Jay Flight Hide-a-bed vs. Jay Feather "Tri-fold" sofa

[dmh500]

Jayco lists the "hide-a-bed" as an option on the Jay Flights, while the option on a Jay Feather is a "tri-fold" sofa. Is there any difference, or are these both the exact same thing?

[Amosmoses33]

The hide a bed is like a sleeper sofa. The trifold literally folds out. They are different.

[bearcat77]

Hide a bed is more comfortable (in my opinion) and heavier (I think).


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[sennister]

The two names normally seen are jackknife (base version) and trifold (optional upgrade).

We sat in both and at the RV show and to us the trifold felt more comfortable as a sofa which is how we will use it. Sure it is heavier but worth it to us on a rainy day.

One other thing to note. If you think you will use it as a bed, the base jackknife sofa you would fold it down and lay across it. On our camper it is a 2 place love seat so unless the person is really short, they won't fit. The trifold extends out so they lie perpendicular to the camper giving them much more room.
I haven't tried it out as a bed but I could fit though at 6'4" I would overhang a bit with the slide wall and dinette that wouldn't be an option with the jackknife. I don't plan on sleeping on it either way though.

Both offer some storage under it but it isn't very big (probably less on the trifold). It is a good place for some blankets.

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[bansai]

We have the 'jack-knife' sofa. It's 'ok', but cheaply constructed. If you pull the cushions off, you'll see that they are using plastic strapping to support the weight of people sitting on the couch. Looks just like the straps you'll sometimes see on boxes that are being reinforced... like on generators, lawn mowers, BBQ grills etc.

During our PDI, our (unusually honest) tech informed me that we should be sure to stick a knee into the couch before our warranty expires. He said those plastic straps break all the time and we should break them ourselves before the warranty ends so we'll at least have new ones when we're out of warranty.

I plan on replacing it with something more residential from the Lazy Boy showroom. We don't need or honestly want the ability to sleep 8 people with bodies backed in like sardines at every 'station'.

If people are happier with the hide-a-bed, and need that capacity, I'd go that route.

ETA- I don't recall a hide-a-bed being an option on our camper. Not sure where they would put it.

ETA again - never mind, I just went out to the Jayco site and they do have a hide-a-bed option for mine. Not sure if I've ever seen one. Again though, the sofa that came standard is just so-so... but it works.

[bearcat77]

Yeah, I don't remember how the names went, but the one that folds out like a sleeper sofa was more comfortable, if you think it will ever be used for sleeping.


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[sennister]

I will add that if you go with the trifold, be sure they demo it and try and fold it out there a couple times before leaving. It is kind of goofy how it flips and folds to extend.

With a bunkhouse I doubt we will ever use it as a bed but the sofa comfort was the deciding factor. Also the dealer had 5 x 25BH campers to choose from. They were all the same price for some reason even though options differed. So it cost was the same if we went jackknife or trifold. That made it an easy decision. We went with the one that had basically every option.

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[jloco]

I think a hide a bed and tri fold sofa are one in the same. It's the jack knife that's different.
I have 2 hide a beds in my rig. A hide a bed love seat and a hide a bed sectional.
While I've never slept on either myself, I didn't hear any complaints from those who did.


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[Wireman]

Originally Posted by dmh500

Jayco lists the "hide-a-bed" as an option on the Jay Flights, while the option on a Jay Feather is a "tri-fold" sofa. Is there any difference, or are these both the exact same thing?

I had a jackknife sofa in my 2016 Jayfeather 23RLSW. Very cheap and uncomfortable.

We didn't need the sleeping space so I swapped it out to a wall hugger recliner loveseat. Worth every penny.

[vboyd]

We've had both in our RVs and we've found that with the jack knife sofa while has great support and is comfortable in the couch position, when unfolded was very short (since it is a love seat and you would lay across it). Unless it was a full 3 seat couch, converting to a bed is not long enough for an average person.

The tri-fold sofa we found did not have any good support in the couch position. Find that our butts sink deep in the couch and if I sit for a while my lower back starts to ache. Folded out though is comfortable and roomy as it is practically a queen size bed.

[dmh500]

Thank you everyone for your help. I currently have a jack-knife so I know I don't want that in the new trailer.

"I think a hide a bed and tri fold sofa are one in the same. It's the jack knife that's different."
This is what I was questioning. If they are both the same Jayco should use the same terminology to make it easier to compare options across their various lines.

[JonDirk]

I have a 2017 Greyhawk with the tri-fold bed (standard for '17). I slept there while my rear queen was occupied. I'm 6'1" and was completely comfortable without feet hanging over the edge. It opens very similar to a hide-a-bed and you are sleeping perpendicular to the coach vs. the jack-knife where you sleep lengthwise on a "not so long" couch.

As for the comfort when it's folded up, mine was fine and I spent most of my quiet time there without any problems. Part of the time laying across the couch with a pillow behind me and my feet at the end, watching tv.

[MarniV]

Our jackknife sofa needs to be opened out for the murphy bed to be used. Sure would like to switch the jackknife out for a couple recliners or a reclining loveseat, but not sure how that would work with the murphy bed.