Soaring Eagle’s Adlar 6.0XLS brings a kitchen, refrigerator, and bench seating to mid-size trucks with six-foot beds. At 959 pounds without jacks, the Adlar 6.0XLS deliberately limits options to keep weight in check. Grab your gear and shut the tailgate.
Over the past decade, the growth of the overland market has helped put mid-size truck campers in the spotlight. Tacoma, Ranger, Maverick, Colorado, and Frontier owners are looking beyond ground and rooftop tents for a little more comfort. Many want a bed that requires no set-up and an indoor space to stand, cook, and relax when the weather turns.
That gives truck camper manufacturers a tough assignment. They need to pack enough comfort into a compact truck bed to make retiring the tent worthwhile, while leaving payload for passengers, water, and camping gear. Space and payload are both limited, and just because a feature fits in the floor plan doesn’t mean the truck can safely carry its weight. Knowing what to leave out becomes just as important as deciding what to put in.
This is familiar territory for Soaring Eagle Campers. Its welded-aluminum and composite campers emphasize low weight, longevity, and the ability to close the tailgate. Soaring Eagle’s Adlar models intentionally keep the amenities and options in check, focusing on a comfortable place to sit, cook, eat, and sleep. For owners who spend most of their day outside, that covers a lot of ground.
This brings us to the new Adlar 6.0XLS, a hard-side, non-slide camper targeting mid-size trucks with six-foot beds. Soaring Eagle has brought its XLS kitchen concept into a smaller platform while keeping a close eye on weight. The Adlar 6.0XLS faces one of truck camping’s longest-standing questions head-on. How much camper can manufacturers deliver while leaving enough payload for the adventure? Once again, Soaring Eagle has a compelling answer.
To find out more about the Adlar 6.0XLS, we talked to Scott Tuttle, partner at Soaring Eagle Campers.
The Soaring Eagle Adlar 6.0XLS is a hard-side, non-slide truck camper designed for mid-size trucks with six-foot beds. The interior floor length of the Soaring Eagle Adlar 6.0XLS is 69″, the width is 77″, and the interior height is 72″. The center of gravity is 22” from the front wall.
The Adlar 6.0XLS has a portable 5-gallon fresh water tank, no grey tank, and an optional porta-potty. It comes standard with a 100Ah lithium battery and a 160-watt solar panel.
Soaring Eagle Campers is reporting the base weight of the Adlar 6.0XLS at 1,055 pounds with jacks and 959 pounds without jacks. The base MSRP of the 2027 Soaring Eagle Adlar 6.0XLS starts at $24,499 USD.
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What inspired the development of the Adlar 6.0XLS?
It actually started with a potential customer named Kathy who had a brand-new Toyota Tacoma on order. She had done a lot of truck camper research, and by the time she approached us, she was ready to trade in her travel trailer. Kathy wanted the flexibility of a truck camper and the ability to go places she couldn’t with her travel trailer. However, buying a bigger truck was a non-negotiable.
Kathy liked our mid-size Adlar floor plans, but she wanted the kitchen and sink found in our larger XLS models. So she asked us if we would consider building an XLS floor plan to fit her Toyota Tacoma with a six-foot bed and still let her close the tailgate.
I told her she was onto something. We got right to work, and within just a couple of weeks, we had developed the Adlar 6.0XLS for the mid-size truck market.
Soaring Eagle Adlar 6.0XLS on a Ford Maverick
What are the advantages of closing the tailgate that Kathy and other Soaring Eagle customers look for?
One of the biggest advantages of keeping the tailgate closed is retaining the truck’s factory features. Almost every modern truck has a backup camera built into the tailgate. Some also have cameras for 360-degree views and backup assist features. If you remove the tailgate, those cameras and functions you paid for may no longer work as intended.
Some trucks also have steps built into the tailgate, which is wonderful for truck camper owners. You just open the tailgate, pull out the steps, and walk right up into your camper.
Soaring Eagle Adlar 5.0 on a mid-size Toyota Tacoma with the tailgate closed
Some customers simply prefer having the tailgate closed behind the camper. Even though our campers are perfectly secure using applicable tie-down systems, it just gives them extra reassurance that the camper will stay put when they’re driving.
Which mid-size trucks and bed lengths is the Adlar 6.0XLS designed to fit?
We designed the Adlar 6.0XLS to be slightly less than six feet long to give us some leeway between truck makes and models. We’re focused on six-foot-bed mid-size trucks like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Chevy Colorado.
Some owners with five-foot beds may choose the 6.0XLS for that extra foot of living space and travel with the tailgate down. We see that with our other models, too.
“We’re focused on six-foot-bed mid-size trucks like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Chevy Colorado.”
Across our lineup, we feel comfortable saying our campers fit about 95 percent of the trucks they’re designed for with the tailgate closed. There are exceptions, including aftermarket additions like thicker bed liners or other equipment installed in the truck bed, so we always recommend checking the fit with your specific truck.
Who is the Adlar 6.0XLS designed for, and how did that influence the features you included?
The Soaring Eagle Adlar lineup is designed for people who are looking for the basic camping necessities. Most Adlar owners are coming from tent camping. Their trip is more about the memories they make outside the camper than what’s inside the camper, whether they’re hiking, fishing, hunting, exploring the mountains, or sitting around a campfire.
For someone used to sleeping on the ground, a comfortable bed, a refrigerator instead of an ice cooler, and a place to sit down for a meal are a big step up. The XLS goes further and adds a sink for washing hands, doing dishes, and brushing teeth. Most of our customers are comfortable using campground facilities and bringing a portable toilet for nighttime use or emergencies.
An air conditioner and microwave are available, but that is about it when it comes to options. We’re careful about how much weight we add to a camper meant for mid-size trucks. Some customers have asked us to put a wet bath in these campers, but that means adding a water heater, plumbing, and holding tanks. By the time you put it all together, you’re talking hundreds of additional pounds.
We’ve worked hard to keep our mid-size models between 950 and 1,055 pounds. We offer quick-detach jack brackets so owners can leave the jacks at home and reduce the weight they’re carrying by approximately 96 pounds.
I think it’s important to mention that just because a camper’s dimensions fit in a mid-sized truck bed, it doesn’t always mean it’s a good match. The loaded weight, center of gravity, and your truck’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) are all important factors a truck owner needs to consider.
Soaring Eagle is known for building physical mockups during development. Did you follow that same process with the Adlar 6.0XLS?
The Adlar 6.0XLS was a little easier to develop because we already had the six-foot mid-size truck camper design from our standard Adlar 6.0 and the XLS floor plan from our larger 6.5XLS model.
When developing a new camper, we typically build a mockup. We stand in it, sit in it, and move things around to get a feel for the layout.
Since we were working with two existing designs, we didn’t need a physical mockup this time. We engineered the 6.0XLS on the computer and on paper, then ordered the parts and built it.
The main changes were a new bench seat along the passenger side, a new composite battery storage area, and new kitchen cabinetry.
How does the seating arrangement in the 6.0XLS compare to the standard Adlar 6.0? Can two adults comfortably sit down for a meal?
Absolutely. In the standard Adlar 6.0, we have a dinette where two people sit facing each other across the front of the camper. For the XLS, we turned the passenger side into one long bench seat.
There’s plenty of room for two adults to sit comfortably, have a meal, or spend time together inside the camper and out of the elements.
We saw the new Sandstone interior in the Adlar 6.0XLS at the Elkhart RV Open House. What prompted the change, and what distinguishes it from your existing interior?
We’ve offered grey wood tones in our cabinetry for about five years, and we felt it was time to introduce another option. Our new Sandstone interior features earth-tone cabinetry, countertops with coordinating veining, and beige and earth-tone cushions.
We’re not getting rid of the grey. Customers can still choose that interior if they prefer it.
Will the Sandstone interior be available throughout the Soaring Eagle Adlar lineup?
Yes. Sandstone is available in all Adlar models.
Does the Adlar 6.0XLS remain all-electric, or are propane systems available?
The 6.0XLS is designed to be all-electric. We don’t offer a propane system in our mid-size models because it takes up valuable space and adds weight.
Battery disconnect, USB charging port, and battery monitor in the Soaring Eagle Adlar 6.0XLS
We do offer the Truma furnace as an option in the full-size Adlar models, but we encourage customers to consider alternative heating methods. Soaring Eagle Campers are small and well-insulated. They heat up very quickly, whether you’re using the heat pump on the optional air conditioner or a small portable heater.
If somebody consistently camps in freezing temperatures and wants a diesel heater in the 6.0XLS, we can certainly install one. But for many customers, that expense and equipment aren’t necessary.
What cooktop options are available in the 6.0XLS?
Customers can choose between a removable induction cooktop and a 17-inch Blackstone griddle. Most of our customers choose the Blackstone.
What refrigerator did you choose for the Adlar 6.0XLS?
The Adlar 6.0XLS comes with a 3.3-cubic-foot iRV 12-volt refrigerator.
How does the fresh water system work, and where does the sink drain?
There’s a five-gallon portable fresh water tank underneath the sink. The XLS models use a Dometic 12-volt faucet system that pumps water from that tank, so owners can wash their hands, brush their teeth, or clean a few dishes.
There is no grey water tank, and the sink drain runs directly outside the camper. Owners can attach a hose to divert the grey water away from the camper or collect it in a portable container. It’s a very basic system, but it’s effective for the kind of camping our customers are doing.
What ventilation, heating, and air conditioning equipment is available in the 6.0XLS?
All of our Adlar campers come standard with two MaxxAir 12-volt fans. One is an upgraded model that has a rain sensor and remote control.
Customers can opt for a low-profile RecPro Houghton 9,500-BTU air conditioner with a built-in heat pump. We’ve used that air conditioner for years and have had good results with it. It also has a low-amperage startup, which is helpful for customers interested in running their air conditioner off-grid.
How much solar is standard on the Adlar 6.0XLS, and how much can customers add?
One 160-watt panel is standard on the Adlar 6.0XLS. Customers can add one or two additional panels for a total of 320 or 480 watts.
What battery capacity comes standard, and how far can owners expand it?
The Adlar 6.0XLS comes standard with one 100Ah lithium battery. We designed the camper with enough room for four batteries under the bench, so customers can expand to 400Ah of lithium.
Even in a camper as small as the 6.0XLS, we wanted to provide that flexibility because we know some owners are serious about off-grid camping.
What inverter is available for owners who want to use 110-volt outlets without shore power?
We offer a 3,000-watt inverter in the Adlar 6.0XLS. With the right solar, battery capacity, and inverter setup, owners can run equipment like the air conditioner, microwave, and coffee maker while camping off-grid.
What exterior colors are available for the Adlar 6.0XLS?
White is standard, and Platinum Grey is optional. Platinum Grey has been particularly popular with our customers. Combined with the black trim, it gives the camper that overland look that a lot of people like.
How is the Adlar 6.0XLS secured to the truck?
Our campers use built-in ratchet straps to secure the camper inside the truck bed.
What is the base dry weight of the Adlar 6.0XLS?
The base dry weight is 1,055 pounds. Without the jacks, the Adlar 6.0XLS weighs 959 pounds.
What is the base MSRP?
The Adlar 6.0XLS starts at $24,499 USD.
What warranty does Soaring Eagle offer on the Adlar 6.0XLS?
Soaring Eagle Campers come with a three-year structural warranty and a one-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. Individual appliances have their own warranties.
When will the Adlar 6.0XLS begin arriving at dealerships?
The Adlar 6.0XLS will hit dealer lots in November. We’ve already ordered the parts and started scheduling production, so we expect campers to begin arriving at dealerships then.
Does Soaring Eagle have plans to introduce a smaller Adlar 5.0XLS for trucks with five-foot beds?
That was actually one of the first questions we received after introducing the 6.0XLS to dealers. There are a lot of five-foot Tacomas, Rangers, Frontiers, Ridgelines, and Gladiators out there. Yes, an Adlar 5.0XLS is coming.
Is there anything else you’d like to add about the Adlar 6.0XLS, or any teasers about what’s next from Soaring Eagle Campers?
We have more projects in the works for 2027 beyond the Adlar lineup. Some concepts in development will take Soaring Eagle in entirely new directions. I can’t share the details just yet, but we’re excited about what’s ahead.
We are focused on building campers that will last for generations. To accomplish that, we use quality materials and don’t rush the production process. We tell customers that they’ll use the camper, their kids will use it, and their grandkids will have a good chance of using it, too.
On any camper, seals around windows, vents, or roof components can dry out or crack if maintenance has been neglected. We build our campers with aluminum, composites, and Azdel because those materials aren’t going to rot if moisture gets inside.
“We tell customers that they’ll use the camper, their kids will use it, and their grandkids will have a good chance of using it, too.”
Soaring Eagle will never be the price leader, and we’re okay with that. We want to earn our business through the value our campers offer, especially over the long haul.
For more information on Soaring Eagle Campers, visit their website at soaringeaglecampers.com. Click here to request a Soaring Eagle brochure.
