starcraft 13rt or 14rt

[thunker]

Do you guys think the dinette slide is worth the cost or is more counter and storage space better? It is me, my wife 7yr girl and 4 yr old boy??

[Calstate361]

YES, YES, YES, the slide out is really worth it.  We also had a Starcraft with the dinette slid out and it had more room in it than my parent's 19 ft. fifth wheel.  
 
Joan

[Kelly]

A voice from the other side of the fence .... I didn't want a slide.  I wanted to keep everything as simple (and light) as possible.  It's just me and the kids and the slide seemed like one more thing that could possibly go wrong!

As with other options ~ it's a totally personal decision.  I wanted lots of counter space and 2 dinettes ... a slide wasn't even on the options list.  [/FONT]

[tlhdoc]

I am with Kelly.  I don't want a slide.  The less there is to set up the less work I have to do.

[4campinfoxes]

I love my slide & I wouldn't live without it any more.  I have 2 girls & usually a dog.  Our dinette is in the slide & it is a convenient place when it is raining - the girls can color or we can play games or just hang out.  Besides that, it's another bed for when one has a friend camping with us.

Sharon

[wavery]

We don't have a slide and don't miss it. I suppose that if we purchased a PU with a side, we would love it. After-all, I would have made the decision to pay for it in the 1st place. I'd feel pretty foolish not to love it.

We often have kids and find plenty of space. The slide does not add a dinette. It merely moves it out of the way and gives you more floor space. If you think that more floor space would be beneficial for you, it may be that the slide is the way for you to go. We haven't found floor space to be an issue.

I agree with Kelly. It seems like just one more step in set-up/take-down and something else to service, maintain and a another thing to go wrong.

Whatever you decide. I am sure that you will be happy with your decision and it will be right for you. The important thing is to do it and GO CAMPING!!!

[outdoors5]

Have a dinette slide and love it.  The set up is truly simple on my PU.  Pull and add a pole.  I have two young kids and our first trip out it rained.  The wonderful thing about the slide is it gives you a space for the kids or yourself or everybody to be slightly off to the side when stuck inside.  Granted, only slightly to the side but it feels like a seperate space.  Maybe you have been in one but if not see if you can go to a dealer or show.  Spend time inside one with and one without and see if it is inviting to you.  I think it is great but that is just an opinion.

[RKCRWLR]

Looked at a 13 rt w/slide the other day.  Had I seen it before we bought the Jayco 10Y, things may have gone differently.  The slide really opens things up.  That said, if you are really going to use the RT off highway, you can't kid yourself.  These "offroad" versions bounce and twist once the blacktop is behind you.  The slide is one more sensitive piece to go bad.  Think about how/where you are going to use the camper and see if that affects your decision any.

[flyfisherman]

As one who "drags" his conventional Starcraft off the main roads and back into the boonies, I, too, would be concerned about an "off road" unit with a slide out.

And ... I'm also part of the crew here who thinks less set-up and take down time (work) is important.  I tote enough "junk" along so that packing back-up to leave for home is a time consuming chore ... whatever happen to "traveling light"? (LOL)


Fly

[tknick]

Aparently, outdoors5 and I were on the same trip on different days.  We just took our first trip with our new to us Bayside.  It has a slide and we LOVE it.  We recently downsized from a 28' travel trailer.  The slide makes the PU feel much roomier than the TT ever did.  The slide gives you just enough aisle space to let people walk around without having to hold on to each other as you pass or have one person sit down while the other passes.  It also rained on our trip and the extra bit of room (no matter how small) helps to keep the kids from getting stir crazy.

As for setup, someone already said it, unlock both sides, pull out, insert pole.  Done in less than a minute.