Toy Haulin’ with Jayco: Octane Super Lite 260 Review
The camping industry is huge, and so is the world of UTVs, ATVs and dirt bikes. If you’re into both, you likely own, plan to buy or have at least seen a toy hauler. Essentially, it's a travel trailer with a large garage/cargo area and a ramp at the rear, and toy haulers have become a staple in the small, off-highway vehicle world over the past 15 years—and for good reason. In addition to serving as a means to protect, shelter and transport your machine(s), they double as a living quarters. They’re also highly affordable, infinitely configurable and most models are light enough that a late-model half-ton pickup can suffice as the tow rig.
Four-Seat RZR-Friendly
But despite the immense popularity of toy haulers, manufacturers have been relatively slow to introduce floor plans that accommodate long wheel base side-by-sides while simultaneously keeping the price affordable for entry-level buyers. Jayco is one of few names that’s successfully been able to do this with its Octane Super Lite 260. In just over 30 feet of overall length, this toy hauler sports a cargo area big enough to accommodate a RZR XP 4 1000, full LED lighting, 13,500 BTU roof A/C, two-burner range, a fridge, a bathroom, queen-size bunk beds and sleeps as many as eight people.
Patience Pays Off
Good things come to those who wait, right? Well, don’t wait forever, but if you’re in the market for a new toy hauler definitely make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the right deal during the the fall and winter months (i.e. the off-season). When yours truly held off on buying a fresh Jayco in the spring last year, I ended up landing a decent deal on a leftover ’18 model over the winter. In the dealership’s attempt to move it off the lot, it was listed for nearly $12,000 below MSRP. Knowing I’d never get that kind of cash knocked off of a ’19 model, my wait was over. I pounced. So what does buying a Jayco Octane Super Lite 260 get you? Follow the still-shot tour below and see for yourself.
Subtle Surprises
We were moderately impressed to find that things like exterior speakers, an electric awning (20 feet long) and tongue jack, whole-house LED lighting and the legwork required to install a backup camera came standard on the Jayco Octane Super Lite 260. To the best of our knowledge, in years past these luxuries would’ve only been available as add-on options. The toy hauler also lives up to its Super Lite name in that it tips the scales at just 6,323 pounds empty. Its gross vehicle weight rating checks in at 9,995 pounds.
Garage Space: The Deal Sealer
Above, you’re looking at more than simply the Jayco Octane Super Lite 260’s vinyl flooring. You’re seeing the primary selling point for a RZR 4 XP 1000 owner. The distance from the non-slip ramp to the face of the sink cabinetry (left) is 12.5 feet, or 150 inches (a RZR 4 XP 1000 measures 146 inches) and is also exactly eight feet wide from wall to wall. However, the total cargo area length spans a total of 17.5 feet between the ramp and pantry/TV cabinet (right).
Plenty of Anchor Points
If you’re prone to filling up the cargo area of your toy hauler with all kinds of things, you’re in luck with this one. There are a total of 10 flip-up D-rings for securing your toy(s) for the ride, including one attachment point that’s clear up by the bedroom. Each D-ring is tied directly into the toy hauler’s I-beam frame.
Gather ‘Round
In addition to allowing for plenty of cargo, the open floor plan and deep garage space facilitate a great social atmosphere. In the end camping is about people—and a lot of us camp and ride in big groups—so having ample room to congregate, unwind or enjoy a meal together enriches the entire experience. FYI, the indoor/outdoor dinette table came with the hauler.
Proper Ventilation
These are a must-have when you’re transporting vehicles to the trailhead (and luckily, all toy haulers have them): garage vent ports. Designed to keep the garage free of the inevitable odor of gasoline, a high-mount vent brings in air from outside the trailer and allows it to exit the garage at the rear, opposite side of the trailer via a second vent. Just don’t forget to open them before you load up.
More Play Than Rest
When you dedicate nearly two-thirds of your interior to garage space, something on a 30-foot toy hauler has to be compromised. In the case of the Jayco Octane Super Lite 260, that compromise is a master suite. Instead of a traditional-style master bedroom at the front of the toy hauler, it shares the width of the front of the trailer with the bathroom. Still, the master area sports a queen size bed (although it seems more like a full), overhead storage and its own dedicated window.
Bare Necessity Bathroom
The bathroom contains only the basic essentials (toilet, single bowl sink, simple cabinet, stand up shower), but we’re OK with it. After all, if you own a toy hauler you’re not exactly escaping the urban landscape to hang out in the latrine. Total fresh water capacity checks in at 96 gallons thanks to two 48-gallon holding tanks.
Bunk Beds and Sleeper Sofas
Electrically raised and lowered, queen-size bunk beds offer room for four at the rear of the toy hauler. The bottom bed is comprised of two separate sleeper sofas, each with its own fold-down cup holder. A mid-ship, twin-size fold-down sleeper sofa is also bolted to each wall for accommodating two more.
Meal Prep Station
Kitchen amenities prove more than sufficient, with a dual bowl, stainless steel sink and corresponding cutting board covers, a stainless two-burner range, a convection microwave and an 8 cubic feet, two-door fridge/freezer combo. As with the rest of the woodwork in the unit, the sink, range and fridge are surrounded by Chocolate Maple wood cabinetry, and this is also where the hot water heater panel is located.
Rearview Safety & Solar Power Prep
Being pre-wired for a backup camera is ultra-convenient and something yours truly plans to take advantage of. With no shortage of blind spots in the 51-foot truck-and-trailer combination, an RVS system will be relied on to effectively give me eyes in the back of my head. Speaking of prewired, if you’re into harnessing the power of the sun, the Jayco offers “solar on the side” and a roof-mounted solar prep package standard. Solar on the side is used for keeping 12-volt items such as lights, fans and batteries working or charged, while the roof-mounted solar prep means some of the legwork of installing a full-on solar charging system has already been performed (but it’s up to you to source your panels, controller, etc.).
Life Made Easy
An electric tongue jack is easily one of the Jayco’s best standard features (also notice the propane tank enclosure, which conceals two 20-pound propane tanks). It’s especially handy if you’re using a weight distributing hitch system that requires you to raise and lower the toy hauler more than once when hooking up.
30-Amp Service, Ample Storage
Standard for most toy haulers, the Jayco makes use of 30-amp power and the retractable power cord saves time when packing everything up. At the front of the toy hauler, a sizeable storage compartment exists under the master bedroom. It’s where the hitch, wheel chocks, stabilizer pads and virtually every other outdoor necessity can be stowed when not in use.
Leave the Level at Home
If you’re a stickler for a level trailer, these will make your day. Two stick-on bubble levels allow us to check the toy hauler for both front-to-back and side-to-side levelness. Note, it was our preference to forgo the mounting screws, as we didn’t want to drill four holes in our brand new trailer.
It’s Lightweight, But You Know It’s Behind You
From the outside, it’s easy to see how there is a 7-feet, 4-inch tall ceiling inside (88.5 inches to be exact). From the ground to the top of the highest point on the toy hauler’s exterior, it measures 11 feet, 4 inches. Also notice how dark the windows are. G20 dark-tinted, safety glass windows come standard and help keep the interior as cool as possible.
