Airstream trailers boast a lot of positives, but "cheap" and "lightweight" are not typically among them. In fact, we never expected to use those two terms in an Airstream description, but the new World Traveler trailer is in fact designed as a lighter, more affordable Airstream travel trailer option. True, it carries the big asterisk of being light and cheap *for an Airstream, but it does demonstrate clearly that the iconic Silver Bullet badge is continuing to adapt its near-century-old design to the changing trends of modern times.
Never a company to shy away from innovation or evolution, Airstream has been doing some expanding over the past decade, not merely by introducing new models but by embracing new markets. In 2016, it brought a compact adventure camping trailer to market over a decade after playing around with the idea as a concept. It followed up a couple years later with the short-lived Nest, its first production fiberglass trailer. More recently, it expanded further into off-road adventure with a series of Sprinter AWD adventure camper vans.
You might say, it's a whole new Airstream, but that would grossly shortchange the company and the evolutionary innovation to which it has been committed since its inception.
The World Traveler doesn't appear at first to be quite as dramatic a shift as those previous examples, but it does show Airstream adapting to a changing marketplace, one that increasingly embraces smaller motor vehicles and electric powertrains. Similarly, the 3,700-lb (1,678-kg) weight might not sound that light in comparison to the types of smaller trailers already roaming the streets, but a quick comparison with other Airstreams shows the 22-foot (6.7-m) World Traveler is actually 200 lb (91kg) lighter than the shorter Bambi 20FB 20-footer and 400 lb (181 kg) lighter than the 20-ft (6-m) Caravel 20FB.
Airstream did a lot of streamlining and weight-cutting to get to that weight point, starting by thinning the trailer out into a long fuselage measuring 7.5 feet (2.3 m) wide, narrower than the shorter 8-ft-wide (2.4-m) Caravel/Bambi 20FB trailers and the 7.8-foot-wide Basecamp 20X. The company has also simplified the exterior, eliminating the usual panoramic front triple window array for a single window and giving the Traveler a clean, uncluttered roofline by relocating the air conditioner below the interior bench seating.
Airstream's exterior reduction and smoothening enhances the World Traveler's easier-towing performance and also pays homage to some of the simpler early Airstream profiles from the post-WWII era – back when a hardier generation of wilderness lover didn't need air conditioning, Wi-Fi or microwaves to survive a three-night camping trip.
"With World Traveler, we delivered all the comfort and craftsmanship we’re known for in a new lightweight model that owners can tow with many light-duty trucks and SUVs," said Airstream boss Bob Wheeler in introducing the World Traveler earlier this year. "[That] may even be a vehicle they already own or their daily driver."
Airstream's focus on lightweight efficiency continues inside, where it installs what it classifies a minimalist Scandinavian-inspired interior. The floor plan comes anchored by an oversized 80 x 80-in (203 x 203-cm) primary bed at the rear, notched into a V shape to make it easier for each sleeper to get in and out of bed.
The second and last bed in the four-sleeper layout is located on the opposite end, all the way against the front wall. The dual-bench dinette transforms over into an 86 x 35-in (218 x 89-cm) double(ish) bed.
Separating those two sleep-in ends are the entry-side kitchen block and far-side dry bathroom. The kitchen comes standard with a dual-burner gas stove, stainless steel sink, 116-L refrigerator and extendable countertop. Buyers can also add a secondary drawer fridge below the dining bench for extra cold storage.
To further aid in weight savings, Airstream sizes certain equipment down or switches it over to the options sheet. For instance, it outfits the World Traveler with a 72-L fresh water tank instead of the 87-L tanks equipped to smaller Caravel, Bambi and Basecamp models.
Still, the World Traveler comes thoroughly outfitted and includes a Truma Combi Eco Plus furnace/water heater, the aforementioned air conditioner, a JBL Bluetooth stereo with speakers and a 24-in HD smart TV, all standard. The electrical system has a shore power hookup, multi-stage 120-V converter and solar prewiring. A heated lithium battery bank with 300-W solar charging setup is available optionally.
The World Traveler debuted earlier this year at the Florida RV SuperShow and is available now for a base price of US$69,400. Airstream imagines it serving as an entry-level model for first-time buyers, whom it would love to retain and upgrade when they're ready for something larger and more luxurious. The new Traveler is a full $9,500 cheaper than the next 22-foot trailer up in Airstream's lineup, the Bambi 22FB, and only $500 more than the much smaller Bambi 16RB.
Source: Airstream
