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Airstream · Travel-Trailer Line

Basecamp

Airstream's single-axle off-road line — the smallest, lightest, and most affordable trailers it builds, and the only ones designed to leave the pavement behind. Light enough for many SUVs and mid-size trucks, with a rugged steel chassis, a wet bath, an aluminum cargo floor, and — for 2026 — the off-road X-Package standard. The all-electric Basecamp Xe tops the line.

Line at a Glance — MY2026

2+Xe
Floorplans (+ electric)
16–20ft
Exterior length
1
Axle · off-road
2–4
Sleeps
Built in Jackson Center, OH 3" lift · all-terrain tires standard Wet bath · aluminum L-track floor MSRP from $54,900
A compact red-and-silver teardrop camper trailer hitched for towing
Photo: Vladimir Srajber via Pexels

01 What the Basecamp is

The Basecamp is Airstream's single-axle off-road line — the smallest, lightest, and most affordable trailers the company makes, and the only ones built to go off the pavement.

Where every other Airstream rides on two axles and aims for road-going comfort or luxury, the Basecamp is a rugged single-axle trailer on a steel frame, built to be towed somewhere remote by the vehicle you already own. Both floorplans are light enough for many mid-size trucks and capable SUVs — the 16X at 2,700 pounds dry, the 20X at 3,400 — and for Model Year 2026 the off-road X-Package is standard across the line: a 3-inch suspension lift, Goodyear all-terrain tires on aluminum wheels, and stainless stone-guard protection. Underneath the riveted aluminum shell is the same semi-monocoque construction as the rest of the fleet, scaled down.

Inside, the Basecamp trades the dual-axle trailers' separate dry baths and full galleys for adventure-first design: a wet bath (shower, toilet, and sink in one waterproof compartment), an aluminum Aircraft L-track cargo floor with tie-downs for bikes and gear, a swing rear hatch for loading, and convertible seating that turns into sleeping. The all-electric Basecamp Xe sits at the top of the line with a large lithium bank and an induction cooktop. As with every Airstream, there are no slide-outs.

02 Choose your floorplan

Two gas floorplans in the current line — the 16-foot 16X and the 20-foot 20X — plus the all-electric Basecamp Xe, offered in the 20-foot body. All three are single-axle and off-road; they differ in size, berths, power system, and price.

Floorplan Length Dry (lb) GVWR (lb) Sleeps Starting MSRP Best for
16X 16'2"2,7003,5002$54,900 Most towable Airstream; front galley
20X 20'2"3,4004,3004$60,800 Sleeps 4; separate eat and sleep zones
20Xe 20'2"~3,7504,5004$76,900 All-electric; 10.3kWh lithium; induction

All three profiles are live. For 2026 the off-road X-Package is standard on the gas floorplans. The Basecamp Xe is the all-electric variant of the 20-foot body and is offered only in the 20-foot length — there is no 16-foot Xe.

03 How the floorplans differ

All three share the single-axle off-road platform — the choice is about size, berths, and power. The 16X is the smallest and most towable Airstream made: a 16-foot body with a wrap-around front galley, a rear lounge that converts to a bed for two, and a combined wet-bath waste system. It's the couples' adventure trailer, and the only model many smaller tow vehicles can pull. The 20X adds four feet and two berths — a front U-shaped dinette plus rear convertible benches give four people separate eating and sleeping spaces, along with a separate gray tank and a larger refrigerator.

The Basecamp Xe takes the 20-foot body in a different direction: Airstream's first all-electric trailer, built around a 10.3kWh Battle Born lithium bank, a fully-inverted 30-amp system, a 3,000W inverter, 600 watts of solar, and an induction cooktop — for quiet, propane-light, solar-replenished off-grid travel. It's heavier (about 3,750 pounds dry, a 4,500-pound GVWR) and pricier than the gas 20X, and it's the most off-grid-capable trailer in the single-axle line.

04 Model-year notes

The Basecamp originally launched in 2007, was redesigned in 2016 into the form it keeps today, and gained the larger 20-foot body in 2020. Two recent developments define the current line: for Model Year 2026 the previously-optional off-road X-Package became standard on both gas floorplans, and the all-electric Basecamp Xe joined the range. Earlier model years offered the plain 16 and 20 (X-Package optional); those fold into this lineage.

16 · 2007 / 2016Launched 2007; redesigned 2016 into today's form
20 / 20X · 2020Larger 20-foot body added; sleeps four
Xe · 2022→2026First all-electric Airstream; 20-foot only
X standard · 2026Off-road X-Package now standard on gas plans

05 What every Basecamp has

Shared across the line, whichever floorplan you choose.

Off-road chassis

  • Single-axle steel frame · torsion suspension
  • 3" lift kit (X-Package, standard '26)
  • Goodyear all-terrain tires + full-size spare
  • Stainless stone-guard protection
  • Nev-R-Adjust brakes · powered tongue jack

Construction & shell

  • Semi-monocoque riveted aluminum superstructure
  • Fluorocarbon-treated UV-protected exterior
  • Seamless composite flooring · thermal barrier
  • Handcrafted welded aluminum window frames
  • Panoramic tinted glazing · no slide-outs

Cargo & layout

  • Aluminum Aircraft L-track cargo floor + tie-downs
  • Swing rear hatch for gear loading
  • Convertible seating-to-sleeping
  • Wet bath (shower · toilet · sink combined)
  • Dual entry/exit doors

Systems, build & warranty

  • 30-amp SmartPlug shore power
  • Tankless on-demand water heater
  • 12V tank heaters + heated underbelly
  • Built in Jackson Center, OH
  • 36-month basic · 36-month structural warranty