Hardtop Vs Soft Top on the Trail

[Zazoh]

Curious. Many videos of folks on the trail seem to be of jeeps with Hardtops. Is this a matter of preference and comfort, or an artifact of folks that tend to film themselves on the trail and the types of Jeeps they own.

I live in South Texas where we have more warm than cold. All my other Jeeps have been Soft Tops. I really don't like the Hardtop but when I was buying I liked everything else about the Jeep. Just wonder if you have an opinion in either direction, what it may be.

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[WXman]

For the trail? Hardtop is WAY easier to clean. Mud and heavy dirt stain the soft top and it can be a real job to clean it down when you get back home.

 

[RussJeep1]

For the trail? Hardtop is WAY easier to clean. Mud and heavy dirt stain the soft top and it can be a real job to clean it down when you get back home.

I agree with this but still offer the counterpoint so the OP can make an informed decision.

Depending on the trail, the idea of being in the great outdoors, some Jeepers believe, is best done with open or semi open top. Maybe this is more for tree lined trails than doing spin out donuts in the mud.

This high adventure off roader (NOT) had one of his property's trees lose a limb the other day and despite my roof rack, manage to break the rear most bow of his soft top in 2 at the middle, raising the rear passenger back corner too high....nothing a good Jeeper doesn't fix with a couple of metal straps, screws, and a tie down to keep the back passenger's corner down, that is until the dealer can have a look at it. (Nobody got hurt, and I'm switching to the hard top soon anyway.)

Would the hard top have faired better, I really don't know. It might have gotten away with less damage, or broken the top in ways that only replacement would solve, whereas the soft top seems fixable or livable.

Happy trails.

 

[American Jeeper]

My preference would be top off weather allowing and soft tops are easier in that regard. Tops in general can get caught on trees if you wheel in wooded areas. For me the hard top is more secure and I travel usually hours to where I wheel so the hard top is nice on the highway.

 

[JIMBOX]

My favorite is "SAFARI MODE" with the soft top--

--FREEDOM--

JIMBO

 

[intentsrig]

To me, a hardtop is harder to repair once damaged. Basically needing a full replacement after a solid hit on a tree or rock.

The soft you could replace in different pieces. The frame, cloth etc. depending on whatever got damaged.

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