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“.
