Do you feel like you’re on a diving board every time you walk up your old wobbly RV steps?

If so, you’re probably looking to upgrade, and rest assured, you’re in the right place.

Welcome to the Lippert VS MORryde RV Step Battle 2.0.

OLD STYLE VS NEW STYLE

The old-style of RV steps hovers without making any contact with the ground. This means when you step up on the bottom step, it wobbles a bit and doesn’t feel very stable. It’s almost like you stepped up on a diving board.

The new-style of RV steps has legs and makes full contact with the ground. That way when you step up on it, it feels much safer and more stable.

I live in my RV full-time and am constantly carrying tools, groceries and packages up and down the steps. After doing that for 3 years on both types of RV steps, I can tell you it’s definitely worth upgrading.

Back in 2021 I covered the pros and cons of two of the most popular stable RV step brands on the market, the Lippert SolidStep RV Steps and the MORryde StepAbove RV Entry Steps. Since then there have been quite a few upgrades by both competitors, so the question remains:

WHICH BRAND OF NEW-STYLE RV STEP IS BEST?

Let’s start with what they both have in common. Both brands are made from lightweight, high-quality aluminum. They’re both stored inside the RV while traveling, protecting them from the elements. They both have adjustable legs that extend out and make full contact with the ground. These legs also work individually so you can use them on rough terrain. And most importantly, both step brands are wayyy more stable than the traditional RV steps could ever dream of. They also have a higher weight capacity!

Now let’s get into the pros and cons of each brand…

LIPPERT VS MORRYDE – PROS & CONS

Step Width & Depth

The first difference between these two brands is their specific size offerings, as well as the overall step width and step depth.

Lippert offers two possible width options for their steps, while Morryde offers three.

Each of these widths comes in either a 2-step, 3-step or 4-step configuration and the specific model you choose from either brand will depend on the width of your doorway and the height from your threshold to the ground.

When comparing like-sized variants between the brands, the latest generation models are very similar in their overall step dimensions.

Just to give an idea of the slight differences, in my case, I chose the widest 4-step models from each brand and as you can see here the Morryde step has a width of 23.5 inches while the Lippert has a width of 24 inches, which is only half an inch in Lippert’s favor.

The step depth is similar with Lippert coming in at 8.5 inches deep while the Morryde is at 8 inches.

The step depth of the top step, which has been upgraded on both brands to essentially create a top platform, comes in at 13 inches deep on the Lippert and 10.5 inches on the Morryde.

So while the overall width and depth of these steps are pretty similar, Lippert technically offers the larger step surface.

But with that extra space does come a slight reduction in weight capacity which brings us to our second difference between these two steps.

Weight Capacity

Lippert’s Solid Step has a weight limit of 400 pound, while MORryde’s Step Above has a 500 pound weight limit. So if you’re looking for a step that can hold the most weight, MORryde is your winner.

Leg Adjustment

So the third difference between these two steps is the ease of leg adjustment. Both Lippert and Morryde have upgraded from their old and frustrating adjustment-pin-setups to these new quick release triggers, which work fantastically.

There are a few slight differences between the systems, but they essentially work the same.

On the Morryde you simply pull the leg out to whatever length you need, and it automatically locks in to that position. You can then press the trigger to quickly and easily retract.

The Lippert system is similar, but it requires the trigger to be pressed before you can move the leg in either direction.

You can also see here that Morryde’s trigger is on the back of the step while Lippert’s is located on the side.

Both system work well and this upgrade makes a huge difference when trying to quickly deploy the steps at a rest stop or simply setting up camp after a long day of driving. See them in action.

Quick Tip for Protecting Your New RV Steps

One thing I wanted to mention about the feet on both models… Remember to place a mat or piece of wood between the feet and the ground. We learned this the hard way. The damage you see here was done the very first night we spent in our RV. We went up and down our steps all night while the feet were sitting directly on gravel without a care in the world. It wasn’t until the next morning as we were packing up, that we discovered the damage.

The feet on both models are now plain stainless steel so you won’t see the black paint cracking and peeling, but I still put a mat down whenever I can.

Quick Release Hinge

Next up is the difference between each step’s quick release hinge. This is a new feature added by both of the brands which allows users to quickly and easily remove the steps from their unit if they find themselves in tight quarters where they’re unable to deploy the steps.

On the older models, if you were too close to a wall or another vehicle at home or in a storage facility or at a truck stop, you’d be unable to get into your rig. But now you can simply pop out the pins and remove the steps with ease.

Morryde’s pins work great, but they are separate pieces that need to be kept up with once removed and sometimes the final alignment takes a bit of jiggling to get it just right.

I would say Lippert has a slight advantage here because their quick release pin is spring loaded and permanently attached to the step which not only equals less parts to misplace, but also makes alignment a bit easier when reinstalling.

See both quick release hinges in action.

Assist Features

Next we have the performance of each brand’s assist features, which are the strut-based upgrades that both Lippert and MORryde offer. These systems act just like any other strut system you’ve seen on a trunk or a hood, allowing you to lift the 50-plus pound steps with very little strength or effort.

It’s important to note that on both brands, adding the assist feature will eliminate the quick release hinge, so you’ll need to decide which feature is more important to you and choose between the two.

Just for reference, the 4-step version of both brands requires just over 52 inches of clearance to deploy. So if you’ll be in spaces tighter than those measurements, you may want to take that into consideration.

In my last video, Morryde was the clear winner here because their Strut Assist feature worked flawlessly, providing smooth, full support from top to bottom.

And while Lippert’s version provided a good bit of assistance throughout most of the motion, it didn’t do much once you were about 80% of the way up.

Lippert was listening to everyone’s feedback though and their next generation of Lift Assist has been totally revamped. They actually sent me out the first prototype of their new design and I can confirm it is now much closer in both performance and footprint to the Morryde system.

So with both competitors now offering a very similar assistance experience, we’re now neck and neck in this category.

Purchasing Experience

This brings us to the next difference which is the way in which the steps and the assist features are marketed and packaged.

MORryde offers a standard StepAbove step, which includes the quick release hinge. And then they offer a StepAbove step with Strut Assist. You would purchase one or the other.

Lippert is a little bit different. If you wanted the quick release hinge, you would just purchase the SolidStep and that’s it. But if you wanted the assist feature, you would buy the SolidStep and add on the Lift Assist separately. So you’d be purchasing two products and get both options.

While Lippert’s options could give you more flexibility by giving you both options, MORryde offers a simpler buying experience.

The choice is yours and depends on your preference.

Installation

The next difference is the way in which these steps are mounted to the rig.

On the quick release versions without the strut-based assist feature, the MORryde step simply requires 8 screws in the floor while the Lippert step requires 5.

Then we have the versions WITH the strut-based assist features….

Both brands currently require wall mounts to be installed on each side of the door frame, which means removal of a small section of molding from both sides as well.

Lippert’s previous generation of Lift Assist required only one wall mount but this has changed with the latest version making both brand installations very similar.

The Morryde system requires the least amount of hardware though, with four screws in the floor and 4 screws on each side of the door frame. The Lippert system requires 6 screws in the floor and a total of 9 screws around the door frame.

How To Purchase

Next up is the process you’ll need to follow to purchase each step.

Before making either purchase, you’ll need to determine which exact model number will fit your specific RV.

For Lippert’s SolidStep you can find measurement instructions on their website HERE, then follow the links on that page to proceed with ordering directly from them.

For Morryde’s StepAbove you can use the interactive qualifier on their website HERE to determine your specific model number, and then take that STP-XXX number and search for it on eTrailer.com or Amazon.

Optional Handrails

Both Lippert and MORryde offer an optional handrails that can be purchased separately and installed directly to the step providing additional stability when going up and down.

Morryde’s handrail is installed quickly and easily using 4 bolts and once secured feels very solid and stable.

Lippert’s handrail requires a bit more work to install, but it also features height adjustment and quick and easy removal via 4 pins. This feature does introduce a bit of play and instability into the system though and is therefore nowhere near as solid as the Morryde handrail.

So it really just depends on what’s more important to you: absolute stability or adjustability and quick removal.

And just for reference, when folding the steps into the door with the handrails installed, both brands require right at 36 inches of clearance. So if your space is limited during stowing, being able to quickly remove the handrail might be a gamechanger for you.

MORryde also offers an additional handrail, called the Safe-T-Rail, which mounts directly to the outside wall of your camper and folds flat during travel. So that’s another option to consider if your interior space is limited or if you’re simply looking for the longest handrail possible.

LIPPERT OR MORRYDE – WHO’S THE WINNER?

So… which brand is best? I’m gonna leave that to you guys this time!

Drop a comment on the YouTube video to vote for either Lippert or MORryde and also let us know why. What features are the most important to you? And are there any features you’d like to see that don’t exist yet?

Both Lippert and MORryde are keeping an eye on the comment section so, let’s help them take a step in the right direction.

INSTALLATION

My first step was to remove the narrower new-style steps that were already installed on my RV. If you only have the old, traditional fold-under-the-rig-steps, you won’t have to remove anything.

(But if you’d like to go ahead and get rid of your old steps, and don’t want to leave an empty space – you can actually fill that space with an outdoor storage box. Lippert and MORryde offer an external lockable storage box that will fit perfectly. I’ve actually already removed mine and replaced it with the Lippert Solid Step RV Storage Box. To see a full review and installation, you can check that video out here.)

Back to the step install…

So the installation process for both brands of steps with the quick release hinge is very similar. We’ll start with the Lippert set. You’ll want to set the step in the doorway and make sure it’s centered left to right. Then you want to carefully lift the step into the doorway so you can access the holes for the 5 mounting screws. Once those are secure, you’ll need to adjust both sides of the door frame plate so the lips line up with the edge of your door frame. To do this you just break these two bolts loose on each side and slide the lip to the proper width. Retorque the bolts and then that’s it for installing the Lippert set.

And then again the installation process for the MORryde set is very similar. You want to make sure the mounting brackets are folded in like this. Center the step in the door and then you’ll see there are two pilots holes that you can use to go ahead and attach a couple screws, making it a lot easier to lift the step without anything moving on you. You’ll then have access to the remaining 6 mounting holes. After you fasten the rest of the screws you’ll then need to adjust both sides of the door frame plate so the lips line up with the edge of the door frame. Just like with the Lippert step, break these two bolts loose on each side and slide the lip to the proper width. Retorque the bolts and then that’s it for installing the Morryde set.

The strut-based versions install a bit differently and start out with the steps vertical in the door. These are a bit heavier than the steps without the assist feature, and it’d probably be smart to have somebody help you out from above, but as you can see in the video, I enjoy a good struggle.

Once you have everything lined up with the doorframe, you’ll be able to see exactly how much molding you’ll need to trim in your case. Then you can simply make a mark just above each of the brackets and use a utility blade to slice through the molding. In my case is was soft and pretty simple to do. Once everything is flush, you can then fasten all of the screws into the floor and the wall, make your adjustments on the doorframe plates and then you’re done.

See quick installations here.

IN CONCLUSION

I hope you guys found this video helpful. I want to thank both Lippert and MORryde for sponsoring this video. Remember to cast your vote in the YouTube comments. Would you rather have the Lippert SolidStep or the MORryde StepAbove?

And what features were most important to you?

Also, feel free to drop any questions you might have in the comments as well and I’ll do my best to get back to you as soon as I can.

And finally, please consider liking, subscribing and clicking the notification bell so you don’t miss any future videos I post. All these actions will let the YouTube algorithm know that I’m doing a good job and it’ll also help me reach many more people who might also get some value from my content.

My name is Chris Dow, this is Around the Sun We Go, and remember… make every trip count.