pushed) the slide and both of the plastic slide topper mounts broke off (bad news), but the slide is out (good news). A must in this small Lance 2285.

• Great collaboration. Thank you for sharing.

• They really are a lot easier to install than you might think and well worth the effort.

• OK. You’ve all convinced me. No slide-outs. Hassles, expense, and maintenance problems.

• I had them installed before i picked up my 5th wheel, and one of them sags when it rains. How do you tighten them? I can't find a video or guide online.

• Did you mention what brand of topper you used? I looked through the comments…

• Quit talking so much, 75% talk.

• Why you DON'T want one: (1) – large ones (18ft. +) fill with rain and "belly" in the middle during storms. You have to pull in slide to empty, then put slide back out and start over. (2) – large ones (18ft. +) will flap and "sail" in mild wind. Wind can be from FROM ANY DIRECTION. Wind pulls the fabric out further from the spring loaded roller and the flapping will increase dramatically. Slide must be pulled in to "rewind" the spring loaded roller which will reapply tension to the fabric. If wind is strong enough, it can rip slide topper off at any weak park of the stitching. (3) – the forward part of the slide topper is ALWAYS under 60mph + winds when on the freeway. There is approximately 3"-6" of fabric from wall of trailer to the spring loaded roller, and it is ALWAYS subject to UV rays unless you have a hard fabric protector integrated into the fabric. Some Airstreams have these and the more expensive diesel pusher I have seen them on. The fabric rolls into a hard, usually aluminum, cover that wraps around the fabric. The forward part of this piece is under freeway wind speeds at all times while on the freeway. Tears usually start at the point nearest the trailer where the small round "string" rubber slides into the frame holder. There is a line of stitching there that runs the entire length of the fabric. It can be mitigated with fabric repair tape at that leading edge, but it is just a stop gap. Why you DO want one: If you live in a mediterranean climate (CA) or desert climate (AZ). Yes the constant prolonged deployment in strong sunlight is damaging. But, do you camp and travel? Or are you a park unit and never move. Your call, but I rather use the money for other things like solar panels or similar things as I camp and move. Just be cautious! Sometimes these are more hassel than they are worth.

• Wow nice and easy now we just need your number to call you 😂🤣 j/k

• 2:50 yikes I don't think the slide out is designed to support the weight of a person

• Yes they keep debris and rain off the slide but when the wind is strong, as it will be in southern AZ, it's kind of scary hearing them flapping and worrying if the topper material will tear or damage the side of the trailer and the noise is bad and we have to close the slides at night so we can sleep. Thinking of removing them but other than that, they're great.

• In the southeast they’re almost mandatory due to the Georgia pines and pine cones. Plus they keep rain and the heat off the top of the slide. One downside is the wind. Solution to that is some 8” or so kids play balls. Shove them under the cloth and it helps mitigate the flapping.

• I would assume this would make all the difference I live in my RV full-time I put a tarp over the trailer covering the slide out. I was initially going to buy a slide topper but figured might as well cover the entire thing for less so I went with the tarp but if you are not stationary you probably don't have an option

• One of the places I camp is Assateague Island, MD and the wind on the beach can shred an awning to pieces. Is always amazing how many portable tents and screen houses we always see in dumpsters while we camp there. I don't think a slide topper would survive on Assateague.

• I'm a full-timer and have these on all 3 of my slides. Two have been destroyed by the weather (and will need to be replaced)….wind and snow mostly. I live in Washington state, lots of rain, lots of wind. They do keep the fir needles and mostly the rain off the slides.

• Could you have used the rail that's on the edge of the gutter? Just put my slide topper on and ran the fabric through the channel at the edge of the gutter. I ran it from the rear of the TT towards the front until I reached the slide out.

• Can the slide topper awning be installed without drilling a hole or a nail into laminated walls? using some glues? worry about water getting into walls and causing delamination,

• Don't forget that it keeps the rain from soundings like BB's hitting you roof keeping you awake all night.

• If the slide topper is advertised as 7'1", what measurement is that referring to? The fabric of the topper, the brackets that mount to the slider, the total width of the rv slider, etc??

• How do you reach the seals under the slide topper????

• I do not have one but my in-laws do and it is hotter sitting in the slide out during the summer. So it puts the top of your slide in the shade and helps keep the slide slightly cooler.

• JUST GET TO THE POINT LESS TALK AND MORE SHOW THE HELL WHAT YOUR DOING

• Complete waste of money

• Good morning Jared. Hoping you and your family are doing well and are safe in these interesting times. Wanted to know if you are still happy with the "Carefree" slide topper brand vs. another slide topper brand you may have become more fond of? As always….your recommendation is important to us. Thank you in advance! Luis and Shauna.

• Had our’s installed professionally… it was worth it and a whole lot quieter!!! If hubby was working it with me the language would not have been pretty🤦‍♀️

• Huh. And I always thought they were awnings😁. Very nice. Great informative vid. Thanx.

• agreed it looks as though you have the rail upside down, plus it will give a larger pitch so debree will roll off. That looks like the one issue I see in the install is the pitch looks to shallow. Also my concern with these toppers is if they get snow or ice they can get heavy and sag and not have enough tension to get the snow and ice off the slider. Your thoughts on this ?

• I’m new to RVing and really enjoy yours & KYD channels. ❤️🤙🏼. Keep up the good work & content. ✝️🙏🏼😎

• I have 4 slides with toppers and though I really appreciate that they protect my slideouts from water and the elements, I admit that when it's windy, it's not an enjoyable experience to feel that the RV is being rocked and shaken badly and sometimes even scarily on the slideouts when the winds pickup!

• How can I pay you guys to put one on mine?

• ya might wanna do an over view of what a slide topper is and what is does and looks like just so when you're explaining people have an image to work from

• Put a topper on my new rig, but had the service do it for 200.

• It's just a big window shade they make for house windows..for the most part. But here is some advice, as long as I have owned homes, cleaned gutters, vents, outdoor dryer doors, etc. Stuff will get anywhere and everywhere! Before you retract check to make sure nothing blew in or was brought in by squirrels, they love dry, cozy corners to eat their food, & clean their chops. This is one disadvantage to the awning…what if you find something that will damage your seal, now how do you get it out? I'll let you figure that out there are many ways.

• I guess for me after weighing the good, bad and ugly I have decided Not To Install Them. It just takes a few minutes to take a battery operated leaf blower and clean the top off and if needed I can also wash it. To each their own. 👍🏻

• I had a slide topper on my unit and I removed it. The water that did get under it never seemed to evaporate and the top of the slide was green as a result. Also it kind of gives you a false sense of security that something didn't blow under the topper and is sitting on the top of the slide.

  Everyone has a preference for sure but I prefer to climb the ladder and sweep off the slide before I close it.

Comments are closed.