I love a rooftop tent on a side-by-side. It extends the use-case for me, as I can off-road all day, hunt, fish, or hike, and then when the sun starts to sink behind the mountains, instead of stopping to set up camp two hours before dark, you just pop the tent, and you're done. Plus, they get you off the cold, hard ground, which makes the following day all the better for whatever activity you enjoy.
It's why I threw a Roofnest onto my Can-Am Maverick X3. It's why I love that Polaris tossed one onto an Xpedition. And it's why I think Can-Am and S3 Powersports need to put out the parts for the Defender HD11 so it can accept a GoFastCamper RTT. Do it, folks!
But while my Roofnest is lovely, the GFC is lightweight and dope, and my Hest mattresses make everything better, you can't exactly sit in them comfortably. You're lying down, which makes taking in the wonder around you slightly difficult.
Thule thinks it has a solution, and that's that its new Widesky rooftop tent has a built-in freakin' sofa. And, honestly, that's pretty damn rad.
The Widesky delivers on what its name implies, as the bedding area can be flipped up and converted into a futon-like backing, which allows the users to bear witness the dramatic rear opening and, hopefully, the wide open skies you parked up at.
This concept of a futon is just chef's-kiss, because one of my biggest complaints about any sort of rooftop tent is that you have to do a trillion little things to prop yourself up in them to look out the damn windows or doorways. When I was elk hunting last season, I had brought along my pillows and a Hest pillow, but also had my sleeping bag all stashed together so I could see out the entrance to the Roofnest. Why? Because I had parked up at 10,000 feet overlooking this sick valley and the views were stunning. Plus, elk were roaming!
According to Thule, "Thule Widesky is a two-person hardshell rooftop tent designed for those who want comfort and freedom without compromise. It sets up and folds down in just a few seconds. Just release the buckles and open, no need to tuck in fabric. With its sleek and durable aluminum shell, spacious interior, and built-in sofa, Thule Widesky lets you enjoy the outdoors from a true front-row seat."
I also appreciate that the Widesky doesn't require any fiddling with once the tent is up, as for the Roofnest, you've got set up still to do once you pop the top. It still doesn't take long, but it's extra steps and time when you could be just gazing at the beauty of our public lands, you know?
It is pricey, however, though not as pricey as some other hardshell rooftop tents. The Widesky will set you back a cool $3,999.95, but you're also getting the sofa, a mattress, LED lights, ladder, and weighs just 150 pounds, which means you can use it on pretty much any side-by-side's roof rack. Personally, this might be what replaces my Roofnest whenever that fails, as this system just looks brilliant for what adventures myself and my family get into.
