Two things are very common in smaller travel trailers: pocket beds and wet baths. A lot of people write in asking me what small trailers are available with a dry bath and walk-around bed. The Jayco Jay Flight SLX 7 is a really good choice that has been nicely updated for 2022.
The 2022 Jayco Jay Flight SLX 7 195RB now features a larger refrigerator along with a choice of two interior decor packages and a variety of other improvements. In fact, the information I got from my friend Josh Winters at Haylett RV is so up-to-the-minute that Jayco’s own website is behind on this. So I did not provide a floor plan as the floor plan they have is flat incorrect now.
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Jayco Jay Flight SLX 7
There are two main lines of smaller trailers at Jayco of which the Jay Flight SLX 7 is one. The designation here is that this is a seven-foot-wide model. These trailers are all single-axle and are “stick and tin” trailers. That means they’re wood-framed construction with a corrugated aluminum skin.
That type of construction generally is the least expensive in the RV space. Among the advantages is it is more easily repaired if there is some damage. However, the uneven surface means that, generally speaking, there is usually much more sealant applied between the edges of surfaces to accommodate this type of construction.
Jayco has some absolute advantages in their ideology that I truly think could be great reasons to consider one of these if you’re looking for a smaller trailer.
The company uses Goodyear Endurance trailer tires. They’re made in the USA. They also have what’s called a Jay S.M.A.R.T. lighting system. It flashes the side marker lights and upper marker lights at the rear when using your turn signals – very smart. In addition, there are backup lights to signal to people behind you that you’re in reverse. Also smart.
Lastly, they provide wiring for both a rear-view camera as well as side-view cameras. To me this type of lighting system should be standard on all trailers, period. But it’s not – so that’s a huge feather in Jayco’s cap.
Grand tour
The Jay Flight SLX 7 195RB has the entrance on the camp side rear. The first thing you come to is a fairly large closet/pantry. There is a hanging bar for clothes if you want to use it for such. Or you could put portable shelving or crates in here if you’re going to use it for storage. There’s a shelf at the bottom and space to store shoes, too.
Next to that is the bathroom. It is smaller but it is a dry bath. While these trailers had been lower in height than some Jayco models, they now offer a full 6’ 5” of ceiling height inside. That means the shower is more usable by a wider variety of people. Furthermore, Jayco has significantly upgraded their shower fixture. While I am not able to test it, ANYthing is better than what has traditionally come with virtually all RVs.
No fan, no sink in bathroom
While there is a skylight in the bathroom as well as a vent, there is no fan here. I’m always a fan of high-performance vent fans. So this is a “double ding” to me. Also, the shower surround material is the same as the wall material. I much prefer to see plastic used. So I might very strongly encourage owners of this trailer to head to their local hardware store and line the walls of the shower with FRP (fiberglass reinforced panels) or something similar.
Another thing not in here is a sink. You only get one, but that’s better than a wet bath.
Along the road side of the camper is a significantly larger refrigerator than this model has had in the past. It takes out the pantry that had been here in the 2021 versions. That’s fine with me. The standard refrigerator is a gas-electric absorption style with just over six cubic feet of storage. But you can go to a 10-cubic-foot all-electric 12-volt compressor model, if you’d like.
The kitchen in the Jay Flight SLX 7
Some RVs have kitchens that I’ve described as a chef’s kitchen. But I guess a great artist doesn’t need a restaurant kitchen to feed their family well. My point here is that this kitchen features a recessed two-burner stove and a smaller rectangular sink. Above the stove is a microwave. There’s actually a decent amount of counter space here, especially in light of the size of this trailer.
In a cabinet under the counter is a rather sizable space. However, there are no drawers whatsoever – and that’s a bummer to me. There is a cabinet overhead, but Jayco could have put a small drawer under the countertop.
There is a walk-around bed that bridges the gap between an RV queen and an RV full-sized bed. But it is a permanent bed that’s a walk-around. There are night stands on either side of the bed below closets. There is a 120vac outlet on either side of the bed, as well.
Over on the camp side wall is where you’d find the solar charge controller, if you option that in. There is also an optional 100-watt solar panel for the roof. Jayco is now putting solar panel connectors on the roof as a standard feature, owing to how popular these are nowadays.
Lastly, there’s a two-person dinette on the camp side as well, and a good number of windows.
In summary
There is a lot of value in the Jay Flight SLX 7 and it’s a really usable floor plan, very similar to the trailer that I have.
The options list is short but you can choose a 13,500BTU roof-mounted air conditioner instead of the 8,000BTU wall-mounted unit. Depending on where you live, I can imagine 13,500BTU could turn this into a meat locker owing to the small size of the trailer. But if you live where it’s hot and humid, that doesn’t sound bad to me.
Fiberglass sidewalls or corrugated aluminum?
You can also outfit this with fiberglass sidewalls instead of the corrugated aluminum. Usually this doesn’t matter to me. But I wonder if that would swap the material that wraps over the nose of the trailer from corrugated aluminum to fiberglass?
The reason I contemplate this is that the corrugated surface on the front can actually cause greater aerodynamic drag. I would imagine that a trailer like this appeals to people with less powerful tow vehicles (mid-size trucks, SUVs, etc.). That greater drag might make a difference to those vehicles. I would prefer if Jayco used a single sheet of aluminum like Cherokee does for the nose caps.
With so many safety and usability features and a choice of two interiors now, this little trailer might be a really terrific choice for even more buyers. There’s value and a good warranty. And this certainly is a good size for couples who don’t necessarily want to haul around something gigantic.
My thanks to Josh Winters of Haylett RV in Coldwater, Michigan, for use of the images for this article.
Tony comes to RVTravel having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. You can find his writing here and at StressLessCamping where he also has a podcast about the RV life with his wife.
These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. 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.
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After watching the video showing trailer after trailer fishtailing and crashing, I suggest the reviews stress the safety virtues of dual axles in terms of blow out ramifications. Many who buy the cheaper models are newbies and unaccustomed to the emergency situation immediately apparent on a single axle blowout.
Safety is all about maintenance, to me. I’ve towed a single-axle trailer for 25-30,000 miles over the last five years with no fishtailing, no crashing. I did have a flat tire once, I pulled over and swapped it out.
As with all mechanical things, the biggest safety feature is the nut behind the wheel and whether that individual does proper maintenance and repairs and knows how to operate the vehicle.
More stuff doesn’t necessarily equate to more safety. Better education does.
Josh the RV nerd is hilarious & very informative.