Slide-outs are one of the best ways to add space and create an open floor plan in travel trailers. While some campers still don’t feature slide-outs, they are few and far between.
While most travel trailers have slide-outs, they don’t all utilize them in the same way. Some trailers make much better use of the extra space provided by slide-outs than others.
Real-life Examples: Popular Travel Trailers with Slide-outs
As we said before, travel trailers utilize their slide-outs in different ways. Some RVs have slide-outs in the kitchen and living room to create more living space, while others have bedroom slideouts.
Additionally, some travel trailers have up to three or four slide-outs featured throughout the RV!
Family-friendly Units with Bunk Beds
Slide-outs are especially handy for RVers traveling with large families. Having several slide-outs in an RV not only increases the amount of potential sleeping space but also gives you and your family room to spread out. This is especially important if there’s a storm outside and you’re all confined to the indoors.
Here are some of the top family-friendly units with bunk beds, some of which are built into the slide-outs:
- Heartland Pioneer BH270 – $32,000: This trailer offers bunk beds for the little ones and dual entry doors for privacy.
- Coleman Lantern LT 263BH – $42,000: This trailer has double-over-double rear bunks and a large refrigerator, making family meals and bedtime routines easy.
- Keystone Passport Grand Touring – $40,000: These trailers have slide-out designs that feature bunk beds built into the slide-outs.
Another great thing about family-friendly RVs with slide-outs is that they tend to be more affordable than other RVs with slide-outs. But why? In most cases, the engineers who design family-friendly RVs understand that the people buying them likely have less disposable income and that they’re looking for functionality rather than luxurious amenities.
Luxury Models for Full-Time RVers
If you have a little extra cash and want a travel trailer that’s packed with slide-outs (and doesn’t skimp on luxury amenities), these options are for you. All of these renowned travel trailers listed below fall into the “fifth-wheel” category and have a minimum of three slides, while some of them have up to six! While not all of the slide-outs are the same size, they are strategically placed to maximize the space in every part of the RV.
- Grand Design Solitude – $118,410: This fifth-wheel offers slide-outs in the master bedroom, with enough room to accommodate a king-sized bed.
- Keystone Montana – $129,000: This RV has massive slide-outs in the living room, nearly doubling its square footage.
- Luxe Elite – $200,000: This is one of the most luxurious campers on the market and has some of the largest slide-outs available.
Note: These more luxurious travel trailers are fairly expensive and quite heavy. Numerous slide-outs add to this weight, so make sure you have a tow vehicle that’s up to the task.
Compact and Lightweight Options
If you’re traveling alone, as a couple, or with a small family, compact travel trailers with one or two slideouts are the way to go. Compact and lightweight travel trailers are perfect for towing with an SUV or small pickup truck, and they typically have a dry weight of less than 5,000 pounds.
- Coleman Rubicon 1608RB – $35,362: This RV has a living room slide-out that maximizes living and sleeping space, with enough room to hold a convertible sofa.
- North Trail 24BHS -$38,600: This dining room slide-out is complete with a comfy and beautiful leather sofa.
- Forest River Wildwood Heritage Glen -$60,000: This camper has a single large slide-out in the living room that holds a dinette table and couch.
While these travel trailers are fairly compact, they have sleeping accommodations for up to four people and are perfect for camping with a small family or friend group.
Pros and Cons of Slide-Outs
While slide-outs on an RV are generally seen as a good thing, they do have a few disadvantages in comparison to campers without them. To give you a better picture of why some people prefer slide-outs while others don’t, here’s a list of slide-out pros and cons.
Pros
Here are some of the advantages of choosing a travel trailer with slide-outs:
Pro #1: Maximizes Living Space
Even the biggest travel trailers on the market are substantially smaller than a house or apartment. As such, they can start to feel stifling, especially if you’ve chosen to live in an RV full-time. Choosing a travel trailer with slide-outs can increase the living space significantly and make your rig feel more spacious and roomy.
Pro #2: More Natural Light
More slide-outs mean more windows, which means more natural light. In addition to potentially saving on your energy bills, natural light is a great way to let the outdoors into your RV. It will also help you feel more connected to nature and provide a source of airflow during warm summer days.
Pro #3: Increases Sleep Capacity
Finally, slide-outs are also a great way to increase sleeping space and capacity. Slide-outs can hold things like bunk beds or convertible sofas and dinette sets, or they can be used in bedrooms to create a larger sleeping area. Many newer luxurious travel trailers have slide-outs where the bed is located to accommodate queen or king-sized beds.
Cons
Here are some of the potential downsides of slide-outs on a travel trailer:
Con #1: Extra Maintenance
In addition to creating more living and sleeping space for your camper, slide-outs also create more maintenance work. The springs, tracks, and gears that move the slide-out in and out require regular lubrication and maintenance and are prone to malfunctioning. Additionally, the windows and roofs on slide-outs are prone to leaking, which can lead to water damage and mold.
Con #2: They Can Give Out
If you do not properly maintain your slide-outs, the gears and tracks will eventually give out. As a result, you might arrive at a campground only to realize that your slide-out doesn’t extend.
In a worst-case scenario, your slide-outs might give out while you’re tearing down your rig and preparing to hit the road. One moment, you’re packing up your RV setup; the next, you’re realizing that your slide-out doesn’t retract.
In addition to being costly to repair, this issue could keep you from getting to your next destination on time because you should never drive an RV with the slide-outs extended.
Con #3: Can Restrict Your Campsite Options
Many campgrounds, specifically smaller or older ones, have RV size restrictions for their campsites. As part of their size restrictions, they may not allow travel trailers with slide-outs because there isn’t enough room on either side to extend them. Even if there is room, you need to be wary of the shore power and water spigot connections so that you don’t extend your slide-out into them.
Con #4: More Lightweight Design
Lastly, travel trailers without slide-outs are lighter than those with slide-outs. Depending on how many slide-outs an RV has, they can add between 1,000 and 4,000 pounds to the dry weight of the RV, significantly increasing its overall weight. As such, you may need a tow vehicle with more towing capacity to pull your RV, leading to even more expenses.
Maintenance Tips for RVs with Slide-Outs
The allure of travel trailers with slide-outs is undeniable, but you’ll need to stay up-to-date on maintenance if you want them to function smoothly.
Here are some tips for maintaining your travel trailer slide-outs:
- Regularly lubricate the tracks, seals, and gears to ensure smooth operation.
- Use rubber seal conditioner to preserve the seals and prevent them from drying out.
- Keep an eye out for signs of wear, such as binding or unusual noises during operation.
- If you notice any issues, address them promptly to avoid costly repairs.
Final Thoughts
Once you’ve purchased your new travel trailer with the slide-outs you need, it’s important to protect it. In addition to performing routine maintenance on your slide-outs and the rest of your rig, it’s also important to properly store your new rig.
If you don’t have the space or accommodations on your property, consider using Neighbor, a peer-to-peer storage marketplace, to find RV storage near you. With hundreds of storage locations throughout the US, Neighbor even offers safe, affordable storage option in your own neighborhood!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Slide-Outs Difficult to Maintain?
While slide-outs require ongoing maintenance, it isn’t difficult or unmanageable. Most maintenance items can be performed in less than an hour, and maintenance is only required once per year.
Can Any Vehicle Tow a Travel Trailer With a Slide-Out?
You should never tow a travel trailer with the slide-outs extended. Doing so could damage the slide-out mechanisms or lead to an accident because your RV will be too wide for the roadway.
