Jayco Vs Forest River- Which is the Best Rv?

When it comes to recreational vehicles (RVs), there are lots of choices. Two popular brands are Jayco and Forest River. There are three important things to keep in mind when deciding on which of the two to choose from since Jayco and Forest River are very similar. Those three things are brand reputation, vehicle variety, and price. In this case, both Jayco and Forest River are both respected brands and are very comparable to each other.

Jayco Vs. Forest River-Class A Motorhomes

Class A RVs are the most expensive, biggest, and grandest of all recreational vehicles. These vehicles are like buses, but you do not need a commercial driver’s license to drive one. Class A motorhomes have a very strong frame built like a commercial bus, truck, or motor vehicle chassis. It is kind of like an 18-wheeler truck. The wheels are 22.5 inches but also has the worst fuel economy. There are usually at least two slide outs. There is plenty of space for people and a lot of storage space. The Jayco 2019 Embark and the Forest River Berkshire XLT are two examples of Class A RVs. There are pros and cons to each type of recreational vehicle.

Jayco Embark

The floorplan for the Embark has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of approximately 36,000 pounds. It is about 40 feet long and over 100 inches wide. It can hold eleven people while driving with seatbelts for everyone. It has nearly 145 cubic feet of storage space. The fuel tank holds 100 gallons as well as the fresh water tank. The graywater tank can hold 62 gallons while the blackwater tank can only hold about 41 gallons. This great monstrosity of a vehicle will cost about 200,000 dollars.

Forest River Berkshire XLT

The Forest River Berkshire XLT has a floor plan very similar to the Embark with a width of about 100 inches and a length of about 45 feet. The engine gets about 450 horsepower. The GVWR is about 44,000 pounds. The freshwater tank holds a little over 100 gallons. The blackwater tank holds about 42 gallons while the graywater tank holds 66 gallons and the freshwater tank holds 103 gallons. That is a little more than the Embark. The fuel tank holds about 150 gallons. However, despite the similarities in size and tank storage, this RV costs about 100,000 dollars more than the Embark.

Jayco Vs. Forest River-Class C Motorhomes

Class C RVs are smaller. They are sometimes called mini motorhomes because they are more compact than the larger Class A RVs. They range in size from 23-36 feet. It is built on a truck or van chassis. There is an attached cab that contains an overhead bunk bed. The Class C motorhomes are also able to tow a car behind them. For the Class C RVs, examples include the 2020 Redhawk for Jayco and the Forester for Forest River.

Jayco Redhawk

The Jayco Redhawk has a large floorplan. It has a GVWR of 14,500 pounds and is about 33 feet long with a width of 100 inches. It holds 55 gallons of fuel, 32 gallons in the blackwater tank, 41 gallons in the graywater tank, and 43 in the freshwater tank. This smaller Class C sells for a little over 100,000 dollars.

Forest River Forester

The Forest River Class C Forester is very similar to the Jayco Redhawk. It has a GVWR of 14,500 pounds. It is 32 feet long and about twelve feet high. The blackwater and graywater tanks hold 39 gallons. The freshwater tank holds 44 gallons and holds about 55 gallons in fuel. The price is about the same as the Redhawk. For the price you are paying, there is not much difference between the Jayco Redhawk and the Forest River Forester.

Jayco Vs. Forest River-Fifth Wheels

A fifth wheel is a camper that connects to a hitch that is in the center of a truck bed. There is a cab that comes over that part of the truck bed and provides extra space or even an extra bed. There are several advantages to owning a fifth wheel. It is safer to pull these types of campers on the road, unlike the regular travel trailer that just hangs from the hitch at the back of the truck. They also have a lot of storage space, and there is always a vehicle that can be used for transportation so that the RV does not have to be taken everywhere. The examples of fifth wheels include Jayco Eagle HTX 2019 and Forest River Cardinal Limited.

Jayco Eagle HTX

This fifth wheel has a GVWR of not quite 10,000 pounds. It can carry about 2,600 pounds of cargo, 1,500 pounds for a dry hitch (amount of weight put on the ball of the trailer when the trailer does not have water or supplies), and weighs about 7,300 pounds unloaded. It is about 32 feet long and has a width of 96 inches. The blackwater and graywater tank holds about 32 gallons each and the freshwater tank holds 42 gallons. The price of this fifth wheel Eagle HTX is around 40,000 dollars.

Forest River Cardinal Limited

The Cardinal Limited is very large. Its GVWR is about 16,000 pounds. It can carry 4,000 pounds, has a hitch weight of 2,000 pounds, and unloaded weight of not quite 12,000 pounds. It is 14 feet tall and 100 inches wide. The blackwater tank holds 40 gallons, the graywater tank holds 96 gallons, and the freshwater tank holds 64 gallons. This beauty will cost about 54,000 dollars. This is much bigger than the Jayco Eagle HTX, so size is a factor to consider when purchasing.

Jayco Vs. Forest River-Travel Trailers

Travel trailers are the most common RVs. They come in lots of different types, sizes, and styles. A travel trailer is perfect for different lifestyles and different sizes of families. It is a compact home that can be pulled behind a personal vehicle (within reason). These RVs can vary in length from 12 feet to 35 feet long. They are much less expensive than any of the motorhomes discussed above. Prices vary between 10,000 to 18,000 dollars. Examples of a travel trailer by Jayco is the 2019 White Hawk and for Forest River the Alpha Wolf.

Jayco White Hawk

The White Hawk has a GVWR of 7,500 pounds. Empty, it has a weight of 5,800 pounds and a dry hitch weight of 755 pounds. It can hold about 1,700 pounds worth of cargo. This travel trailer is a little over 30 feet long and has a width of 96 inches. The blackwater tank holds about 30 gallons and a freshwater tank holds 42 gallons. The special feature for this RV is that there are two graywater tanks. Both hold about 30 gallons. The White Hawk will set a person back about 29,000 dollars.

Forest River Alpha Wolf

The Alpha Wolf is exactly as it sounds like. It is an award-winning RV. It has a GVWR of 7,600 pounds, can hold 1,800 pounds, and has a hitch weight of 600 pounds. It is about 11 feet tall and 32 feet long. It only has one graywater and blackwater tank which both hold 42 gallons. The freshwater tank can hold 49 gallons. This trailer will only cost about 1,000 dollars more than the White Hawk. Besides the Forest River version being award-winning, there is not much difference between the White Hawk and Alpha Wolf.

Jayco Vs. Forest RVs

Eagle from Jayco

The travel trailer Eagle from Jayco has several pros. The Eagle has the latest technology. It has Bluetooth, HDMI, AM/FM/DVD/USB/A/V at twelve volts. The floor plans use space efficiently, and the cabinets are Amish-made. There are a lot of them which allow for ample storage for this RV.

Cons for the Eagle include difficulty opening storage drawers in the kitchen area which is also a little dark and could use better lighting and a small graywater tank. It also needs a better drain for the water heater, has a single battery, and only one power vent. Otherwise, it is a decent RV.

Wildcat from Forest River

There are numerous pros when it comes to the Wildcat RV from Forest River. There is wiring for phones and satellites. There is also space and hook up available for up to four TVs. The entertainment center has several speakers and has Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. It has a TV tuner, DVD player, and water-resistant speakers in the bedroom. There are a china toilet and high-speed hydraulic landing gear. The storage space is carpeted and has lights so you can see in those deep, dark spaces.

There are few cons for the Wildcat. The twelve-volt converter distribution board does not always want to work. The slide outs occasionally leak during bad weather and the sink drains will sometimes get a little loose. Except for these few cons, it is a good RV choice.

There is not much difference between the Jayco versions of the Class A motorhomes, Class C motorhomes, the fifth wheels, and the travel trailers when compared to the Forest River. It all comes down to preference on the features that do make each recreational vehicle stand out a little differently.