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Happy with Premium Soft Top?

OrangeTJ

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Perfect. Can't beat the versatility the soft top offers. For people who live in truly crappy climates, I suppose I can understand the appeal of the hard top, but for me a HUGE part of the Jeep experience is top-down motoring. Having to store a big 'ol hard top in my 2 car garage would be a non-starter.
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Bbannongmu

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love the premium soft top. Run it most of the time. I run the hard top in the winter and soft top in Spring, Summer and Fall.
 

Trippin01

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I whip it back while sitting in the driver's seat. unlatch and a heavy push and it's off. Even more fun is to do it at 20mph, unclip and let the wind take it back
You got it! Brain says, "Put the top down". unlatch at red light, then at about 10 mph, and while still accelerating, push the front of the top up, and its off.

Try that with the cumbersome Hardtop, ha ha!

Want to secure it at the 1st stop? Flip it down, latch, lock & walk away. Back from shopping? repeat 1st step at 1st red light.
 

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Trippin01

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I have had my soft top 2 plus years... no garage...driven in -30 degree weather... no issues. I find no need for a hardtop.
spoken like a true Jeep'r! Bless your heart.
 

be77solo

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Great thread, I agree, soft top is the point for a lot of us. OK, so what's the real world difference between a normal soft top vs premium soft top? Does anyone have any actual experience with both? Would love to hear!
 

Tar Heel Wrangler

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Great thread, I agree, soft top is the point for a lot of us. OK, so what's the real world difference between a normal soft top vs premium soft top? Does anyone have any actual experience with both? Would love to hear!
Had standard sailcloth soft top on my JLU that I sold. I have a premium on my JT. The standard is a lot thinner and lighter. It's gray instead of black. Being lighter, it's a bit easier to fold down.

I wanted premium, but it came with the one I got off the lot. I thought it looked better on the Granite Crystal Metallic than a premium as it blended in nicely.

As I expected it starting wearing out after 3 years. It had a pin hole that started growing. If I had kept it, it would have had to have been patched or replaced.

The premium is nice and thick. It should last a lot longer. It's also a little quieter.

On a side note, I love the soft top on the JT much better than the JL. It's nice to not have the soft side windows and it's so much easier to completely remove and put back on the soft top. That's my favorite look.

I will only go with the premium top from now on. Here are some pics.

Jeep Gladiator Happy with Premium Soft Top? Jeep Avatar
Jeep Gladiator Happy with Premium Soft Top? 20210317_133847
Jeep Gladiator Happy with Premium Soft Top? JTForumAvatar
Jeep Gladiator Happy with Premium Soft Top? 20210518_160517 (1)


Jeep Gladiator Happy with Premium Soft Top? 20210518_184627 (1)
 

CaptNkllm

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I just swapped my hard for the soft.. couple things I noticed on my first day today..
hotter in the cab at 80 degrees outside..
More loud at the traffic lights when watching the cross lanes go by.. takes a little getting used to I guess.. I added the soft top because we are headed to Zion national park for memorial weekend and wanted an easier version to open the top.. I like it so far.. but it does have some things that are not as nice as the hard top... and I am getting hard of hearing..
 

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Yes. The soft top not only gives you more open-air freedom, it breaks-up the "pack of Virginia slims on wheels" look of the rectilinear hard top models.
 

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Trauma PA

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I just swapped my hard for the soft.. couple things I noticed on my first day today..
hotter in the cab at 80 degrees outside..
More loud at the traffic lights when watching the cross lanes go by.. takes a little getting used to I guess.. I added the soft top because we are headed to Zion national park for memorial weekend and wanted an easier version to open the top.. I like it so far.. but it does have some things that are not as nice as the hard top... and I am getting hard of hearing..
Which soft top do you have? I'm wondering if there is a difference between the premium black twill material and the black diamond material which appears to be thinner and is more of a gray color.
I have the premium black twill and mine is surprisingly quiet for a soft top. Now mind you I'm comparing to the soft top I had on my previous JKU.
 

gpwrang33

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My first wrangler was a TJ with a 2 piece hardtop. At the time I was living in San Diego and I would have to stash the hardtop and doors in a parking lot in order to go naked. I'm surprised none of it got stolen. I don't think it got naked much once I came back to NY because that top was heavy even being that it was 2 pieces. When I got the JT I made sure to order the duel top group because I wasn't sure on one top or the other and it would be easier to sell one or the other then trying to buy one. I got the truck beginning of November and was able to take the freedom tops off that week before winter hit and I loved it. The first week it was nice out I swapped tops and really noticed the different in road noise. Hardtop with headline is very quiet, soft top makes it sound like there is nothing but a piece of paper between you and that 18 wheeler. I went on a 3 hour road trip with a 30 - 60 mph gust of side wind and head wind while doing highway speeds. That was the most nerve racking experience of my life. It felt like the top was going to rip off and the truck didn't like it either. After that trip I put the hardtop back on a week later for another 4 hour rode trip but once we got to our destination I was kicking myself because it was nice weather for top down. I swapped back to the soft top once the weather started to cooperate and this past week I've had it open pretty much every day and the doors off and on. Yes it is much loader than a hardtop and you can definitely feel the sun baking the inside when its sitting but the ease of it is amazing. I'm glad I got both top and I will delay swapping over to the soft top until the wind dies down next time. Another issue I've noticed is that when its open it tends to flop down into my rearview mirror. I usually leave it closed with the back window out but when I open it is there a bag or cover for it to keep it tucked up nicely?
 

CaptNkllm

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Mine is black so Premium? The noise isnt to bothersome though I plan to roll the top back for most of my driving.. So noise isnt to relevant with the top up or down.
 

Trauma PA

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Mine is black so Premium? The noise isnt to bothersome though I plan to roll the top back for most of my driving.. So noise isnt to relevant with the top up or down.
Yes. Sounds like you have the premium twill.
 

cafecito

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We had a hard top JL in Florida. It was our first Jeep and we loved it, but it was a PIA to remove and store. In the summer here, with pop up showers nearly every afternoon, it made it difficult to go topless considering we couldn’t take it with us. When I bought my JT, I knew I had to have a soft top. Wish it went all the way down, but we love the convenience. We are very happy with it!
That one thing is what's stopping me from wanting a soft top when I order mine. I really wish it just folded down behind the rear seats like the Wrangler top. It looks like a mullet or something when it's just flopped back on top like that... :facepalm:
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