The Basecamp has long served as Airstream's most affordable, adventurous little riveted aluminum camper pod. With the addition of a lifted off-road package in 2018, it also became the company's most rugged camping trailer ... optionally. For the 2026 model year, Airstream extends that off-road package to the entire lineup, ensuring every new Basecamp rolls off the line with the chops to rattle, rumble and kick up dust on the way to distant alpine lakesides, hilltop vistas and red rock notch.
Even before getting an official off-road upgrade, the modern Basecamp hit the scene in 2016 as Airstream's off-road adventure trailer, a compact, versatile little capsule that was pictured almost exclusively rolling over dirt roads and boondocking lonely wild campsites. So it came as no surprise that Airstream decided to beef it up two years later with the X package.
The X package has continued along as an optional upgrade ever since, but it becomes standard equipment for MY2026. That means the base-level Basecamp 16 is now the 16X, while the larger Basecamp 20 is now the 20x. The recently added Basecamp Xe, which has always included the X package as standard, remains available separately for those willing to pony up nearly US$80K for a fully solarized all-electric off-grid camper in 20-foot (6-m) guise.
So what is it that the X-package brings? It starts off with a 3-in suspension lift for boosted ground clearance and a set of Goodyear all-terrain tires. Stainless steel rock guards and a window shield provide protection from kicked up gravel.
Beyond the standardization of the X, Airstream carries over the 16- and 20-foot (4.9- and 6-m) floor plans and equipment packages from previous years. The Basecamp 16X sleeps two people on its 76 x 76-in (193 x 193-cm) convertible rear dining lounge, while the 20X sleeps a total of four people with the addition of a convertible U-bench front lounge that takes full advantage of the panoramic window array glazed across the rounded front.
The 16X, meanwhile, brings the views to the cook, housing its kitchen across the width of the trailer's front-end. The 20X kitchen sits just behind the side entry door. Each galley comes equipped with a dual-burner gas stove, sink, 12-V fridge/freezer and optional microwave. The 16X has an 88-L fridge, while the 20X family-sizes it to 122 liters.
Each trailer also comes standard with a wet bathroom with hot water, a ducted furnace and LED lighting. The removable rear dining tables and rear hatch combine to open up easy loading for oversized gear like paddleboards, fat bikes and kayaks.
The standard X-package may or may not be a positive, depending on how you look at it, because the base prices rise accordingly. The 2026 Basecamp 16X starts at $51,700, the 20X at $60,800. That's a respective increase of $3,400 and $3,900 over 2025 16X ($48,300) and 20X ($56,900) base prices.
Source: Airstream
