Today’s RV review is of the 2024 Jayco Jay Feather Micro 173MRB. When my wife and I bought our first new travel trailer in 2016, it was this exact floor plan but from a different manufacturer (Rockwood Mini Lite 1905S, which is no longer being made). There was so much we liked about that little trailer, but there were a few things we didn’t like.
Many of the things in the “didn’t like” category have been addressed in this Jayco, so would we get this today? Perhaps.
Jayco Jay Feather Micro 173MRB
What you have here is a smaller, single-axle travel trailer with a Murphy bed at the front and no slide. The bathroom spans the full width of the rear of the trailer, with a kitchen and dinette in the middle.
Now, I can already hear some of you firing up your typing machines so you can tell me how much you don’t like Murphy beds. Okay, I get it.
And the Murphy bed in this is one of those beds that has to bend, which I don’t like. In fact, that was one of the highlights of the trailer we had. The entire bed was on a platform that had a hinge close to the top of the queen-sized bed, so it the mattress could be a normal mattress.
Oh, and as long as I’m anti-selling you on this bed, know, too, that it’s a 60” x 75”-inch bed. Tsk, tsk. What worked for us in this situation and what we still use is the RVSuperbag as opposed to traditional bedding. It’s been great.
The positive side to this being a bendy bed is that you get a full pass-through in the front of the trailer, which ours did not have. Since the top of our mattress was cantilevered into where the storage would be, it took away from that.
So this has good front storage, and there’s another storage bay at the back of the trailer. I would guess this trailer easily has double the storage of the one we had. Maybe more.
Another benefit to this style of bed is that you can take advantage of the space under the couch, which Jayco did. There’s a slot there into which a folding plastic table goes when you’re not using it. Below that are two drawers.
When you’re in bed, there are two reading lights on flexible mounts—a nice feature. And super kudos to Jayco for not putting a stupid windshield in here.
The Mac Daddy of windows
What they did is put a taller window on the camp side of this trailer. So, if you’re sitting on the couch, you have a nice window. There’s a window in the door, too.
Okay, but let’s talk, Jayco. The door is adjacent to the couch by day but the bed by night. Why in the world would you not put a shade on the window, for Pete’s sake. Charge me $100 more for the trailer because nobody is not going to go out and buy the window shade anyway.
By the dinette on the road side is a window so large it extends below the table. At least this one has a nice roller shade, unlike the door. The window we had in our trailer was much smaller than this, and I like this.
Tables and counters
At the dining table, note that it’s a free-standing table on an X-frame stand. Nice! The only thing I would suggest here is that this could incorporate the ability to get taller so it could be used for additional counter space if someone wanted to do so.
I know I put a counter top extension on my own trailer, but being able to raise the table to counter height would have solved that. However, this being a free-standing table, you could also use it at the couch at the front of this trailer or here at the dinette.
Kitchen
The kitchen here is small, as you might expect in a trailer of this size. You get a three-burner propane stove top and a microwave. There is the option to upgrade to a convection microwave, and I don’t see any reason not to do so. There is no oven, otherwise. I prefer that to there being a 17” worthless oven.
The fridge is, of course, a 12-volt fridge for 2024. This is one of those where the door opens either way. You could open from the kitchen, but you could also grab a beer before you went into the bathroom to take care of business. Say “yes” to toilet beers!
Bathroom in the Jayco Jay Feather Micro 173MRB
On the subject of that bathroom, it does span the full width of the trailer, so it’s actually pretty decent in size. The shower has a bowed top, giving you more space, and the base is actually a small tub.
The toilet in here, though, is canted at an angle and not as spacious as it could be, given the overall size of this area. Our trailer had the toilet at a 90 degree angle to the rear wall and, thus, offered a good amount of space for doing what you gotta do.
There is a decent cabinet above and behind the toilet.
Boondocking and travel access
Since this rig has no slide, it’s all good all the time. I know, I know. Slides add space to trailers. But I’m in the no-slide camp because I also like simpler things.
For 2024, Jayco’s formerly optional 200-watt solar panel is now standard. You can also upgrade this to double in size with a second panel along with an inverter.
I’m quite impressed by the tank sizes in this rig, which are 55 gallons of fresh water and 30.5 gallons each of black and gray. That’s not typical in a smaller, single-axle rig.
Conclusions regarding the Jayco Jay Feather Micro 173MRB
There are a few things I didn’t like about this design. Of course, the lack of a door shade is a glaring oversight, in my opinion.
The heat and air conditioning are also not ducted. That means that unless you leave the bathroom door open, heat or chilled air aren’t likely to get into that space. Cold temps stepping out of the shower is a bummer, indeed.
But this trailer would make the me of the past very, very happy. I really liked our little trailer. The only reason we got rid of it was that I managed to hit a bump in the road so hard that I split the frame in half. Now that takes talent. And horrible, horrible roads.
Welcome to the United States, where we have roads all over the place—some of which will split the frame on your RV.
This also has the usual plethora of Jayco features, including their JaySMART™ lighting, which flashes upper marker lights and side marker lights with the turn signals. Anything we tow—RV or anything else—should have this feature. Period.
I really like this floor plan and, having had one like this for five years, I can attest to how usable it is.
More about these RV reviews
These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.
Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.
You can also check out his RV podcast with his wife, Peggy.
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##RVDT2276
I am disappointed the RVSuperbag is not available in full/standard size for my 17’ Casita
This goofy dinette table looks like it was designed for Twiggy and Mick Jagger. Normal folks will break their knees trying to get in on either side of the table. Why does there look to be a luggage rack surrounding the AC on the roof? I always like the side ‘nightstand’ thingies next to the bed for stuff you might need in the middle of the night. These are huge – and may inhibit making the bed. And, the TV is, at best, an afterthought in the design. I’d rather see NO TV like some Mfg’s are doing. That leaves me to try to figure out what to do with a TV. I like the excellent ground clearance of the tank dumps. It means boondocking with this unit will be effortless. Good thinking, Jayco.
Thank you, Tony! Have a good Christmas! 🙂