You can purchase a UTV with an environmentally controlled package or model that includes a full cab made of hard or soft materials. These will keep out hot or cold weather, allowing for an HVAC system to keep your cab at the ideal temperature.
A suitable enclosure will keep you protected from the elements and also provide superior comfort and security. (9)
Whether you are trying to keep the snow out or the cold air in, a fully enclosed cab system can undoubtedly be worth the added costs.
When trail riding, mudding, or riding over dunes, it helps keep sand, dirt, water, mud, and other debris out of the cab. It can also help protect your limbs during more extreme rock crawling in case of a tip over by keeping everything enclosed.
This article will provide information on the cab systems and materials in use and how much they tend to cost on average.
Table of Contents
Do You Need an Enclosed Cab?
People have UTVs for different reasons, and depending on your motivation for buying one, you may not want a fully enclosed cab, or you might need to have one.
If you own a ranch or run a workplace and intend to use the UTV to haul crew and materials, it can be a huge benefit to ensure they are protected no matter the weather or terrain.
However, if you are a recreational UTV driver or are riding trails and want to feel closer to nature, the closed-off feeling of being in a full cab can take away from the experience.
There are things to consider before choosing to get a full cab. The main benefits are increased comfort, protection, and a decrease in noise level. If none of these is an issue for you, then you can save some money by forgoing the full cab and maybe spending a few hundred on half-doors and a sunroof instead.
Should you decide that you do need a full or partial cab covering for your UTV, there are several different routes you can take. Manufacturers have made it easier for people to winterize and create AC controlled cabs for extreme climates, but you also want to take the safety factor into account.
Some UTV sports like rock crawling can be quite dangerous with an open cab, so having the minimum of a mesh covering over the roof, rear panel, and windows can help cut down on the risk of injury should there be a rollover or accident.
Windows for UTVs
There are multiple types of windows and cab enclosures in terms of design and materials e.g., shatter-proof glass, polished vinyl, netting, etc.
If you intend to drive your UTV in a climate prone to bad weather or over harsh terrain, then full windows, doors and roof can help keep your interior clean and comfortable.
Wind Deflectors
These cover only the lower section of the front windshield area of your UTV and are meant to simply deflect the wind that would otherwise be blasted into the face of the driver and passengers.
A good example is the Klock Werks Dark Smoke UTV Flare Wings deflector, which is made of hard-coated polycarbonate material. (8) That particular deflector costs $139.95, which is almost enough for a full soft window cover.
It comes down to how exposed you want to be in your UTV when out on the trails.
Vented
These allow for airflow through the cab without directly subjecting the driver or passenger to the outside environment. In warmer climates, these can be useful in keeping the cab cooler.
Some vented windows feature ways to closes the vents, and others are permanently open.
Hard Cab
There are several materials used for hard cab windows to keep out water, dust, wind, and debris. The most common materials are listed below:
- Polycarbonate
- Safety glass
- Acrylic
Soft Cab
Below are the popular materials used to create soft cab windows, windshields, and rear panel:
- Polished vinyl
- Canvas
Rear Panel
These can come with built-in mounts for things like hunting equipment, rifles, or other accessories. Some rear panels come with foldable bench seats. Some rear panels have windows, and some do not. Quite a few come with ways to add more storage through clips or incorporated bags.
They are meant to keep out debris and weather while protecting passengers. Rear panels can also come in canvas and various sizes of mesh material.
Doors
There is a wide variety of door styles, materials, and features. Most UTVs come with half-doors or no doors included in their package, but you can also choose to get full doors for most models.
Utility UTVs tend to be made or studier material and are more likely to come with full-door options when compared to sports models. This is mostly due to workhorse UTVs being meant to function in all weather conditions year-round.
The options for UTV doors include the following:
- Full doors
- Half doors
- Hard materials
- Vinyl
- Mesh
- Removable doors and roll-up doors
Roofs
UTVs for rock crawling should have a roof of some kind to protect riders from falling out during accidents. They are also an easy way to add more storage space and excellent for retaining internal environmental control. There are hard and soft cab roofs. Some come with windows, and others do not.
Best enclosed cab models and packages
Not all UTV cab packages are built equal. Polaris has one of the best enclosed cab systems on the market today. The Ranger Pro Shield Cab System features the following when compared to similar systems by manufacturers like Honda and Can-Am.
- Quieter Cab
- Better Dust Seal
- Better Water Seal
Full cab enclosures from the different manufacturers include several types. The most affordable is a soft cab enclosure made of heavy-duty material. They can consist of a rear panel window or an opaque backing.
If you would like to know more about keeping your UTV cooler during the summer or in hotter locations, you can check our article about UTVs with A/C here.
We also have an article that goes over everything you need to know about keeping yourself and your passengers warm in the winter. Find out how to winterize your UTV cab in this article.
Aftermarket cab parts buyer’s guide
To give an idea of the average pricing for aftermarket cab add-ons like windows, rear panels, roofs, and doors, we have listed below the cost from popular brands. This includes hard cab, soft cab, and miscellaneous cab features e.g., wind deflectors, vented windows, etc.
Polaris
Windows
- Glass Full Vented Windshield (Price: $749.99)
- Lock-and-Ride Half Windshield (Price: $199.99)
- Lock-and-Ride Full Poly Windshield (Price: $309.99)
Roof
- Canvas Roof (Price: $94.99)
- Lock-and-Ride Sport Roof (Price: $269.99)
- Aluminum Roof (Price: $469.99)
- Graphic Sport Roof (Price: $419.99)
Doors
- Lower Half Door Inserts (Price: $429.99)
- Aluminum Lower Half Doors 4-Seater (Price: $949.99)
- RZR Canvas Upper Doors 4-Seater(Price: $949.99)
Rear Panel
- Lock-and-Ride Poly Rear Panel (Price: $229.99)
- Mesh Rear Panel (Price: $134.99)
- Canvas Rear Panel (Price: $219.99)
Can-Am
Windows
- Front Window Nets (Price: $159.99)
- Full Windshield (Price: $394.99)
- Flip Windshield – Hardcoated for Defender (Price: $899.99)
Roof
- Mesh Roof for Commander, Maverick (Price: $99.99)
- Audio Roof for Maverick X3 (Price: $2,599.99)
- Deluxe Convertible Roof for Commander (Price: $539.99)
Doors
- Soft Doors for Defender (Price: $1,004.99)
- Full Hard Doors for Commander (Price: $2,709.99)
Yamaha
Windows
- YXZ1000R/SS Folding Windshield (Price: $499.99+)
- Wolverine Wind Deflector (Price: $161.99)
- Wolverine X2/ X4 Polycarbonate Front Windshield (Price: $349.99)
Roof
- YXZ1000R/SS Hard Sun Top Kit (Price: $399.99)
Doors
- YXZ1000R/SS Soft Side Cover (Price: $399.99)
Rear Panel
- Wolverine X2 Soft Rear Window (Price: $209.99)
Full Cab Packages
While there are too many aftermarket add-ons to go over them all here, we will go through the cost and features of a few popular brands. These are full cab systems with windows, full doors, windshield, and rear panel.
Overall the price of individual parts as listed in the previous section or complete cab packages like those below can be more expensive than merely choosing a full cab off the showroom floor.
However, with aftermarket add-ons, you have more control over the features and materials.
Yamaha – DFK Viking Cab System
Price: $3,850.99
Material: Safety glass, metal doors, UV-protected, hard-coated polycarbonate, metal sheeting top
Additional Features: Sliding windows and fully removable doors
Yamaha – DFK Viking VI Cab System (for crew size UTV)
Price: $6,044.99
Material: Safety glass, metal doors, UV-protected, hard-coated polycarbonate, metal sheeting top
Additional Features: Sliding windows and fully removable doors
Yamaha – Wolverine X2 Soft Cab Enclosure System
Price: $599.99
Materials: Sur Last 300D, clear vinyl
Additional Features: Attached by rivet snaps
Polaris – Ranger 570 / 800 Full Cab Enclosure with Vinyl Windshield
Price: $534.06
Materials: Vinyl, polyester
Additional Features: Doors roll-up for and can be stored out of the way with velcro. (10)
Polaris – Ranger 800 PathPro RCS Hard Cab Enclosure
Price: $4,199.99
Materials: Impact resistant acrylic, polycarbonate or laminated safety glass
Additional Features: Several materials to choose from for windows. It includes vents and window sliders. (11)
Can-Am – Premium Rigid Cab Enclosure for Defender
Price: $6,229.99
Materials: Not listed on site
Additional Features: Includes windshield wiper kit and roof power cable.
Sources
- https://www.shopyamaha.com/accessories/Side-by-Side?taxo_productdepartment_ss_facet=2&dealernumber=&skip=24
- https://rzr.polaris.com/en-us/shop/accessories/
- https://can-am.brp.com/off-road/us/en/shop/accessories-atv.html
- https://www.sidebysidestuff.com/kawasaki-mule.html
- https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&ipp=48&Ntt=utv+enclosure
- https://hardcabs.com/get-hardcabs-for-your-utv/
- https://www.shopyamaha.com/product/details/dfk-viking-vi-cab-system?b=Side-By-Side+Accessories&d=2|2&ls=yamaha-motor-company&dealernumber=
- https://www.denniskirk.com/klock-werks/dark-smoke-utv-flare-wings-2350-0480.p235499.prd/235499.sku
- https://www.utvdirect.com/cab-enclosures-and-heaters/
- https://www.everythingpolarisranger.com/polaris-ranger-2009-full-cab-enclosure-by-gcl-utv.html
- https://www.everythingpolarisranger.com/polaris-ranger-pathpro-rcs-cab-enclosure-by-curtis-industries.html
