Jayco Hybrids vs. the Competition

[Ladywendolyn]

One thing to be aware of... The Forrest river hybrids have had problems with water leaking in through the bunk ends. Forrest River sent us a free seal kit, but it wastoo hard for us to install and so we ended up spenting $1200.00 having extra seals installed on our bunk ends "just in case", but I would not recommend the FR hybrid for that reason.

[dddire]

We bought a x17d a couple weeks ago, it's sitting in storage at the dealer, waiting for the snow to melt here in New Brunswick.

Driving by every day, can't wait to pull it home and unfold.

[IWHLVR]

Hello raising4daughters, I am too, haha!!
I had been a backpacking tent camper my whole life until we had kids. Finding it too hard to hike the kid, food and stuff I consented to a Jayco pup. Loved it but hated the time for setup/takedown and when it started leaking this past summer we changed for a 2011 Jayco 17Z. I was a hard sell but I have to admit WE LOVE IT! I love having the feeling of camping (you hear noise through the tents and remember others can hear you!) but you have all the comfort of an RV (don't underestimate the importance of a close potty when pottytraining in the cold or rain!). I have three herniated disks and I can drop the beds down or put them up myself with no problems. The bunkends are sealed and secure so no worries about bunkend falling or a kid rolling out between the sides (which did happen once with our Jayco pup). Ours can have the beds dropped down without unhitching so it makes boondocking a breeze. I love the layout and was surprised at how much cabinet space there really is. We find the beds comfortable (although we did add a memory foam topper to the adult side). I didn't like the idea of a stove/microwave but am really glad I have it now! The awning mechanism is fantastic, the air is cold and quiet, the heat is nice and we find the fridge just the right size (although I would appreciate a larger freezer). The TV antennae doesn't get much use but it is honestly better than what we have at home (no cable). Dumping the holding tank is a piece of cake and clean. Winterizing was a breeze. We literally do our setup and tear down in 30 minutes to an hour. And depending on your TV it's hard to beat the weight of a Jayco. We pulled ours with no problems using a CH T&C, although I recently upgraded to a FO E350. Our girls are currently small (5, 4 and 2year twins) so they all sleep in one bunk while we use the other. In a year or two we will be upgrading for more real beds and will more than likely go the Jayco (or starcraft) direction. Criticisms . . . ummmm . . . the storage tube hole for your dump tube isn't wide enough to hold the connectors on the tube so it goes in the storage area which would have been nice . . . the couch and table make beds but they're not very comfortable for an adult . . . if you're tall (like us) it is a bit challenging to shower . . . yep, that's about it.