One of the things that drew us to our Heartland Trail Runner was the fact that it is fully usable and functional with the slide out in.
While it is a little tight to get through the bathroom door from the living room . . . that is the only real issue when the slide out isn't slid out.
This was important to us as we use the trailer in our yard frequently, but the slide out can only be opened about halfway where it is parked.
Our neighbors just bought a 2014 Heartland North Trail after seeing ours, and like us, they can't put the slide out where it is parked.
One thing they hadn't noticed until he was showing me the inside of it a couple of weeks ago was that the only way you can see the living room TV is when the front slide is out . . . otherwise the TV is behind the slide when it is in!
Our living room TV is opposite of the slide out, and the kitchen is on the rear wall, which makes that whole area completely usable regardless of whether the slide is in or out.
The kitchen drawers are behind the slide when it is in, but can be opened and accessed, so this is not a problem.
Anywayz . . . that's my story and I'm sticking to it!