RV Slide Toppers: Here’s Why You Should Eliminate Them Forever

Sponsored by Composite Solutions, Inc.

True Topper Provides An Alternative RV Slide Topper Solution

I wish I had heard of True Topper before I had spent a lot of money having one of my slide toppers replaced. If you read no further or get nothing else from this article, at least you’ll know that a much better solution to the traditional RV slide topper does exist.

Exactly why I needed to replace a very large slide topper on my RV is another story. Suffice to say my frozen slide topper was no match for the stout hydraulic slide mechanism Tiffin installed in my motorhome. I did end up replacing that slide topper, but I was wishing there was a better option.

The problem with existing RV slide toppers

Slide toppers can be temperamental, noisy, unreliable, and are often the topic of frequent discussion. They are slightly better than the alternative, however, which is manually getting up on a ladder or the roof and clearing off the slides before retracting them. This is not only time-consuming but dangerous. I’ve climbed on a roof after a big snowfall—it’s not a fun place to be.

RV slide toppers also detract from an otherwise good-looking RV. You don’t see them on expensive top-end motor coaches because they have better OEM solutions. If only you could bring that kind of innovation to the aftermarket and make your RV just as functional and attractive. Thankfully you can, with the True Topper system from Composite Solutions, Inc.

Why existing RV slide toppers are bad

At first glance, today’s traditional RV slide topper seems like a good idea. For the most part, it is. It keeps leaves and debris away from the top of the slide so you can retract the slide without having to manually go up and clean them, as mentioned above. That seems to be the only merit in their favor, however, and not a guarantee.

Over time, slide topper awnings tend to sag and collect debris, which at times must be cleaned out by hand. They can also collect pools of water, which can turn into ice. In cold weather, that ice and water can refreeze and cause damage when trying to extend the slide again (believe me, I know). RV slide toppers suffer from several other maladies.

Slide topper “walking”

Topper walking is when you have your slides deployed on a very windy day, or seemingly any day I’ve stayed at Oasis RV Resort in Amarillo. In heavy wind, your RV slide toppers will want to work themselves off or “walk” over the edge of your topper rollers. When it comes time to retract them, all kinds of havoc can occur.

The solution to topper walking is to pull your slides halfway in on those windy days. With today’s RVs designed to be fully functional only when the slides are fully deployed, this can be a bit of a headache.

“Until we installed the “True Topper” on our slideouts, we weathered strong storms and winds by closing our slideouts in order to prevent damage and to stop the noise of the violent flapping of our awnings. Nothing worse than worrying about the awnings or trying to sleep in a windstorm with awnings flapping. For peace of mind we’ve spent hours and/or the night with the slides retracted.”

Pete & Karen J – True Topper Customers

Tearing

RV slide toppers that are subjected to enough heat and wind will eventually tear. This usually doesn’t occur at a convenient time and can disrupt your exit from a campsite as you struggle to bring in a slide that is binding or bunching on slide topper fabric. When you get home, you have the added labor and expense of replacing that fabric.

Hardware adjustment and failure

The retraction hardware, rollers, covers, and other hardware can fail on an RV slide topper. Adjusting those strong retraction springs is not easy. The average RVer is simply not equipped to repair an RV slide topper while out on the road. As one YouTuber states in their video demonstrating how to adjust the spring tension on a slide topper, “Please use caution! There is lots of spring tension and gravity and pokey things that want to cause pain and injury.”

RV slide toppers may bring in water

RV slide-outs that have a lip or flange with a seal on the top of the slide are prone to bringing in water when the slide retracts. Yes, your RV should have rubber seals to prevent this, but they are rarely perfect, especially at the corner where the top and side seals meet. Invariably, if you are bringing in a slide during or just after wet weather, that top flange has the propensity to bring in some water with it.

The True Topper RV slide topper solution

Fortunately, there is a better solution available. Composite Solutions has developed the True Topper: a sleek, low-profile, permanent alternative to traditional RV slide toppers.

Founded in 2006, family-owned Composite Solutions first developed the Seamless Slides® slideroom, a one-piece slideroom that has been used by major RV manufacturers. They also developed the True Topper, also known as the Topless Topper®, an awning replacement system for sliderooms for the OEM market.

For RVers like you and me, Composite Solutions took that knowledge and created the True Topper awning replacement system available for retrofit on existing Class A motorhomes, Class C RVs, fifth wheels, and towables. This means that RV owners can now have those miserable RV slide toppers removed and be retrofitted with True Toppers at one of four locations while enjoying a lifetime warranty on parts.

Benefits of the True Topper solution

By replacing your existing RV slide toppers with True Topper, you can enjoy the following benefits.

• Slideouts can remain extended during windy conditions.
• No water or debris gets trapped behind the roof flange.
• No snow removal required.
• No noisy fabric flapping in the breeze.
• It’s maintenance free.
• It has a low-profile, high-end aesthetic.
• It will not fade, rot, or rip over time.
• There is a lifetime warranty on parts.

How does the True Topper system work?

Think of the True Topper as a giant wiper blade. When your slide is extended, the wiper cleans off the top of the slide as it retracts. The wiper is stiff and precise enough to prevent debris from getting underneath the Topper blade. Behind the Topper blade are your factory OEM seals, which are also designed to do the exact same thing. Once the slide is fully retracted, the spring-loaded True Topper closes firmly over the seam between your slide and the RV.

There is very little to go wrong or break down, and the True Topper components are guaranteed for life. Not only do you end up with a more attractive RV, you shed the extra weight of each RV slide topper. The four slide toppers on my coach account for about 250 lbs.

Fast facts about the True Topper system

• Installation of the True Topper retrofit system can be done at the four locations, listed below. 
• The True Topper comes in black or white, but can be custom painted to match your RV. 
• Each slideroom takes about 3-1/2 hours to complete and can be installed on most RVs. 
• Composite Solutions is also fine-tuning additional solutions for a few of the more unique RVs on the market.

Will my RV get hotter when the fabric awnings are removed?

Surprisingly, no. In fact, just the opposite was discovered. The surface temperature of an exposed slide roof was considerably lower than a fabric covered slide. Possibly the fabric RV slide topper was trapping more heat, whereas the exposed slide top was benefiting from airflow or heat reflection, as many manufacturers leave the top of those slides painted white. You can learn more about this testing on the True Topper FAQs page.

How well does the True Topper do in the rain?

When using a True Topper, there is no flange in the way, so water is free to exit the roof while it is being retracted and swept. In addition, most RVs have two wipe seals to act as a squeegee across the roof of the slide room. The True Topper includes a third wipe seal to provide 50% more wiping action as your slide room travels inward.

“The True Topper has consistently shown an equal or better result when tested at some of the industry’s most rigorous torrential rain booths provided by leading manufacturers such as Winnebago Industries and Tiffin Motorhomes.”

Composite Solutions Inc. on the True Topper

What about the lip or flange on the top of my slide?

That flange at the top of your slide poses no problem for the folks at True Topper. The upper flange or “lip” along the top of the slideroom is trimmed and replaced with a low-profile cover, which is attached over the remaining molding. All factory structure and seals are left undisturbed.

Installation locations

There are currently four locations where you can have your RV upgraded to the True Topper system, with more certified installation locations coming.

• Composite Solutions, Inc. in Eugene, Oregon
• Pro Finishes in Belmont, Mississippi (right next to Red Bay, Alabama)
• Campro RV Service in Topeka, Kansas
• Classic Coach Works in Ormond Beach, Florida

Upgrade your RV with True Topper

Whether you are needing to replace aging RV slide toppers or simply want better performance, fewer headaches, and a great look, upgrading your RV with the True Topper system is a worthwhile investment in your RV.

Since pricing for the True Topper will vary greatly depending on the RV, condition, size of the topper replacement, whether there is an existing awning or not, or if any additional paintwork is required, you’ll want to contact True Topper directly for pricing.

Before you do, measure each of your slides, end to end as shown below, and mention whether you currently have a slide topper on that slide. Contact True Topper today and get an estimate on taking your RV to the next level. Once the conversion is complete, you’ll never be replacing fabric or parts again, and your RV will look fantastic.

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