No More Metal: Airstream Launches Fiberglass ‘Nest’ Camper
Airstream claims its latest offering, the Nest, is aerodynamic, lightweight, and strong.
Editor’s note: We updated this article, first published in 2017, with price and new information for the product launch.
The company known for shiny aluminum tow-behind campers strays from its bread and butter with a different production material: fiberglass.
Launched this week, the Airstream Nest sports “semi-monocoque fiberglass structure” and will retail starting at $46,900. That’s basically the same price as the comparably sized aluminum Sport model.
But the Nest’s base weight is about 600 pounds more, at 3,400 pounds. So why the switch? According to Bob Wheeler, Airstream president and CEO, the brand has eyed fiberglass as an “innovative” material for decades.
In the 1950s, Airstream founder Wally Byam experimented with fiberglass campers. The concept is nothing new, but consumer interest in modern and minimalist campers is high.
“Wally was a design pioneer, and he recognized the versatility of fiberglass,” Wheeler said. “He was always innovating – always pushing the envelope – and we think Wally would be pleased to see Airstream continuing that tradition with Nest.”
Airstream Nest: Fiberglass Pull-Behind
Airstream keeps a minimal exterior aesthetic with a white-gray finish. Inside, however, buyers can choose from two design options: an understated Wingspan White or a splashier, ’50s-era Clutch Blue.
On the exterior, Airstream molds the shell of the Nest in three pieces: the top half, bottom half, and rear. Rounded edges and small size improve aerodynamics.
The Nest measures 16 feet 4 inches long, 7 feet 1 inch wide, and 9 feet 6 inches tall. The brand designed the fiberglass trailer to allow as much natural light in as possible, with six windows, a skylight, and a wide front windshield “inspired by ski goggles.”
And if you can’t tow the Nest’s 3,000+ pound bulk, Airstream released the Basecamp in 2016. Made to accommodate small SUVs and sport wagons, the Basecamp weighs almost 1,000 pounds less than the new Nest.
