Customers commonly ask me, “Should I buy an RV slide topper? Do I really need one?’

In response, I ply three questions:

1. How often do you use your RV?
2. Are you mobile, stationary, or seasonal?
3. Are you trying to prevent water leaks, or are you trying to reduce maintenance?

An RV slide topper, or canopy, is a Lilliputian awning that is mounted above your slide-out room. One end is fixed to the sidewall; the other end is mounted to the top of the slide-out room itself, usually just below the top T-moulding. As the slide-out room extends, the awning unfurls. There’s no motor or electricity; an inner torsion spring keeps the awning fabric taut (but not too tight). When the slide-out room retracts, the awning fabric automatically rolls back up.