I have a fitted slide out step fitted to the Avan but it never sees the light of day since I got my non slip fold up metal step. It travels just inside the door folded on a non slip matt. I tend to agree with your salesman to a point.

If you like the fitted slide out step why not get some non slip self adhesive safety strips and stick them to the stepping surface. I have seen them in Bunnings or similar places.

brian wrote:

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I'm not convinced that convenience is the main consideration here.

A slide out step is secured to the van so it can't tip over if you stand on it a bit funny, and it doesn't care how uneven the ground under it is.

Separate steps have a bad habit of landing people on the tail bones or worse, due to a foot being placed too far off centre, or the step being unstable due to ground unevenness.

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Yep, my partner fell off one of those, didn't hurt himself except for his pride.
There's a fitted step on our van, and no its not slippery even when wet. The caravan is high enough to need both steps unless we have a concrete slab, which is a pest.

We're in the process of making a separate box about twice as deep as the fitted fold out step on our Avan Cruiser. Reasons against the fold out step are:
slippery when wet....not a very large space to put your foot in the dark....makes the van move when you step on it....makes a noise when you step on it.

For the separate box we will stick rubber on the top which will be much larger than the fold out step and inside the box we'll keep our shoes and other stuff that carries dirt. It will fit just inside the door when travelling.

Reason for doing it now is that we've just returned from a few days at Esk with fellow Avanners and quite a few of these use the separate box. Some are a bit unsteady on their feet so it helps there as well.

So for us we see advantages.

Regards
Denis

We haven't a fold out step on our van but a step we brought from a caravan shop. The step has holes on each leg in which you can put a peg through it to hold the step firmly if one wish to.

I have all so seen a few of caravans traveling with their slide out steps still out, as well having some sort of a bungy cord holding it back in the fold in position.  cheers reg

I liked the idea of a fixed step but now I have changed my mind as the box is so handy we turn it up side down put shoes and the power cord in it, it is the first things you look for when you stop. We find you don't always need it our van is not super high or low.

I use it as step to release the pop top catches, just makes the lifes little jobs easier and then I will use it as a footstool when I am relaxing, best thing. Cheers

 

We used to have a portable step, but it was one of the plastic ones and it felt flimsy and it moved a couple of times when using it.    We installed a double pull out electric step as our van is quite high and we love it.   Ours isn't slippery, but I think some brands may have that issue a bit.   I've seen some people put synthetic grass type material on their stop to solve that.   

Pejay wrote:

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Gracious, I didn't realise a step would create such a wide lot of opinions, but we are thankful to everyone for your thoughts. Pete has decided that we will go with the fitted step, buy some stuff (non stick tape?) from Bunnings or wherever and has told me in no uncertain terms that I must SLOW DOWN!!! That should help.

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I don't think you will regret the choice Peejay, keep us informed.

Yep, slowing down is a good idea, do you have a grab rail installed in your caravan? makes a world of difference when using the step, the three points of contact rule is also valuable in preventing falls http://safetytoolboxtopics.com/Slips-Trips-and-Falls/three-point-rule-avoid-falls.html

Regarding driving off with the step still extended, there is a micro switch arrangement fitted to ours which sounds a very audible alarm if you turn the ignition on with the step out, it won't stop until the step is stowed, I realize a caravan is different to a motor home, regardless in this day and age any auto electrician should be able to set an alarm up.

Enjoy your travels.

 

 

-- Edited by Santa on Tuesday 10th of December 2013 06:27:21 PM

Jonathan wrote:

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Santa wrote:

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 You didn't Santa .. I wouldn't have said anything if you hadn't made a public apology .. Pardon me for trying to help !!

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 Ummmm, not sure what this is about, did I inadvertently step on your toes?

1.  We used to have a stool with marine carpet applied- was good until we were parked behind the pub on KI. The grounds were covered with chip bark. Thought that we had the stool level but no- I fell into van badly bruising myself in chest as well as bark of shin.

2. Had to get a pull out step when we had van raised- it has two steps actually. After 1st rain realized how slippery so immediately added marine carpet again & now it is so safe & would never go back to s stool.