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Slide Out Access To Camper Bathrooms

When slide-outs first debuted in truck campers over 20-years ago, the industry was extremely careful to leave enough room when the slide was in to comfortably reach the bathroom.  This was possible because early slide-out campers were almost entirely all dinette single-slides.

Back then, a single dinette slide-out was more than enough to wow the crowds and get nearly the entire upper-end of the hard side truck camper market to “upgrade”.  Seriously, an 18-inch dinette slide was practically truck camper crack, at least for a few years.  The industry could not build them fast enough.

Then Okanagan released the 117-DBL double-slide and any consideration of bathroom access went right out the window.  And what’s this?  A side-entry with a sofa!  In a blink, the previously-coveted single dinette slide looked prehistoric.

You know the rest.  Triple-slides hit the market in 2007 and there was no going back.  Even single-slide models turned into full-wall slides so deep they practically came out the other side.  I clearly remember the first time I saw Lance’s “Super Slide”.  It extended so far I thought it might fall out.  Insanity!

Fast forward to today and I’m starting to hear a familiar question again, “Can I get to the bathroom with the slides-in?”  Fellow truck campers are seemingly waking up to why folks once insisted on fast and unrestricted bathroom access.  Either that or they need to pee a lot more urgently than before.

Revenge of the bladders?  Attack of the tinkle?  Gee wizz, I don’t know, but I think this question warrants renewed attention.

Have we lost something important in our 20+ year scramble to slide-outs?  Are you doing a little dance as that slide-out slowly… goes… out?  Or is bathroom access no big deal?  I guess it all depends (oh no you didn’t!).

This week’s Question of the Week is sure to be well read by the industry; “Is bathroom access an important factor when you select a truck camper for purchase?”

Before you answer, please take into consideration your current status:

SLIDE-OUT OWNERS: If you have a camper with a slide, please give your thoughts about slide-outs blocking access to the bathroom.  If you can COMFORTABLY access you camper with the slide closed, please share the model you have and how much slide-in room you have.

NON-SLIDE OWNERS, POP-UP OWNERS: If you have a camper without a slide, why didn’t you get a slide?  Was getting to the bathroom a consideration?

NON-TRUCK CAMPER OWNERS: What are your thoughts about slides?  Is getting to the bathroom a consideration?

This QOTW is now closed.  Read over 140 reader responses in “Slide-Out Versus Bathroom Access“.

 

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