R-Vision or Jayfeather ?

[brown]

Hi !
New to the sight and looking for input on a new purchase. My wife and I are looking for a lightweight TT in the 30' range. After a few Saturdays of dragging our 2 kids around to dealers in our region we think we know what we want. The floorplans on the Jayco Jayfeather 29Y and the RVision Trailcruiser 30QBSS are similar and give us the combination of room, beds, etc... we are looking for.  The units are close in both total weight and hitch weight and are in the range we targeted in our search. Additionally the basic pricing I have on them to this point has them relatively close to each other. Both have a few slightly different features that make it more appealing than the other. I think the decision may come down to which we feel has the better construction, and best I can tell this is also similar.

Pros of Jayfeather                                      Cons                   
Looks                                                      external storage
enclosed underbelly                                    clearance
TV access in bedroom

Pros of Trail Cruiser                                    Cons
Storage, including over bunks                      no tv in bedroom
more living room                                        no enclosed underbelly

Help !

 

[brown]

Well I think we have eliminated the Trail Cruiser and are now looking at the Max Lite 29BHS and the Jay Feather 29Y. We do not care for the single lower bunk on the MaxLite vs. the double lower on the Jay Feather, but prefer sofa/dinette slide (MakLite vs. the kitchen slide (JayFeather).  One thing has really caught my attention in comparing these units however and that is the frame. The frame on the Max Lite is a structural I-Beam type that I assume is welded, Jayco says their frame is tapered and bolted. It looks like the Jayco frame is some sort of bent plate that is dimpled and bolted together, further they have cut holes in it to get the weight down. We probably prefer the livability and looks of the Jayfeather, but the frame has me taking a real close look. 

Can anyone shed any light on the Jay Feather frame ?
Is this really something to be concerned with ?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I don't have any specific knowledge of the Jayfeather frame, but Jayco is a reputable brand.

Whenever you select an ultra-light model, you are sacrificing frame strength and rigidity for reduced weight. Mostly that means the frame will twist more readily and thatin trn will flex everything attached to the walls and floors.  The more you travel (and the rougher the roads), the more this stress will affect things.  Still, I have not heard of any common  problems with the light weight models in general.

If this is a concern, you need to buy a stronger tow vehicle so you can handle a more robust trailer. I would recommend that if you expect to use the rig frequently, say more than 30 days per year.  In general, it's worthwhile to pay for a heavier duty rig (both tow vehicle and trailer) if you will use it frequently.

 

[brown]

I have spoken to several people who either own or have owned JayFeathers and all spoke highly of them. I have found a dealer that is making the price on the JayFeather vert attractive.

 

[brown]

My wife really likes the floorplan of the Zepplin.  We have eliminated the R-vision products. Anyone have an opinion on the Zeppelin line by Keystone ?