Soft top vs. Hard top

[Jeeperjamie]

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.

I'm in NC and I take more doors and top off.

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[Skull]

Soft top, went looking for a hard top but decided otherwise after talking with numerous owners of hard tops that said it was a pain in the ass to remove and store plus the simplicity of opening the soft top in seconds sold me. still might want a hardtop though when winter rolls around...my 2 cents..

 

[danielspivey]

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

I didn’t realize we were arguing over 1-2 seconds lol.

 

[wannajeep]

I didn’t realize we were arguing over 1-2 seconds lol.

lol, I thought about that as I replied, but I figure in an actual stopped at traffic light scenario, fully deploying or closing a JT soft top is more than a 5 second operation. For me it's more a matter of convenience than time.

Now this sounds like a challenge we have to try. Loser owes winner a beer

 

[Paul_Nova]

If it helps, similar thoughts to the above posts, but here is what I did (and did with my JKU too).

I commute to downtown DC most days and having only a soft top always made me paranoid. So, I opted for a hardtop and then pull off the freedom panels and run with a BestTop sun rider. Opens in seconds and keeps the back under a hard top. If someone was super motivated I suppose they could cut the sunrider panel and climb down to to open a door, but I’d imagine they just go to the next truck.

I did the same with the JKU.

hope this helps!!!

 

[DreamedofaJeepSomeday]

If it helps, similar thoughts to the above posts, but here is what I did (and did with my JKU too).

I commute to downtown DC most days and having only a soft top always made me paranoid. So, I opted for a hardtop and then pull off the freedom panels and run with a BestTop sun rider. Opens in seconds and keeps the back under a hard top. If someone was super motivated I suppose they could cut the sunrider panel and climb down to to open a door, but I’d imagine they just go to the next truck.

This is my approach also (though not too worried about break-ins where I live).

It's all just planning, though, as I still do not have my Gladiator. Do have the Sunrider, just sitting in the box waiting.

 

[d k]

Thanks for your feedback and replies!

I wish they had a powertop for the JT like they do for the Wrangler.

I really feel like Jeep missed the boat with the hard top here....
instead of the 3 piece, they should have made it a 4 piece or even 5 piece..
1 that goes over both front seats
2 that goes over the back seat
3 the back window panel (or break that into 3 like the soft top)

the fact that the rear window is so tiny ir really stupid. It would be so nice if that piece was retrievable so you would be able to get into the back if you had a cap.

But, the hard top has a possibility of roof racks. That opens up another possibility for me...

I see everybody with rtt’s and they mount them over the bed.
I would much rather have the base over the cab and either flip over the bed or just stay over the cab and keep the bed open.
ability to carry acouple of dirtbikes or even a quad.

Way more options and have the truck more of a Swiss army knife of vehicles which is my main attraction to the Gladiator.

 

[PsychoAL]

I live on the coast so had to have the soft top. So much easier to use than my TJ. Does look a bit odd unless taken all the way off, but that's the trade-off for convenience...

 

[Swayze]

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.

I bought the truck on the lot with a soft top and made a deal with the dealer to pick up a hard top later if I wanted.

You think the hard top in the winter is worth it? Like just a bit better than soft top or much better? I live in Virginia so we get snow but not like the kind NY and Mass get by any means.

 

[sarcasm]

I bought the truck on the lot with a soft top and made a deal with the dealer to pick up a hard top later if I wanted.

You think the hard top in the winter is worth it? Like just a bit better than soft top or much better? I live in Virginia so we get snow but not like the kind NY and Mass get by any means.

It is just a money and storage question. The hard top is better in the winter. Probably not a ton better in cold weather but better. It is quieter and you don't want to be scraping snow and ice off a convertible. I only ran the soft top in the cold for a week before the hard top came in and I don't recall it being cold in the cab but I would expect the soft top might be less comfortable in the cold. In North Carolina and Virginia I would say it is a fringe purchase but then I would really want it if I went to the mountains for a few days skiing or took a trip up North. (Not that I ever visit my wife's family in Boston in the Winter, that is a Summer only trip)

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