Awning over a slide out

[LadyCPA]

So the question is should we add a slide out awning to our Keystone Raptor. Hubby is worried about debris falling on our slide outs and was wondering about putting some awnings over them. Can anyone share the pros and cons of doing this?

[mikec557]

Originally Posted by LadyCPA

So the question is should we add a slide out awning to our Keystone Raptor. Hubby is worried about debris falling on our slide outs and was wondering about putting some awnings over them. Can anyone share the pros and cons of doing this?

There have been many debates on the topic of should you or should you not put a slide cover on.

So, this is just one guy's opinion. We've put them on some of our RVs, and not others. The pros for us are that it does keep the debris off the slide out off. And in sunny hot weather it creates shade over the slide out roof/ceiling. And on rainy days I like that it deflected the rain away from perhaps getting inside. The biggest con we found was when we camped out towards the mid-west. It was a lot windier. The cover would flap like crazy and at times I thought it would tear off. But it didn't. Since there's no right answer, consider the weather you might be camping in and let that guide your decision.

[Alpine Custom Upgrade]

Originally Posted by LadyCPA

So the question is should we add a slide out awning to our Keystone Raptor. Hubby is worried about debris falling on our slide outs and was wondering about putting some awnings over them. Can anyone share the pros and cons of doing this?

We put slide out toppers on ours for all of the reasons already mention. I think it is well worth the money for the shade and protection from debris landing on the roof of the slide out.

[flybouy]

I've had campers with slide toppers and without. Only negative IMO is wind noise. It effected my sleep one time during a gale when we were at the ocean. Honestly, the trailer rocking was likely the prevalent cause of the sleepless night.

As has been pointed out, access your style of camping. We primarily camp in the Mid-Atlantic/North East so that means parking under trees, often with nuts, pine cones & needles, ect. that end up on the roofs. So for OUR situation the pros far outweigh the cons. YMMV

[sourdough]

As has been mentioned, let your camping style/choices be your guide. I never had them until this trailer and never wanted them. I live in the SW and that's where I normally camped. 30-40 mph winds are common - so are shredded/torn slide toppers. Seemed the cost/trouble was much more than the benefit since I rarely camped under trees and if I did a ladder, blower/broom cleared the top of the slide right off (bumper pulls). Then....

We started getting larger campers and going to FL a lot. In doing so we also started traveling far and wide to other places. The higher the slides got the more difficult it was to clean them and the ladders got bigger. After spending 6 mos. under some kind of tree in FL my slides stayed covered in needles, nuts and debris. I cleaned them every few weeks to no avail. When I got home they were the devil to get cleaned up properly (trailer before this one). When I got this trailer I knew the slides were much higher and they would be heck to keep clean and maneuver around so opted for the slide toppers. Had them now for 3 years and my observations are still pretty much the same;

They are great for keeping debris off the slides - a GREAT benefit if camping under trees regularly. They will, and do, flap and pop in moderate winds making me worry that they will tear or pull off as I've seen so many...but not yet. Those same noises will make me pop straight up in bed in the night. They also collect water when it rains and will dump off at the most inopportune time/place/end of the awning. Some folks put different things under them to mitigate that but I haven't; if I have to get on top of the slide every trip to position things under the awning every time I get somewhere, then get up there to remove them before leaving I might as well be cleaning the slide tops.

Bottom line for me is with the height of the slides on my trailer (yours are tall as well) and the places we camp these days I would buy them again.

[LadyCPA]

Thanks to all of your for offering thoughts and opinions. As we are just starting our journey as we downsize and get ready to retire full time, I think we will see how the short journeys work out and make our decision down the road.
We have been out in The Beast twice but only in open areas with minimal trees and such. Our first adventure to federal land in Georgia with lots of trees will probably help us in making decisions. Again thank you all. And happy camping.