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Soft top vs hard top

5K views 32 replies 27 participants last post by  Banshee08 
#1 ·
Iv got a 2006 Jeep Wrangler. I currently have a soft top but it is really worn down. I was gonna buy a new soft top but because it's winter I have had a couple of people tell me to get a hard top. What are the pros and cons of a hard top and which would look better???
 
#2 ·
If you live in an area that sees alot of potential topless months, a ST is the way to go. A HT weighs more and will need a storage area when going topless along with an extra pair of arms if you don't have a hoist setup. It's nice to be able to drop the top anytime/anywhere unlike a HT.
 
#3 ·
^agree.

hard top advantages are they are stronger against snow/ice than the soft top, also reduces chances of a break-in, and also hard top tend to make interior noise lower.

bad thing is they are a lot harder to remove and install by yourself, you will need a helping hand or a hoist. and of course the issue of storage.

as far as looks? Wranglers never look the best with any type of top.
 
#9 ·
bad thing is they are a lot harder to remove and install by yourself, you will need a helping hand or a hoist. and of course the issue of storage.
Ah! It's only 130 LBS. I've taken mine off with the wife watching/laughing numerous times. It is a bit awkward and its nice to get a hand, but it's not an impossible task alone.
 
#4 ·
if you have the space id get a hard top.. though im sure they are more expensive now then in the summer. ..

but that said if you live in a place that seesa a good amount of snow you should have a hard IMO.. amd if you live in the south a soft only should do fine..

I currently only have hard.. getting soft top in march or so when it warms up some
 
#5 ·
I think the overall design looks way cleaner when a jeep has a hard top, which is why I got one with a hard top. They are pretty pricey just to outright buy one. Look on CL or junk yards. I will agree that the removal is a pain by yourself and unless you have storage, you won't take it off.
 
#6 ·
I have both for the seasons but for enjoyment, I really like the soft top. However for security, I absolutely prefer the hardtop.
 
#7 ·
I was going to sell the hard to that came with my '03 and use just the soft top through the (Vermont) winter, until someone cited these advantages to a hard top in winter:

- less noise
- holds heat better (no drafts!)
- lockable interior
- no cracked windows in the cold
- washer/wiper and defroster to keep rear window clear

And...no cold hands wrestling with frozen zippers to access the back!

The last one was the deal sealer for me - hard top in winter!
 
#13 ·
^I agree with that, the second the warm weather returns to CT my hardtop is hanging inside the garage.....but right now the hardtop makes living with a TJ in CT so much easier. I drove 350 miles on Thanksgiving in snow showers and I could not imagine doing that with a soft top.
 
#16 ·
I had a hardtop when I bought my TJ brand new. It was nice, but it was a PITA to remove and install. Plus I always had to move things around to store it.

I liked my soft top much better. So, I sold my hardtop and used the cash to build an AR15.

I don't miss the hardtop at all.

I think I made a wise decision. :)
 
#18 ·
Why not both?

I know it's kind of an expensive way to go about things, but how I went about the same problem was the old ST had some mouse holes and such in it when I bought it so I went with a standard black hard top. After a few years I bought the ST I currently have and it's an easy switch to take the hard top off, you just need a place to store it. I have brackets hung in my garage to mount it on. Best of luck!
 
#19 ·
We had a '96 or '97 that we drove year round in southern NH, I was always impressed with how tight the top was with its velcro and zipper closures. We had full doors and the heater in that thing was awesome, I had looked a bit when we first got it for a hardtop as this was going to be my wife's daily driver but we never needed or missed it. I had had a hardtop on my old Cj that I used to throw on in the winter but I only had a bimini for it.
 
#20 ·
Because I wanted the flexibility of a soft top with the protection (read: not having my plastic windows slashed, since I park on the street, and apparently people are jerks) of a hardtop, I searched CL every day for a two-piece hardtop.

Also, since I have no place to store a full hard top, I can remove the front section of the 2pc and store that somewhere and still get the topless effect.
 
#21 ·
If you only have a hard top, and your out in the summer topless, and it starts raining...you're f'd. Or if it's raining when you leave, and then it gets nice, well it would be nice to take the top down.
I don't have any heat issues with my soft top. I prefer the soft, but have never had a hard.
 
#22 ·
Rehashing an old thread but here it goes because I can't decide for the life of me if I should trade and I gotta let her know by Saturday.
Someone on CL is interested in trading me her hardtop for my soft top straight across. Problem:I live in Seattle where the summers are incredible and mostly dry and the winters are mild unless you hit the mountains where it snows like crazy. I have a 10 mile highway commute. I drop the top only before I leave home because I have no place to put windows. I also check the forecast before leaving to ensure no rain outta nowhere. Without a place to store a hardtop, should I trade? Worth it?
 
#23 ·
Rehashing an old thread but here it goes because I can't decide for the life of me if I should trade and I gotta let her know by Saturday. Someone on CL is interested in trading me her hardtop for my soft top straight across. Problem:I live in Seattle where the summers are incredible and mostly dry and the winters are mild unless you hit the mountains where it snows like crazy. I have a 10 mile highway commute. I drop the top only before I leave home because I have no place to put windows. I also check the forecast before leaving to ensure no rain outta nowhere. Without a place to store a hardtop, should I trade? Worth it?
Yeah go western Washington! I can tell you unless you need a hard top for security a soft top is more than enough. The soft top actually is much more versatile and well suited for western Washington. I have both but could totally have just the soft top with no problems. Can't say the same for the hard top. It's difficult to put on and take off on a whim and it really does take up a lot of space when not in use.
 
#28 ·
I only have a hard top, but it seems like a trade from a ST to a HT would be a good move. How much do ST cost? I only have the HT and I have a spiderwebshade and hoist. I can remove the top in 15 minutes, sure, I have to be home to do it, but I also live in AZ where it rarely rains and is mostly a no top at all environment. I have been through an unexpected rain shower, but at long as I'm moving with the shade on, it barely touched me.

Oh, and BTW, this will be my first summer with the Jeep. I am currently running topless and doorless but you better believe, if it gets too damn hot, the top will be back on in the summer.
 
#30 ·
I'd keep the soft top... My jeep just endured it's first Michigan winter with no problems, and being able to throw the top on quick if it starts raining is nice.

The only reason I would want a hard top is if I lived in a high crime area...
 
#32 ·
There is a lid for every jar... I got rid of my soft top for a hard top within 6 months of acquiring my jeep. iMHO, the jeep soft top is a PITA to work with. I couldn't see myself putting it down in the middle of a drive. I opted for the hard top for several reasons (looks, sound, security, protection to mention a few) and it's almost as easy to remove as the soft top.
It's clear some people like soft tops and others like hard tops, it's a good thing Jeep offers both.
 
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