Soft top vs. Hard top

[GladiatorCLE]

I personally hate the look of the soft top rolled back sticking up in the air like a sharks fin. I usually leave the hard top on and take the doors off, which i can do in about 5 minutes for all 4 doors. That way I get the open air feel, protection from the sun, and im good if I get caught in a quick rain shower. And then its super easy to pop the freedom panels off and I store them in the bed of the truck if i want to open it up a bit more.

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[Jeeperjamie]

I personally hate the look of the soft top rolled back sticking up in the air like a sharks fin. I usually leave the hard top on and take the doors off, which i can do in about 5 minutes for all 4 doors. That way I get the open air feel, protection from the sun, and im good if I get caught in a quick rain shower. And then its super easy to pop the freedom panels off and I store them in the bed of the truck if i want to open it up a bit more.

This is pretty much what I'm doing as well. Thought about buying one of these off Amazon. Anyone bought one or got any experience with this particular brand. It's cheap and would serve the purpose for me

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08576HHYM/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_VybgFb4YCF83J

 

[danielspivey]

I can have my soft top closed to open, or open to closed in 5 seconds. I like that fact that I can be anywhere and do this. Especially those nice days with thunderstorms, or early morning or when I’m driving home late at night. If I’m driving and I start to get a few drops or see a downpour coming, I pull over, top is on in a matter of seconds. Can’t do that with a hard top, and if had to put it on, your Panels would need to be in the bed, you’d get wet by the time you had them on and have the possibility of them getting stolen back there through out the day.

In regards to the look of the soft top folded back, many are self conscious because of the man bun.... I think this is funny. How many people really look at a JT with The soft top back going down the road and say hey, that thing looks stupid? Most likely not many. Most people think it looks awesome. Most of those hating are likely JT owners who have hard tops.

I take my top off for the experience and feel. Reminds me when I first started driving and had my first wrangler. I had the soft doors, bikini, rear tonneau cover, the top was off 7-8 months out of the year! I could feel the changes in temperature, the different smells, hear everything. I can still have that... all the time in a matter of seconds and don’t have to worry about panels or the top being at home.

In the Winter in va we seem to have stretches were the temperature gets close to 80 here and there. It’s awesome being able to throw the top back on those days!!

To me, this FAR out weighs the “it could look better” argument with the top folded back or downsides to hard top. I also get that some didn’t get the Jeep to take the top off and prefer a hardtop.

But hey this is my opinion, and I respect those who get self conscious About the way the soft top looks. I’m just too old for that shit, it’s more about me than others now.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

I can have my soft top closed to to open, or open to closed in 5 seconds. I like that fact that I can be anywhere and do this. Especially those nice days with thunderstorms, or early morning or when I’m driving home late at night. If I’m driving and I start to get a few drops or see a downpour coming, I pull over, top is on in a matter of seconds. Can’t do that with a hard top, and if had to put it on, your Panels would need to be in the bed, you’d get wet by the time you had them on and have the possibility of them getting stolen back there through out the day.

In regards to the look of the soft top folded back, many are self conscious because of the man bun.... I think this is funny. How many people really look at a JT with The soft top back going down the road and say hey, that thing looks stupid? Most likely not many. Most people think it looks awesome. Most of those hating are likely JT owners who have hard tops.

I take my top off for the experience and feel. Reminds me when I first started driving and had my first wrangler. I had the soft doors, bikini, rear tonneau cover, the top was off 7-8 months out of the year! I could feel the changes in temperature, the different smells, hear everything. I can still have that... all the time in a matter of seconds and don’t have to worry about panels or the top being at home.

In the Winter in va we seem to have stretches were the temperature gets close to 80 here and there. It’s awesome being able to throw the top back on those days!!

To me, this FAR out weighs the “it could look better” argument with the top folded back or downsides to hard top. I also get that some didn’t get the Jeep to take the top off and prefer a hardtop.

But hey this is my opinion, and I respect those who get self conscious About the way the soft top looks. I’m just too old for that shit, it’s more about me than others now.

I'm not self conscious by any means, I could care less what anyone thinks. I personally think it looks dumb to me and for that fact mine will remain in the garage, in the box it came in. That's my opinion as well. I'm not worried about a little rain, if I'm out and it starts raining then that's drain plugs are for. I rode 2hrs in a rain storm in my JKU and it didn't bother me a bit. It don't take long for it to dry out and if you haven't experienced about 5 inches of water in your floorboards then you ain't jeepin

 

[wannajeep]

I had dual tops with my 2-door JK and swapped them twice a year (spring and fall). Soft top was a Sunrider so you could easily flip it open and closed without even getting out of the seat. With the JT, I went for hard top only because there was so much more soft top to deal with, and it wasn't as convenient/easy to open and close. Also rear window removal is less accessible with the bed in the way. Decided the Freedom Panels were "convertible enough", and I love the rear sliding window (just wish it was a bit bigger). And finally, at my age top swapping isn't as easy as it used to be. There are plenty soft top options out there if you want to add one later.

 

[danielspivey]

I'm not self conscious by any means, I could care less what anyone thinks. I personally think it looks dumb to me and for that fact mine will remain in the garage, in the box it came in. That's my opinion as well. I'm not worried about a little rain, if I'm out and it starts raining then that's drain plugs are for. I rode 2hrs in a rain storm in my JKU and it didn't bother me a bit. It don't take long for it to dry out and if you haven't experienced about 5 inches of water in your floorboards then you ain't jeepin

I actually think The drain plugs were built in to drain the waterfall that comes in from the roof channel right on the mat when you have the doors off or open. Did Jeep engineer it this way lol?

 

[Jeeperjamie]

I actually think The drain plugs were built in to drain the waterfall that comes in from the roof channel right on the mat when you have the doors off or open. Did Jeep engineer it this way lol?

I don't know but it works and gets the water out. Mine probably want have carpet in it for long anyway, the JKU had the tub bedlined and no carpet so that's probably what will happen with this one to. The slush mats do a great job and I hate carpet.

 

[danielspivey]

I had dual tops with my 2-door JK and swapped them twice a year (spring and fall). Soft top was a Sunrider so you could easily flip it open and closed without even getting out of the seat. With the JT, I went for hard top only because there was so much more soft top to deal with, and it wasn't as convenient/easy to open and close. Also rear window removal is less accessible with the bed in the way. Decided the Freedom Panels were "convertible enough", and I love the rear sliding window (just wish it was a bit bigger). And finally, at my age top swapping isn't as easy as it used to be. There are plenty soft top options out there if you want to add one later.

Just curious... how is the soft top not convenient or easy to open? Pull two latches, stand up, push it back, 5 seconds tops. Is there different versions of the soft top?

 

[eaglerugby04]

I don't know but it works and gets the water out. Mine probably want have carpet in it for long anyway, the JKU had the tub bedlined and no carpet so that's probably what will happen with this one to. The slush mats do a great job and I hate carpet.

Get rid of it. I actually removed mine then put my weathertech mats back down. Works out really good, I almost can't tell its missing, no reason to line it like I thought I would have. and the ocasional rain that gets in there dries instantly instead of sticking around in the carpet forever.

Also the rear carpet is a pain to remove. would be really bad when it gets flooded. Most drain plugs are hidden beneath the carpet. Also need to remove the underseat storage box and the bolt storage box to get the carpet up. Not hard, but time consuming especially if you need to do it in a rush because you got flooded.

 

[DreamedofaJeepSomeday]

A quick look on Jeep’s Gladiator builder says it’s $1100 for both, but you have to pick a tonneau cover as well. That is BS in my opinion

. . .
Not BS. The truck comes with the HT installed, and the ST in a cardboard box in the bed. If they did not require the tonneau, they would have to ship the ST separately to the dealer. Much simpler the way they do it, less chance of the ST getting separated.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

. . .
Not BS. The truck comes with the HT installed, and the ST in a cardboard box in the bed. If they did not require the tonneau, they would have to ship the ST separately to the dealer. Much simpler the way they do it, less chance of the ST getting separated.

I got a Soft top with mine and no bed cover. I didn't build mine it was on the lot when I bought it but it came with the soft top as well. Hard top on the jeep and when I went to drive it off they had put the soft top in the bed. I didn't even know it had both until I got home.

 

[j.o.y.ride]

Yeah the MOPAR soft top is horrid looking.

I think what would be the best option is a 3 piece hard top. freedom panels front and rear and the rear panel separate. Not sure how that would work with just the back on catching wind though.

 

[wannajeep]

Just curious... how is the soft top not convenient or easy to open? Pull two latches, stand up, push it back, 5 seconds tops. Is there different versions of the soft top?

Not as convenient. By that I meant compared to a Sunrider style top - you can flip open/closed the section over the front seats - this can be done for example in 3 seconds at a red light without even unbuckling the seat belt.

The obvious tradeoff is the Sunrider top on a hard-top JT isn't convertible for the rear passengers.

The JKU had a full soft top with Sunrider feature, which was the best of everything *



* but it doesn't have a pickup bed :D

 

[eaglerugby04]

Yeah the MOPAR soft top is horrid looking.

I think what would be the best option is a 3 piece hard top. freedom panels front and rear and the rear panel separate. Not sure how that would work with just the back on catching wind though.

That would have been cool. Hopefully the hummer and bronco get FCA thinking about more manageable hard tops. I really wish the back window would have been power roll down for hard and soft tops. That would have been amazing.

 

[sarcasm]

I have both the Hard Top and the Soft Top. The Gladiator I wanted at the dealer only had the Soft Top and the dealer charged me a bit under $2300 for the Hard Top.

I got the truck in the Winter and had the Hard Top on until early April. I was thinking that maybe I would have been better off with just the Best Top Sunrider but after putting on the Convertible Top I can say it would not be the same. Taking off the Freedom panels is nice but not as good as full top down driving. The Soft Top open air feel is just much different. The Soft Top is much easier to put up and down than it is on my JKU. I can put it up and down in just a few minutes. If you don't remove the back Window than it is really just a few seconds. I almost never remove the doors or go top off because in NC in the summer the is never a 0% chance of rain. Still in the Winter I would rather have the Hard Top and the Freedom panels are nice on the random 60-70 degree days we can get in the winter.

If you have the space to store the Hard Top I would get both tops. If I had to make a choice between only one, I would pick the Soft Top but I also have not been without a convertible for the last 30+ years.

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