Hardtop vs sottop

[Papalecki]

planning first Jeep purchase - FINALLY
What’s the best thinking regarding which roof?
Is it really personal preference?

I’m thinking soft top - so I can quickly go topless, without the hassle of removing the freedom top
But does the hardtop make sense for the winter?

Do I go Freedom hardtop from dealer, get a soft top aftermarket?

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[Phljeeper]

planning first Jeep purchase - FINALLY
What’s the best thinking regarding which roof?
Is it really personal preference?

I’m thinking soft top - so I can quickly go topless, without the hassle of removing the freedom top
But does the hardtop make sense for the winter?

Do I go Freedom hardtop from dealer, get a soft top aftermarket?

It’s easier to get it from the factory with a hardtop and add the soft top later than the other way around. You also get the wiring hookups for the rear defrost if you get hardtop from factory. The hard top is quieter and warmer in the winter especially if you get the headliners. Adding a soft top later should be easy.

 

[Dwosgood]

I prefer a hard top for now, my TJ has a soft top that is off most of the time as it’s my trail rig now. As a matter of preference, I think the JT soft tops look dumb as hell when they are folded back - it looks like a big floppy spoiler hanging off over the cab which is ugly to me.

I would like a soft top in the future, maybe when Bestop comes out with a frameless option or something that doesn’t have that big ugly mess hanging off the back end when it’s folded back.

 

[Flexin]

It's cold here in Michigan, so opted for the hard top. I also purchased the bestop for the front half and that is really convenient for me replacing the freedom tops in the spring, summer and fall. Pops open and closed no problem just before the rain falls. One note, if you get a bestop and the side lip above the door is not level with the back door, make sure you return it and get another. Since Winter is 6-8 months here, I will get some good use out of the full hardtop. It's also much, much quieter.

Also installed a hoist to remove the hard top and store it in the garage. I ran topless for about a month straight, not including when the weekend was nice and I popped it off.

That's what I love about this vehicle, so many options

 

[Trauma PA]

planning first Jeep purchase - FINALLY
What’s the best thinking regarding which roof?
Is it really personal preference?

I’m thinking soft top - so I can quickly go topless, without the hassle of removing the freedom top
But does the hardtop make sense for the winter?

Do I go Freedom hardtop from dealer, get a soft top aftermarket?

As long as you have a place to store a hard top I would take the advice that others have already given and go with the hard top and buy the soft top. Be prepared to spend between $1600-1700 for the premium twill soft top (which I personally like better than the black diamond cloth) unless you get lucky and find someone who bought the dual top option and wants to unload the soft top at a fairly cheap price.

 

[brancky3]

Being in SC it made a lot more sense for me to go with the soft top. We get a week or two of below freezing weather so I'm really not worried about it being cold in the winter (plus, remote start....) but it's so much easier to just drop the soft top whenever I want. If it rains on your way in to work but it's beautiful and sunny when you leave, you are suffering with a hard top

 

[htremper]

BOTH

 

[SandSurfer]

Dual top option, best of both worlds and it's all factory stuff!

 

[blau iii]

i'm ordering the hardtop and will pick up an aftermarket soft top when someone starts making one that folds all the way to the bed. i live in pittsburgh so it gets really crappy in the winter.

 

[TTEChris]

I would have ordered the softop if it folded back into the bed. I've always had some variation of a softop on my Wranglers, but can't stand how the factory top on the Gladiator sits up top when open. I know one day I would forget about it and back into my garage with it open. That would be then end of that top...

The premium softops on our JL's are really nice, semi quiet, and extremely easy to put down. The hardtop is quieter, but I really miss easily flipping the top back on nice days.

 

[WXman]

Hard top. The wiring will be pre-installed and it's far easier to add soft top later.

 

[BLK HOLE]

Def go hard top factory and soft top aftermarket.

 

[Craig rubi]

Go hard top and soft top (maybe later if they come up with a better foldable version) for sure. I need my hard top for Canadian winters, but soft top is awesome for may till October.

 

[Godfadr]

planning first Jeep purchase - FINALLY
What’s the best thinking regarding which roof?
Is it really personal preference?

I’m thinking soft top - so I can quickly go topless, without the hassle of removing the freedom top
But does the hardtop make sense for the winter?

Do I go Freedom hardtop from dealer, get a soft top aftermarket?

I have had 8 Jeeps. The Gladiator softop is the best Jeep has ever created, from a noise standpoint. It really depends on what you are looking for. The softop is better for the quick top-down option. I found, with the hardtop that I just didn't take the top down as often. Not a fan of how the softop looks when down, but then again, I can't tell from the inside

 

[capercrew02]

I’ve had softtop only for 3k miles now, all kinds of driving other than snow and I’m very happy with my purchase!

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