Several years ago, British tent maker Cinch Outdoors teamed up with Chinese innovator Wild Land to Kickstart the inflatable Air Cruiser rooftop tent. It was a firm move off the ground and onto the vehicle for Cinch, which has since focused on bringing other Wild Land innovations to the US market. The Wingman launches as what's sure to be the USA's largest, wildest pickup camping topper ever, bringing two stories of living space, a power multi-X-lift system and a rooftop lookout ... for a lower starting price than most smaller, more basic toppers.
At the time of the Safari Cruiser launch in 2024, Wild Land was focused on its domestic market and planned to expand distribution globally from there. Having already worked with Cinch on other projects, collaborating on a Safari Cruiser launch for the US was a natural extension. Instead of "Safari Cruiser," the American guise of the double-lifting pickup-back shelter takes on one of its alternative names: Wingman.
The Wingman looks much the same as the 2024-debut Safari Cruiser, albeit with a different accessory set adorning its exterior and interior. In place of the 270-degree awning and deployable shower tent on the 2024 Cruiser, the Wingman has a set of slim MOLLE panels and attachment points wrapping its perimeter.
Operation remains the same, with the Wingman relying on two levels of beefy, electrically actuated scissor lifts to create its high-rising two-floor base camp layout. It sets up in a matter of seconds with the push of a button on the accompanying remote control or smartphone app.
Since the Wingman is a topper that mounts to the pickup bed sidewalls and doesn't extend down to the bed floor itself, the open truck bed serves as the first floor of the two-story camping tower. Floor #1 is meant to work as a flexible base camp area and comes equipped with a foldaway bamboo worktop/table. The space can serve as a dining area, storage area, flex space and/or whatever else works for your needs, much like in other pickup camping toppers.
Campers can keep the lower tent fabric open at the rear for fresh air, securing it closed when they need better weather and insect protection. The space can also be used on its own without having to deploy the second floor, allowing road trippers to grab some shade during a quick lunch stop without raising the entire camper.
At 38 inches (97 cm) tall from the top of the bed rail to the first level ceiling, the unit offers roughly 58 inches (147 cm) of height from the pickup bed floor, depending upon the box height of the specific truck. That's short of adult-level standing height but good for kids to stand and change.
Floor #2 is where all the overnight camping happens. Two to three campers can climb up using the included ladder, enjoying a cube-like rooftop tent with 89 x 58-in (226 x 97-cm) floor area covered by a high-density foam mattress. A removable panel covers over the access hatch to complete the bed, which is surrounded by 270 degrees of tent mesh for panoramic views. Of course, there are also zippable weatherproof panels to cover that mesh in cold, wet or windy weather.
The second floor features a height just under 42 inches (107 cm), plenty for sitting up comfortably. Also included is a skylight good for stargazing and ventilation as well as serving as a hatch to peek out the top of the tent roof. Here, campers enjoy a high vantage point with 360-degree views for taking in the scenery, looking for wildlife, and grabbing photos or video of the experience.
A feature we don't recall on the original Safari Cruiser is a set of integrated Bluetooth 5.0 speakers – one per floor. The simple setup delivers an integrated audio solution that even some expensive campers lack. Both floors also include integrated lighting, and the electrical panel plugs into the vehicle's 12-V power port. Magnetic light bars included in the design mount to the frame and remove for use around camp.
All the Wingman's integrated electrical features can be controlled from a single point with the same remote control and/or mobile app used to lift the topper into camping form. Users can also optionally use remote/app control to activate the powered hydraulic legs for mounting the camper to the truck. The entire unit lifts up above pickup bed height, then lowers down for mounting.
Unlike most toppers, which include a cabover alcove, the Wingman collapses down to a basic box for travel. At 25 in (64 cm) high, it sits close to cab height, helping to cut aerodynamic losses. By sitting on the pickup bed rails, it leaves the bed wide open for cargo, allowing owners to pack whatever furniture, luggage, coolers and gear they need.
The Wingman does bring along significant weight, however, basing in at 551 lb (250 kg) – much more than most camping toppers and comparable to an ultralight full-floored slide-in truck camper. With that much weight supported only by the rails, we'd be looking hard at bed stiffeners.
Cinch announced its American Wingman launch in late June and is now offering it for an early bird price of US$6,999. Not only is that $3K lower than the original estimated price Wild Land quoted two years ago, it's cheaper than most other pickup camping toppers despite the more complex, powered two-story design. It's not the absolute cheapest unit out there, but it does undercut high-profile competitors like the $7,700 Ovrlnd Bivy, $8,999 Tune M1 Lite and $7,950 GoFast V2 Pro.
Cinch says the 71 x 63-in Wingman (180 x 160-cm, L x W when closed) will fit the majority of pickup trucks, including popular platforms like the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra, Toyota Tacoma, and Jeep Gladiator. It offers direct Lower 48 express shipping from its US warehouse and backs the purchase with a two-year guarantee.
Wild Land USA lists the Wingman's MSRP at $12,999, with discounted pricing of $9,990, so expect it to rise into that range when Cinch sells clean out of early bird models.
Source: Cinch Outdoors
