A Myriad of Models

Between its Jay Feather and Jay Flight brands, Jayco has 12 models of single-axle trailers. This year, the Jay Flight celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Four of the floorplans available in the Jay Feather and Jay Flight are in the SLX Series, and eight are in the Sport Series.

“The Sport Series is the more down and dirty price point for Jay Flight. In Jay Feather Airs, we have our Air platform, which has about seven floorplans. Our newer release series is our Air SL. We have three floorplans in that.”

That brings the total number of single-axle floorplans to 22.

“What we work for on the Jayco side of things is quality when it comes to building product,” Lawson says. “Jayco provides the best warranty in the business, which is double to warranty. We also work to give customers the functional features that improve their camping experience. We’re not really focused on a lot of the widget things that customers can easily do aftermarket, but rather giving them things they can’t easily do that improve their camping experience, like big windows, big refrigerators and good countertop space.”

Solar power is the most popular option on Jayco single axles.

“We have a lot of people doing off-grid camping,” Lawson says. “With the 12-volt refrigerators, they can run off their batteries. They want solar to kind of trickle charge the battery.”

Planning for Change

Jayco’s model year begins in May. Lawson says many dealers will come to Jayco’s manufacturing facility once new products are built, for a sneak peek ahead of the brand’s annual dealer homecoming. This year’s event is set for Aug. 9-12 in Las Vegas.

“Obviously, we’ll start shipping product in May, ahead of our homecoming. Then we have a lot of dealers that will see it at homecoming,” he says. “But we’ve seen an increasing trend of dealers coming to Elkhart and wanting to come out to the Jayco campus and see product once we start building that new current model here.”

The dealer homecoming is a valuable tool for Jayco, where the company has the opportunity to meet with most of its dealers. Jayco reviews its product lineup and issues forecasts for the year.

“It’s our opportunity to sit down with our dealers and plan our business with them for the year, the short term and the long term,” Lawson says. “We talk through any issues, if they’re having any, and help resolve that.”

During the well-attended homecoming, Jayco’s executive team gives presentations updating the company’s status and where it’s headed. Product changes are reviewed, and dealers are helped with planning their business. Jayco currently has about 350 dealers in North America.

Consumer RV shows also generate ideas.

“We work a lot of shows, so we’re getting direct consumer feedback out at the shows. We also work really closely with our dealers, because our dealers are the ones that are out on the frontlines, getting feedback from the retail customer every day,” Lawson says.

Jayco also operates a Dealer Advisory Council (DAC), comprised of 20 dealers. The DAC meets annually and provides the manufacturer with valuable feedback on what’s working and what’s missing from Jayco products.

Premium Features

All of Jayco’s dealers stock all of its single-axle models. For the adventurous who are seeking some off-grid activity, Jayco offers a Baja package. Features include bigger,off-road tires, torsion axles, upgraded stabilizer jacks and extra diamond plating on the rear wall, to protect from debris when off-roading. Historically, there has been a big demand for this package from customers in the western U.S., but recently there has been increased interest from customers in the East.

“It (Baja) gives it a good look, but I think customers like the bigger, beefier tires from a towing stability standpoint,” Lawson says.

Jayco combines an array of safety features while striving to build a durable product. Lawson cites as an example the Jayco’s Magnum Trust roof system, which is rated for 4,500 pounds.

“It’s great for things such as snow load. Most of our customers store their trailers outside, not in a climate-controlled environment, so that’s a lot of weight on the roof. It’s great for maintenance, but it’s also great for safety if you are camping and a storm comes through,” he says. “These things aren’t designed to be storm shelters, but storms can come out of nowhere. The stronger the roof is, the less likely a tree falling can penetrate it. Our roofs are twice as strong as those of most of our competitors.”

Lawson also points to the sturdiness of Jayco’s single-wide bunks, all rated for 300 pounds.

Double-wide bunks can accommodate 600 pounds. That is double the rating for most competitors, he says.

“On our Air side of things, our Jay Feathers, there are a lot of different things we do which sets us apart. One is our Climate Shield package, which is our upgraded HVAC system,” Lawson says. “That’s rated from zero to 100 degrees outside temperature and is able to maintain 68 to 72 degrees on the inside, with a heated enclosed underbelly. A lot of times in single axles you don’t have a heated enclosed underbelly.”

Lawson believes future improvements in single-axle trailers will focus on functional features aimed at boosting users’ camping experience.

“Quality is of the utmost importance, as is durability of the product, but also [so] is providing the features they can’t easily add aftermarket that improve their camping experience,” he says. “Sometimes it may be things they may not realize that they need, such as proper vent fans, large windows and larger refrigerators. But once they own it and they’re camping in it, they’ll appreciate those specific features.”