2600RB slide out topper

[JulesandtheBear]

Recently purchased a 2024 imagine 2800 RB. I’m considering installing a Solara slide topper. Going through all the threads, I’ve seen some pros and I’ve seen some cons.

To those of you that own this trailer and have installed a slide out topper, what is your experience?

 

[JulesandtheBear]

Recently purchased a 2024 imagine 2800 RB. I’m considering installing a Solara slide topper. Going through all the threads, I’ve seen some pros and I’ve seen some cons.

To those of you that own this trailer and have installed a slide out topper, what is your experience?

Make that a 2600RB pls. Fat fingers

 

[mdunlap57]

Recently purchased a 2024 imagine 2800 RB. I’m considering installing a Solara slide topper. Going through all the threads, I’ve seen some pros and I’ve seen some cons.

To those of you that own this trailer and have installed a slide out topper, what is your experience?

We have a 22 2600rd (5th wheel version). I had a slide topper installed when purchased and have not had any issues . We have been in several windy areas on the coast and in the mountains with no issues so far. I would add one again.

 

[terryriddle]

Recently purchased a 2024 imagine 2800 RB. I’m considering installing a Solara slide topper. Going through all the threads, I’ve seen some pros and I’ve seen some cons.

To those of you that own this trailer and have installed a slide out topper, what is your experience?

My wife and I have been camping for over forty years and any RV with a slide had a topper. It kept leaves and other falling vegetation out of the camper, including water on the top of the slide. I never had an issue!!!

 

[JLW Idaho]

We have a 2021 2600 RB with the topper and have never had any problems. Good for keeping leaves, etc, off the slide.

 

[Viper61]

Had RV's with and without, won't go without again. No issues

 

[Jwalthall]

Recently purchased a 2024 imagine 2800 RB. I’m considering installing a Solara slide topper. Going through all the threads, I’ve seen some pros and I’ve seen some cons.

To those of you that own this trailer and have installed a slide out topper, what is your experience?

I have a 2021 2600RB and we love it. I looked at the topper and decided that it is hardly worth the trouble because if you leave your slide out for any time, insects and mud-daubers will still get under it from the sides...and with the topper you cannot get up there to sweep them off. They seemed like a good idea but after some mediation I decided to the contrary. Just my opinion.

 

[Hoopy Frood]

I have a 2021 2600RB and we love it. I looked at the topper and decided that it is hardly worth the trouble because if you leave your slide out for any time, insects and mud-daubers will still get under it from the sides...and with the topper you cannot get up there to sweep them off. They seemed like a good idea but after some mediation I decided to the contrary. Just my opinion.

I suppose that could be an issue if you're in one site for several months in the warm weather.

 

[Jwalthall]

I suppose that could be an issue if you're in one site for several months in the warm weather.

I do live in Texas and actually have a trailer bay at my home where I keep the trailer (under cover) set up and hooked up. It serves as sort of a guest house.

 

[Hoopy Frood]

I do live in Texas and actually have a trailer bay at my home where I keep the trailer (under cover) set up and hooked up. It serves as sort of a guest house.

Well, if you keep it under cover, you don't need toppers in the first place.

 

[TheGuy]

I have a '19 and we had one added at purchase so I can't speak to life without one. Overall I'm very happy with it and would do it again. The biggest issue is that it's pitched too shallow and/or the fabric is just loose enough that it holds a fair bit of water. It'll stay up there for days and days and come splashing down in a huge burst when the wind catches it just right. All that is kind of fair enough but my gripe is that it always comes down in the center of the slide. So if the forwardmost slide window is open, it'll rush right inside all over the wall and the only carpet in the whole unit.

I don't know a great way to fix that with making the fabric super taut given the angles involved. Though I have daydreamed about some kind of window awning.

The only other downside, imo is that it makes it harder to sweep and treat those seals as others have mentioned.

I use my camper daily as an office and occasionally for trips. All that said, I have no regrets about the slide topper.

 

[trailrydr]

I have a '19 and we had one added at purchase so I can't speak to life without one. Overall I'm very happy with it and would do it again. The biggest issue is that it's pitched too shallow and/or the fabric is just loose enough that it holds a fair bit of water. It'll stay up there for days and days and come splashing down in a huge burst when the wind catches it just right. All that is kind of fair enough but my gripe is that it always comes down in the center of the slide. So if the forwardmost slide window is open, it'll rush right inside all over the wall and the only carpet in the whole unit.

I don't know a great way to fix that with making the fabric super taut given the angles involved. Though I have daydreamed about some kind of window awning.

The only other downside, imo is that it makes it harder to sweep and treat those seals as others have mentioned.

I use my camper daily as an office and occasionally for trips. All that said, I have no regrets about the slide topper.

We put toppers on our '19 295RL shortly after purchasing it too. We mounted them to the factory installed rails which also made them somewhat "shallow" pitched.

Our fix for the water buildup issue was to purchase suction cups and a stretch cord - 2 cups per topper. By centering the stretch cord and cups over the length of the extended topper (which only takes a few minutes to put on/off), and letting the weight of the cord alone, no additional taughtness applied, and then cord secured to the cups which are suctioned to the slide, we reduced 95% of any accumulated water and topper wind sailing. For over 5 years its worked incredibly well and we still use today when camping.

As for sweeping between the topper and slide roof, never had to do it since installed, and slide roofs still look great. Upper seal maint is an issue, however, since no direct sun or heavy dirt collection, they have held up well with limited maint given.

IMO, toppers are the best mod done to our RV. No more climbing up to sweep off the slide roof before retracting, very little maint along with slide roof protection, reduced UV heat, and less rain noise.

 

[TheGuy]

We put toppers on our '19 295RL shortly after purchasing it too. We mounted them to the factory installed rails which also made them somewhat "shallow" pitched.

Our fix for the water buildup issue was to purchase suction cups and a stretch cord - 2 cups per topper. By centering the stretch cord and cups over the length of the extended topper (which only takes a few minutes to put on/off), and letting the weight of the cord alone, no additional taughtness applied, and then cord secured to the cups which are suctioned to the slide, we reduced 95% of any accumulated water and topper wind sailing. For over 5 years its worked incredibly well and we still use today when camping.

As for sweeping between the topper and slide roof, never had to do it since installed, and slide roofs still look great. Upper seal maint is an issue, however, since no direct sun or heavy dirt collection, they have held up well with limited maint given.

IMO, toppers are the best mod done to our RV. No more climbing up to sweep off the slide roof before retracting, very little maint along with slide roof protection, reduced UV heat, and less rain noise.

That's an interesting idea.

To be fair, I've not treated the seals under there as often as I should. However, like you said, they're pretty well protected from the harsh UV exposure.