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Topic: Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot choice (Read 19 times) previous topic - next topic
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Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot choice
Yahoo Message Number: 212
My wife and I have been bitten by the RV bug. We are looking forward to relatively low maintenance regular weekend camping (sometimes primitive) and vacation touring. We anticipate a fair amount of cold weather use in the mountains and hot weather use in the desert given a Southern California, job anchored, port of demarcation.

To these ends, we are researching the purchase of a high, end Class C rig. The 26 1/2' or 30' Lazy Daze, the 24' or 29 Bigfoot, and the 26' Born Free is on our radar screen so far. Have we captured the best high end Class C rigs for consideration? Have we missed one?

I have some concern that the Lazy Daze and Born Free camper framework is constructed out of wood. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has owned one of these units. Did you have any problems that might be related to the wood construction? I also would appreciate any input on the insulation qualities of these two makes vs the Bigfoot injection process.(The Born Free insulation of the 26' unit I kicked the tires on, in particular, looked sparse since I could see into the interior cabin from an outside storage compartment). Also, how well does the non-ducted roof air conditioner work on the Lazy Daze coaches?

As a teenager, I slid along the freeway on the side of a camper that had been knocked over by a sudden gust of wind. Needless to say, this experience has left a lasting impression on me. I have an intense concern for safety and handling. My wife's preference is that we are able to get in an always, packed RV and leave without weight being an issue even if we happen to bring another couple along for the adventure. These concerns lead to the following request for input.

The 30' Lazy Daze and 29' Bigfoot seem to offer greater livability than the shorter units. But how is the handling and drivability impacted by the extra gross vehicle weight in the real world? Maximum payloads look small once the 1000 pounds for the extra length is added. Test-driving unloaded rigs is not likely to give me the real story.

Both Bigfoot models are 122" tall as compared to 110" for the Lazy Daze and Born Free contenders. Also, the 24' Bigfoot has only a 53% wheelbase to overall length aspect.
Does anybody have any feedback for on how any of these factors impacts handling?

Thanks much for any and all input.
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 213
Mike,

I HIGHLY recommend you join the RV Consumer Group through www.rv.org. They publish some excellent books (aka the "green books") which answer exactly your questions - they give highway safety and control ratings, durability, livability, etc. etc. To quickly answer your concerns, Lazy Daze and Born Free will have higher safety and control numbers; a 53% ratio such as the Bigfoot will be in the "fatiguing" category. The LD 30' rates the highest (100 and 98 respectively for control and safety) due to its 211" wheelbase. The 26.5' LD and 26' BF with 176" wheelbases are still in the low to mid 90's.

Lazy Daze comes out ahead of Born Free on virtually every rating, but just by a couple of points. As JD Gallant, the books' editor has answered on the rv.org webpage, they are virtually neck and neck in terms of "quality", and it almost boils down to a matter of floorplan preference.

I'm actually surprised that both LD and BF show the same height. In the photos, BF seems to be taller because of the frontal "lobe" sticking up higher than the roof a/c unit.

LD's has dark tinted and double-paned windows, which helps a lot with the A/C. Their insulation is also 2 1/2" to BF's 1 1/2"

Steve and I are in a similar quandary - LD or BF. We REALLY like LD's quality and "shell" materials, but the wait for one means we would most likely not get it until next year (they're so hard to find used). There are a few more used BF's out there and the factory actually does have some for immediate sale (they have greater capacity than LD). We like the cabinets and furniture in the BF a little better than LD, but they are nearly $20K more expensive for equivalent units and LD gets the nod for their materials and overall engineering (we're both engineers and tend to be pretty demanding in these areas). Personally, I prefer LD. Steve seems to be leaning towards BF. Your comment about BFs insulation is noted, too.

Hope I haven't clouded the issue even more. I don't think you can go wrong with either LD or BF. Just weigh the plusses and minuses of each and figure out which are most important to you.

Now, if only we could do that for us!

Michelle
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 214
Mike,

I HIGHLY recommend you join the RV Consumer Group through www.rv.org. They publish some excellent books (aka the "green books") which answer exactly your questions - they give highway safety and control ratings, durability, livability, etc. etc. To quickly answer your concerns, Lazy Daze and Born Free will have higher safety and control numbers; a 53% ratio such as the Bigfoot will be in the "fatiguing" category. The LD 30' rates the highest (100 and 98 respectively for control and safety) due to its 211" wheelbase. The 26.5' LD and 26' BF with 176" wheelbases are still in the low to mid 90's.

Lazy Daze comes out ahead of Born Free on virtually every rating, but just by a couple of points. As JD Gallant, the books' editor has answered on the rv.org webpage, they are virtually neck and neck in terms of "quality", and it almost boils down to a matter of floorplan preference.

I'm actually surprised that both LD and BF show the same height. In the photos, BF seems to be taller because of the frontal "lobe" sticking up higher than the roof a/c unit.

LD's has dark tinted and double-paned windows, which helps a lot with the A/C. Their insulation is also 2 1/2" to BF's 1 1/2"

Steve and I are in a similar quandary - LD or BF. We REALLY like LD's quality and "shell" materials, but the wait for one means we would most likely not get it until next year (they're so hard to find used). There are a few more used BF's out there and the factory actually does have some for immediate sale (they have greater capacity than LD). We like the cabinets and furniture in the BF a little better than LD, but they are nearly $20K more expensive for equivalent units and LD gets the nod for their materials and overall engineering (we're both engineers and tend to be pretty demanding in these areas). Personally, I prefer LD. Steve seems to be leaning towards BF. Your comment about BFs insulation is noted, too.

Hope I haven't clouded the issue even more. I don't think you can go wrong with either LD or BF. Just weigh the plusses and minuses of each and figure out which are most important to you.

Now, if only we could do that for us!

Michelle
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 215
Mike,

I HIGHLY recommend you join the RV Consumer Group through www.rv.org. They publish some excellent books (aka the "green books") which answer exactly your questions - they give highway safety and control ratings, durability, livability, etc. etc. To quickly answer your concerns, Lazy Daze and Born Free will have higher safety and control numbers; a 53% ratio such as the Bigfoot will be in the "fatiguing" category. The LD 30' rates the highest (100 and 98 respectively for control and safety) due to its 211" wheelbase. The 26.5' LD and 26' BF with 176" wheelbases are still in the low to mid 90's.

Lazy Daze comes out ahead of Born Free on virtually every rating, but just by a couple of points. As JD Gallant, the books' editor has answered on the rv.org webpage, they are virtually neck and neck in terms of "quality", and it almost boils down to a matter of floorplan preference.

I'm actually surprised that both LD and BF show the same height. In the photos, BF seems to be taller because of the frontal "lobe" sticking up higher than the roof a/c unit.

LD's has dark tinted and double-paned windows, which helps a lot with the A/C. Their insulation is also 2 1/2" to BF's 1 1/2"

Steve and I are in a similar quandary - LD or BF. We REALLY like LD's quality and "shell" materials, but the wait for one means we would most likely not get it until next year (they're so hard to find used). There are a few more used BF's out there and the factory actually does have some for immediate sale (they have greater capacity than LD). We like the cabinets and furniture in the BF a little better than LD, but they are nearly $20K more expensive for equivalent units and LD gets the nod for their materials and overall engineering (we're both engineers and tend to be pretty demanding in these areas). Personally, I prefer LD. Steve seems to be leaning towards BF. Your comment about BFs insulation is noted, too.

Hope I haven't clouded the issue even more. I don't think you can go wrong with either LD or BF. Just weigh the plusses and minuses of each and figure out which are most important to you.

Now, if only we could do that for us!

Michelle
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 216
Mike,

I HIGHLY recommend you join the RV Consumer Group through www.rv.org. They publish some excellent books (aka the "green books") which answer exactly your questions - they give highway safety and control ratings, durability, livability, etc. etc. To quickly answer your concerns, Lazy Daze and Born Free will have higher safety and control numbers; a 53% ratio such as the Bigfoot will be in the "fatiguing" category. The LD 30' rates the highest (100 and 98 respectively for control and safety) due to its 211" wheelbase. The 26.5' LD and 26' BF with 176" wheelbases are still in the low to mid 90's.

Lazy Daze comes out ahead of Born Free on virtually every rating, but just by a couple of points. As JD Gallant, the books' editor has answered on the rv.org webpage, they are virtually neck and neck in terms of "quality", and it almost boils down to a matter of floorplan preference.

I'm actually surprised that both LD and BF show the same height. In the photos, BF seems to be taller because of the frontal "lobe" sticking up higher than the roof a/c unit.

LD's has dark tinted and double-paned windows, which helps a lot with the A/C. Their insulation is also 2 1/2" to BF's 1 1/2"

Steve and I are in a similar quandary - LD or BF. We REALLY like LD's quality and "shell" materials, but the wait for one means we would most likely not get it until next year (they're so hard to find used). There are a few more used BF's out there and the factory actually does have some for immediate sale (they have greater capacity than LD). We like the cabinets and furniture in the BF a little better than LD, but they are nearly $20K more expensive for equivalent units and LD gets the nod for their materials and overall engineering (we're both engineers and tend to be pretty demanding in these areas). Personally, I prefer LD. Steve seems to be leaning towards BF. Your comment about BFs insulation is noted, too.

Hope I haven't clouded the issue even more. I don't think you can go wrong with either LD or BF. Just weigh the plusses and minuses of each and figure out which are most important to you.

Now, if only we could do that for us!

Michelle
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 219
According to the literature and from what I've seen, I'm pretty sure Lazy Daze and Born Free have the same Penguin unducted roof AC unit.

As you probably know, the 29' Big Foot has the basement area large enough to hold an ATV, motorbikes or gulf cart.
One of the engineering trade-offs to get the huge storage area was probably to sacrifice wheelbase to overall length to get enough room aft of the rear wheels for the ramps. I haven't driven a Big Foot, but it seems that the RV would have to defy the laws of physics to handle better than the LD and BF. I can see why someone would buy the 29' Bigfoot if they wanted to take their favorite toys.
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 220
According to the literature and from what I've seen, I'm pretty sure Lazy Daze and Born Free have the same Penguin unducted roof AC unit.

As you probably know, the 29' Big Foot has the basement area large enough to hold an ATV, motorbikes or gulf cart.
One of the engineering trade-offs to get the huge storage area was probably to sacrifice wheelbase to overall length to get enough room aft of the rear wheels for the ramps. I haven't driven a Big Foot, but it seems that the RV would have to defy the laws of physics to handle better than the LD and BF. I can see why someone would buy the 29' Bigfoot if they wanted to take their favorite toys.
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 221
According to the literature and from what I've seen, I'm pretty sure Lazy Daze and Born Free have the same Penguin unducted roof AC unit.

As you probably know, the 29' Big Foot has the basement area large enough to hold an ATV, motorbikes or gulf cart.
One of the engineering trade-offs to get the huge storage area was probably to sacrifice wheelbase to overall length to get enough room aft of the rear wheels for the ramps. I haven't driven a Big Foot, but it seems that the RV would have to defy the laws of physics to handle better than the LD and BF. I can see why someone would buy the 29' Bigfoot if they wanted to take their favorite toys.
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 222
According to the literature and from what I've seen, I'm pretty sure Lazy Daze and Born Free have the same Penguin unducted roof AC unit.

As you probably know, the 29' Big Foot has the basement area large enough to hold an ATV, motorbikes or gulf cart.
One of the engineering trade-offs to get the huge storage area was probably to sacrifice wheelbase to overall length to get enough room aft of the rear wheels for the ramps. I haven't driven a Big Foot, but it seems that the RV would have to defy the laws of physics to handle better than the LD and BF. I can see why someone would buy the 29' Bigfoot if they wanted to take their favorite toys.
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 223
According to the literature and from what I've seen, I'm pretty sure Lazy Daze and Born Free have the same Penguin unducted roof AC unit.

As you probably know, the 29' Big Foot has the basement area large enough to hold an ATV, motorbikes or gulf cart.
One of the engineering trade-offs to get the huge storage area was probably to sacrifice wheelbase to overall length to get enough room aft of the rear wheels for the ramps. I haven't driven a Big Foot, but it seems that the RV would have to defy the laws of physics to handle better than the LD and BF. I can see why someone would buy the 29' Bigfoot if they wanted to take their favorite toys.
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 224
According to the literature and from what I've seen, I'm pretty sure Lazy Daze and Born Free have the same Penguin unducted roof AC unit.

As you probably know, the 29' Big Foot has the basement area large enough to hold an ATV, motorbikes or gulf cart.
One of the engineering trade-offs to get the huge storage area was probably to sacrifice wheelbase to overall length to get enough room aft of the rear wheels for the ramps. I haven't driven a Big Foot, but it seems that the RV would have to defy the laws of physics to handle better than the LD and BF. I can see why someone would buy the 29' Bigfoot if they wanted to take their favorite toys.
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 225
According to the literature and from what I've seen, I'm pretty sure Lazy Daze and Born Free have the same Penguin unducted roof AC unit.

As you probably know, the 29' Big Foot has the basement area large enough to hold an ATV, motorbikes or gulf cart.
One of the engineering trade-offs to get the huge storage area was probably to sacrifice wheelbase to overall length to get enough room aft of the rear wheels for the ramps. I haven't driven a Big Foot, but it seems that the RV would have to defy the laws of physics to handle better than the LD and BF. I can see why someone would buy the 29' Bigfoot if they wanted to take their favorite toys.
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 226
According to the literature and from what I've seen, I'm pretty sure Lazy Daze and Born Free have the same Penguin unducted roof AC unit.

As you probably know, the 29' Big Foot has the basement area large enough to hold an ATV, motorbikes or gulf cart.
One of the engineering trade-offs to get the huge storage area was probably to sacrifice wheelbase to overall length to get enough room aft of the rear wheels for the ramps. I haven't driven a Big Foot, but it seems that the RV would have to defy the laws of physics to handle better than the LD and BF. I can see why someone would buy the 29' Bigfoot if they wanted to take their favorite toys.
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 238
Thanks much for the input. And you are right about the BF being taller at the front...but once you get past the front taper of the foil(?), the height is the same at 110" w/o AC. I don't think this has much impact on the center of gravity. I suspect the greater frontal surface area of the BF is off set by better frontal aerodynamics with minimal side wind impact. But you guys are the engineers...your input on these tech issues will always be welcome!
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 239
Thanks much for the input. And you are right about the BF being taller at the front...but once you get past the front taper of the foil(?), the height is the same at 110" w/o AC. I don't think this has much impact on the center of gravity. I suspect the greater frontal surface area of the BF is off set by better frontal aerodynamics with minimal side wind impact. But you guys are the engineers...your input on these tech issues will always be welcome!
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 240
Thanks much for the input. And you are right about the BF being taller at the front...but once you get past the front taper of the foil(?), the height is the same at 110" w/o AC. I don't think this has much impact on the center of gravity. I suspect the greater frontal surface area of the BF is off set by better frontal aerodynamics with minimal side wind impact. But you guys are the engineers...your input on these tech issues will always be welcome!
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 241
Thanks much for the input. And you are right about the BF being taller at the front...but once you get past the front taper of the foil(?), the height is the same at 110" w/o AC. I don't think this has much impact on the center of gravity. I suspect the greater frontal surface area of the BF is off set by better frontal aerodynamics with minimal side wind impact. But you guys are the engineers...your input on these tech issues will always be welcome!
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 242
Thanks much for the input. And you are right about the BF being taller at the front...but once you get past the front taper of the foil(?), the height is the same at 110" w/o AC. I don't think this has much impact on the center of gravity. I suspect the greater frontal surface area of the BF is off set by better frontal aerodynamics with minimal side wind impact. But you guys are the engineers...your input on these tech issues will always be welcome!
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #18 –
Yahoo Message Number: 243
Thanks much for the input. And you are right about the BF being taller at the front...but once you get past the front taper of the foil(?), the height is the same at 110" w/o AC. I don't think this has much impact on the center of gravity. I suspect the greater frontal surface area of the BF is off set by better frontal aerodynamics with minimal side wind impact. But you guys are the engineers...your input on these tech issues will always be welcome!
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #19 –
Yahoo Message Number: 244
Thanks much for the input. And you are right about the BF being taller at the front...but once you get past the front taper of the foil(?), the height is the same at 110" w/o AC. I don't think this has much impact on the center of gravity. I suspect the greater frontal surface area of the BF is off set by better frontal aerodynamics with minimal side wind impact. But you guys are the engineers...your input on these tech issues will always be welcome!
 
Lazy Daze vs Born Free vs Bigfoot ch
Reply #20 –
Yahoo Message Number: 245
Thanks much for the input. And you are right about the BF being taller at the front...but once you get past the front taper of the foil(?), the height is the same at 110" w/o AC. I don't think this has much impact on the center of gravity. I suspect the greater frontal surface area of the BF is off set by better frontal aerodynamics with minimal side wind impact. But you guys are the engineers...your input on these tech issues will always be welcome!