Help me out on deciding between 2 soft tops

[Riperoo]

I always swore I would never go soft top, but now am leaning towards doing so since I spend most of my summer at the beach, I did go topless for a while but that limited me on those rainy days, and as I have no garage at the beach, looking for something a little more weather tight. So I started looking at some minimalist soft tops, I am down to these two.

Best top Trailview frameless:

https://www.extremeterrain.com/jeep...s-fastback-soft-top-black-diamond-139435.html

Bestop Trektop NX

https://www.extremeterrain.com/bestop-trektop-nx-soft-top-black-diamond-1819-jeep-jl-4-door.html

Like to get some real world feedback. I am leaning towards the NX as the price is right, and it seems a little more substantial than the frameless with just a couple of extra bow brackets to store in the winter.

I also do some highway riding so thinking the trektop may be better for that as well. Appreciate any input.

Another question, the difference between the black diamond and twill? is it worth it if it is mostly going to be a summer top down window off type of thing? Appreciate any and all input.

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[Bobsled]

i would look for an OEM top on marketplace and save a lot of money.

 

[DocHolliday709]

This is what I went with. Going to try and get it installed in the next few days.

 

[Bravo 33]

I have the Bestop Trektop NX in black twill on my 2 door. I really like it because I can have the safari top and the slant back gives it a sporty look.

 

[Spacenut]

I bought an OEM for my 2 door from craigslist about 250 miles away. Very happy with it. I was close to getting the best top Glide in twill which gets great reviews. It is a slant back which limits room even more in a 2 door.

 

[3arl0fBruce]

I went with the first option you posted, the Rampage Trail View top. I’m not fond of the look of the best top offerings when in safari mode. I much prefer the bikini look. I’m also not fond of the accordion-folds look when in sun rider or fully open mode. The Trail View folds flat on top of the sound bar in sun rider mode and you can also fold the top rear up under the same flat bundle for fully open mode.

It’s definitely noisy at highway speeds, but I don’t know how bad it is compared to the BestTop offerings. I’ve done some shorter road trips with it, but nothing over 3 hours. It’s on the Jeep from March to October. This is its third season, with no appreciable wear or leaks.

I really like that all of the ugly framing isn’t visible in the back when the top is down, and the entire thing can be removed or mounted in 20-30 minutes with one person.

 

[Medsker]

I have the Bestop one. I had frameless when I had a TJ and though it was awhile ago, if I remember right, the frameless one was much noisier. The Bestop one is tight and doesn't flab around. I would recommend the Black Diamond material. I've ran it for 6 years now on two different Jeeps and haven't had any fading or tears.

I would also recommend buying directly from Bestop in case you do have any problems. I always try buying from the actual companies after I was screwed on some Tail Lights when the company I bought them from went out of business.

Do know that the Bestop does take a while to set up the first time. And it's really helpful to have an extra set of hands if you can. When you take it off at the end of the season you don't have to take it completely apart but it still takes me a couple of hours to install it each spring.

 

[NaughtyGeek]

I just went through making this decision myself. I landed in the NX because I wanted it to actually be weather tight. I stalked Marketplace trying to find OEM and if I had a 4 door could have gotten one for less than the NX but alas nobody seems to ditch the OEM soft top on 2 doors anywhere near me.

 

[Terpsmandan]

oem Mopar on mine and trek top on her’s. I am not fond of the large rear window on any of the fastback tops. Can be carried along but difficult to secure in the back of the Jeep. My $0.02.

 

[shelbythomps]

I went with the first option you posted, the Rampage Trail View top. I’m not fond of the look of the best top offerings when in safari mode. I much prefer the bikini look. I’m also not fond of the accordion-folds look when in sun rider or fully open mode. The Trail View folds flat on top of the sound bar in sun rider mode and you can also fold the top rear up under the same flat bundle for fully open mode.

It’s definitely noisy at highway speeds, but I don’t know how bad it is compared to the BestTop offerings. I’ve done some shorter road trips with it, but nothing over 3 hours. It’s on the Jeep from March to October. This is its third season, with no appreciable wear or leaks.

I really like that all of the ugly framing isn’t visible in the back when the top is down, and the entire thing can be removed or mounted in 20-30 minutes with one person.

I have the same top, have you had any issues with the “hook” at the front? Mine is compressing my windshield seal and leaks air really bad bc of it.

 

[3arl0fBruce]

I have the same top, have you had any issues with the “hook” at the front? Mine is compressing my windshield seal and leaks air really bad bc of it.

It's hard to tell from the picture you posted, but it looks like the header might be sitting a little too far forward on yours. I just took mine completely off today, or I would go out and take a look. However, the curved finger hook in the middle sits a little farther back on mine, if I remember correctly. I was able to find a decent picture of mine from the outside. See how it compares to yours.

I will say, however that there were a few times I had to crank down on the cam lever adjustment screws because either things stretched or things loosened, when I had air gap issues. Once I did that, I didn't have any further issues. Highway speeds put a lot more up force on those brackets, and the top in general, than you would think. Even so, I haven't had any compressed seal issues with the hard top after switching back for the winter. At least not yet. I'm about to end ST season 3 in a little less than a month, so we'll find out.

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