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RV review: Jayco Jay Feather Volare prototype

Tony Barthel

Today’s RV review is of the Jayco Jay Feather Volare which is actually a prototype. This is interesting because the more I looked at this (virtually) the more impressed I am. And there are things on here that I have been hoping to see on RVs and which seem to be making it to reality.

What’s exciting

I’ve been beating the drum about RVs being aerodynamic disasters for some time. It’s true. You could tow the same trailer with a smaller pickup, like the Nissan Frontier that I used to use. Or tow that same trailer with a larger pickup with a much larger engine. Such as the Ram 1500 that I use today.

Fuel mileage remains the same because it just takes a specific amount of energy to overcome the terrible aerodynamics of a big box behind you. Part of that includes all the things RV companies stick out of the roof of RVs such as big, bulky air conditioners.

This Volare prototype doesn’t have a bunch of stuff on the roof. The air conditioner is the Dometic Cool Cat unit which actually is mounted in the body of the trailer. This system is a heat pump and is similar to a PTAC system you’ll often find in a hotel - it heats and cools. And it doesn’t stick out of the roof.

Oh, and speaking of the roof the one on the Volare is a single piece of fiberglass rather than the rubber roofs on so many RVs. Since there are fewer voids in the roof such as no AC up there, there are fewer opportunities for leaks. That’s nifty.

In fact the entire trailer is an aluminum-framed unit including the flooring and the ceiling as well as the walls. This looks like an Intech Sol Dawn trailer but that unit even has an aluminum chassis.

While looking at the structure outside the prototype had better stabilizers on the corner. There was also a Nautilus water management system akin to what you’d expect in a fifth wheel. This comes complete with remote gate valve levers and that speaks to the exterior of this trailer having a very finished look.

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What’s inside

There are a number of floor plans shown for this model including one with a rear cargo door sort of like an Airstream Base Camp.

Interestingly the kitchen of this features a single portable induction cook top and a small round sink. The microwave and fridge on this model are rather narrow units with an adjacent open pantry. Oh boy, your cans of soup are going to be flying around inside of this on travel days.

But, again, this is just a prototype.

Being a trailer this small there is a wet bath and, since the floor of showers have to be raised, your headroom in this is somewhat limited. Also, while InTech uses an exterior door with a seal to keep the water out Jayco didn’t, although I’m sure there’s a shower curtain. I like InTech’s solution better.

Interior lighting on this is pretty cool with a sort of single rail of light that extends across the ceiling. The interior and overall build materials and finished appearance of this unit really give it a high-end feel.

Solaré

This trailer comes with a surprising amount of solar and battery. There are 400 watts of GoPower flexible panels that conform to the curved roof. Those panels charge two 200 watt lithium batteries for a total of 400 watts of lithium. This is pretty surprising as standard equipment.

But with this much power I was also surprised that there was any propane aboard whatsoever. It seems the only thing the propane does is run the water heater, which is a tankless on-demand model, and potentially a furnace. Oh and there’s a propane quick connect at the rear.

Tony’s thoughts

There is so much right with this trailer and it points to a good direction overall for Jayco. I love how they’ve removed a lot of the stuff from the roof that is so common.

There’s also a suite of cameras on the prototype including one on the nose of the trailer so you can see what’s happening while you’re driving but also use those cameras to see what’s happening around the trailer while camped.

I also really like the “finished” appearance of this. Most RVs look like home-built projects with all the stuff added on to the outside - this seems much more finished. Of course many RVs are barely one step above a garage-built project so there’s that.

While pricing hasn’t been announced these will be at the upper end of the small trailer world and that’s a good thing. We have lots of Cherokees and Springdales already. Some campers want a trailer that is high quality with premium features in a smaller package. This absolutely nails that.

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I also appreciate that this has absolute stand-out styling until you visit an InTech dealer. What was the point of blatantly ripping off InTech’s signature look? Fooey on you, Jayco, leave the independent RV companies alone. I bet they could have hired a first-year student and something like the Art Center in California and come up with a design that was more aerodynamic and not a  total rip of something else. Heck, Airstream did that with the Base Camp.

But the direction is a good one and they’ve even chosen a name from a 1976 Plymouth Volare, too. There’s so much right with the direction, build materials and appointments in this but the ripped-off styling just makes me angry. Oh well.

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