I have run a soft top through the winter for several years on the east coast and never regretted it.
My hardtop has been sitting in storage for a few years.
Just my opinion...
Wranglers are very capable offroad and most Rubicons are never pushed to their potential. A sport will likely get you everywhere you want to go (and back). A JLU will probably be slightly more comfortable than a JKU. Long term, a JKU rubicon purchase will probably depreciate...
You can get a spacer lift and should work well for what you want to do. Most come with hardware that will allow you to use your stock shocks, so you can decide on upgrading shocks later.
Agree with the above post. Trust us, get the budget boost (spacer lift). I've been driving lifted trucks and Jeeps for 25+ years. At first, I invested in expensive lift kits thinking I would have problems off-road if I didn't do so. I've had a JK for 13 years with a budget boost and 35" tires...
The bigger tires will probably decrease your mpg 10-15% and lose you some power off the line and at highway speeds. But, you’ll get the look you want and the lift/tires will get you better off-road performance.
Look into a 2.5” budget boost. It will allow you to clear those tires, cost a...
The size and solid front axle of the wrangler will be better for the type of off-roading you want to do.
I have driven a wrangler, a K5 blazer, a 2-door tahoe (all lifted with 35" tires) and H1 on the same trail and the wrangler was more maneuverable than the other vehicles. I'm not doing a...
I have had several lifted Jeeps and trucks over the last 25 years with full suspension lifts and one Jeep with a budget boost. My advice for your setup is to go with the budget boost and 35" tires. This should provide all the capability you will need offroad and preserve your factory components...
Going to 35" from stock, your speedometer will now read 5-10% slower than you are actually traveling (Depending on what your stock tire size was). Also, your mpg will drop about the same percent. This is just an estimate, since mpg will also be effected by the weight of the 35" tires you purchased.
If you're trying to save on cost, get the soft top. I have both and Iive where it snows. I have used the soft top year-round without a problem while my hardtop is collecting dust.