When we first caught wind of Thule’s all-new Widesky rooftop tent (RTT), we took the model name to imply a large, clear stargazing skylight on par with Inspired Overland’s fully transparent roof. We had the idea of open views correct, but instead of a skylight, Thule’s latest RTT encourages panoramic viewing in a different way, one we haven’t seen on other rooftop tents. In doing so, it creates a high-riding space in which you’ll want to spend both waking and sleeping hours.
Unlike RVs and larger ground tents that offer enough tall, voluminous sheltered space to encourage campers to spend time inside any time, day or night, smaller tents, whether pitched on the ground or atop the vehicle, lack this luxury. Sure, you can go lie down and take a nap comfortably during the day, maybe read a book while lying prone with your feet dangling in the air, but compact tents don’t offer much in the way escaping the weather and lounging on comfortable furniture to talk, play a game of cards, or enjoy a snack or beverage.
Rooftop tent manufacturers only have so much room to build out their shelter before gravity and complexity bring it all crashing down, so they try to solve this shortcoming with awnings and ground tents that expand off the RTT floor. But these tend to be heavy, pricy kits with time-consuming piece-by-piece setup. And we can’t fault anyone for not wanting to plop down hundreds of extra dollars after already spending thousands on a vehicle tent.
Thule
Thule’s big addition to its rooftop tent family is a dual-purpose mattress that transforms into a simple sofa, allowing campers to sit up inside the tent more comfortably while reading a book, working on a laptop, or just leaning back and enjoying views out the 270-degree array of tall mesh windows. The integrated backrest pitches at the pull of a pair of straps, going from flat sleep mode to upright sofa mode in milliseconds. The interior also includes dimmable LED light strips for use after dusk.
To deliver more headroom for use with this makeshift lounger, Thule skips the end-hinged full-wedge design in favor of a scissor-lifted roof that rises considerably at both ends. It’s still lower up front, delivering a roof angle to shed rain and snow, but it opens up headroom for sitting up on the sofa.
Thule
It’s remarkable how the simple tweaks present a major improvement in the RTT camping experience, opening up more overall comfort and a new set of reasons to spend time in the tent. Having used compact dome and rooftop tents for decades, I avoid spending much time in them unless I’m sleeping at night, taking a quick midday nap or getting ready to do one or the other. Beyond that, lying down or huddling crosslegged in the middle of the day while wide awake is only comfortable for so long – I’d rather sit outside on a camping chair or even inside the vehicle.
Large, tall tents that can fit chairs and other furniture are, of course, one readily available solution, but those who prioritize tents that are lightweight, easy to transport and quick to set up won’t want to lug such large shelters around. Personally, I’ve never wanted to carry a heavy, cumbersome, time-consuming tent.
Once mounted, the Widesky is as easy to transport and set up as possible, essentially pitching itself in seconds via its gas-assisted struts. All you have to do is unlatch it, give it an upward push, and extend and mount the ladder.
Thule
Best of all, Thule has designed the fabric to fold inward on itself when pulling the roof down via the integrated strap system so that none of it gets stuck between the hardtop and base when closing the tent – stuffing fabric in around the tent perimeter is typically the most tedious, time-sucking part of closing a hardshell RTT for travel.
Beyond those updates, the Widesky is a fairly straightforward RTT. It features an aluminum hardtop and honeycomb floor, weighing in at 147 lb (66.7 kg) and standing to a height of just 7.9 in (20 cm) when closed.
Thule
Thule first showed the Widesky at last year’s Düsseldorf Caravan Salon and launched it in the US this month for a price of $4,000. That’s definitely not cheap for a two-person hardshell tent, but we’ve all but given up on the concept of “cheap” when it comes to RTTs and other overland gear.
We give Thule credit. It looked like it was going to just phone in RTT design by acquiring a complete, ready-made lineup (Tepui), but it’s been experimenting with new ideas ever since it got involved in the market. Beyond the new pull-and-pop sofa lounge, it’s introduced the space-saving half-width Foothill folder, the unfurling Outset hitch tent, and the wide-stretched, space-maximizing Approach series over the years.
Source: Thule
