This Airstream Helped Me Through the Pandemic. Here’s What I Learned.

Editor’s Note [September 2023]: This article was written at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the coronavirus outbreak struck, correspondent Andy Cochrane sought refuge from the proverbial storm in an unusual way: by getting away from it all in an Airstream Basecamp X. This story covers what he learned over the course of two months driving over 8,000 miles with it.

When I picked up my Airstream Basecamp X at the dealer in Denver, I wondered how the next two months would play out. As someone who’s been a nomad for five years, I’ve learned to sit with unforeseeable futures and messy circumstances — but the COVID-19 pandemic amplified these feelings a hundred-fold. Trying to predict the future felt futile.

So I resigned myself to follow a few general rules: live in the slow lane, social distance as much as possible…and spend time in the mountains.

Scott Kranz

After quarantining for three months with my parents in Minnesota, I was lured out of hiding by an email from Airstream. As an outdoor writer, I’ve seen my fair share of ridiculous offers, and at first glance, this one felt too good to be true. Two months, sans obligations, to test a brand new trailer? Suuuure. I’d dreamed of having a mobile office/kitchen/bedroom to travel with in my years of living out of my truck, but this seemed hard to believe.

Yet, subsequent correspondence proved the offer was real — so a few weeks later, I was preparing for a summer on the road, Airstream-style. Feeling a bit like Will Smith in I Am Legend, I pulled out of the dealership and headed west on I-70 with the Basecamp in tow. Leaving the city and climbing the pass into the Front Range, I watched my Tacoma’s revs rise as the truck tried to battle the weight. Whether I liked it or not, my life was about to move a little slower.

MY 8,000 mile two month JOURNEY

Starting in Colorado, I drove west through Utah and Nevada for about a week before meeting up with friends in northern California for some runs, hikes, and swims — all at a safe distance, of course. From there I headed north, spending time in Oregon and Washington, before completing the northern portion of the loop through Idaho, Montana, and Idaho. The full route was close to 8,000 miles, broken up with 2-3 day-long stops along the way.

Johnie Gall

I avoided cities and skipped meals with people, instead linking up with friend for adventures — biking, running, working out, etc. Still, I felt lucky for what I was able to do: explore Mount Hood, Olympic National Park, the North Cascades, the Tetons and elsewhere, while so many Americans were stuck at home.

WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT THE AIRSTREAM BASECAMP X

The Basecamp is Airstream’s lightest and smallest model; it’s great for people on the go, but less so for larger families who need more space. That said, I found the inside feels much larger than it looks from the outside; I rarely felt cramped. The trailer has all the amenities needed to keep you comfortable on a multi-week trip, including a mid-sized fridge, stovetop, sink, and a bathroom with a shower. It’s simple and easy to use, which fits my lifestyle well.

I tested a 16-foot model with the “X” upgrades, which include beefier tires, rock protectors, and a 3-inch lift, all of which helped me go a bit further down dirt roads. At 2,600 pounds, the Basecamp is towable for most SUVs and trucks, including my 230-horsepower Tacoma. I averaged 4 mpg less than I normally did while pulling the Airstream — which, considering I had my entire life behind me, I didn’t feel too bad about.

Scott Kranz

The biggest drawbacks to the Basecamp are a general lack of storage — there’s enough for weekenders, but life would be challenging for longer trips and multi-sport adventures — and the hassle of the bed conversion. The bed mechanism design could use some improvements. It was a hassle every night, swapping from ‘office’ mode to ‘bed’ mode. Oh, and then there’s the price tag: at more than $40,000, the Basecamp X is far more expensive than its competitors in the small camping trailer space.

When plugged into shore power (at a campground, for example), you have access to an air conditioner, a microwave, and a slew of power outlets. When “boondocking” in places that are more remote, the battery is charged by rooftop solar panels; that provides enough juice to charge small electronics, but not enough for things like the A/C. I learned to balance the two, bouncing between national forest campsites and small RV parks.

By the end of the two months, I was happy — yet exhausted. Trying to work remotely, stay healthy, and grasp the rapid changes rolling through the world was a lot to juggle.

Two months living out of this aluminum trailer was a real gift, but also just a stopgap. Ready for a reset and a few less gas station coffees, I dropped off the Airstream, wondering who would enjoy it next.

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