JL Soft Top offerings suck

[Jeepmojave85]

The Suntop brand makes a soft top for the Gladiator. Haven’t heard much about this brand though.

Yeah, that’s what I was saying, the sun top. I’ve heard mixed reviews of it but overall it isn’t terrible. Just sucks to not have options lol.

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[tawsenior]

I've reached out to Bestop and they told me they haven't had time to develop more 2dr soft tops for the JL tho they have an insane number of offering for the 4dr . I currently have a TrekTop but would love a version that fully retracts. They have one for the JK but not the JL. I'd also consider a tan top if there were also tan half door uppers.

Exactly this. I also have the TrekTop and it is nice, but I want a fully retractable top, tan would be nice. Give me zippered windows instead of C channel.

 

[Bleda2002]

Yeah, that’s what I was saying, the sun top. I’ve heard mixed reviews of it but overall it isn’t terrible. Just sucks to not have options lol.

Rugged ridge makes a voyager softop for the gladiator, I'm looking at it for mine but again not a ton of reviews on it.

 

[Jeepmojave85]

Rugged ridge makes a voyager softop for the gladiator, I'm looking at it for mine but again not a ton of reviews on it.

If you look closely you’ll see that the top is not designed to come completely off. It folds back only and the back does not good forward or backwards. You can remove the back window though, so it’s a half top.

 

[Bleda2002]

If you look closely you’ll see that the top is not designed to come completely off. It folds back only and the back does not good forward or backwards. You can remove the back window though, so it’s a half top.

Check the reviews the back folds forward under the front. Not "officially" but the reviews I've seen say they run it that way.

 

[Jeepmojave85]

Check the reviews the back folds forward under the front. Not "officially" but the reviews I've seen say they run it that way.

Was just checking the gladiator forums and see people are doing that. When I checked it out early last year nobody had it and the manufacturer was saying it was impossible so I kinda gave up and haven’t looked at it since. Now that’s a real option!

 

[Bayrat]

One option might be to contact a canvas maker.

 

[Riotfunk]

Because about 10% of all Jeeps sold are in 2 door. And they’re killing off the 2 doors in the next few years. Sucks.
The JK oem twill was much nicer than the JL ones. And can open the sun rider with one finger. The JL you have to get out because it’s bulky af and then looks odd.

I have a hard top. I have always had the upgraded factory soft top on my other rigs. Ran all year, winters, etc. never any issues or leaks.
For the JL I’m picking up a trektop nx because it has the sunrider setup. Again like you guys, I wish it went all the way back

 

[ConqSoft]

Because about 10% of all Jeeps sold are in 2 door. And they’re killing off the 2 doors in the next few years.

Exactly. I’m a 2 door owner too, but we are in the vast minority so expect fewer and fewer 2 door options in the future.

 

[JeepForBrains]

Exactly. I’m a 2 door owner too, but we are in the vast minority so expect fewer and fewer 2 door options in the future.

They should have a little more respect for the original 2 door that started it all. At the very least we should be able to custom order tops and then they could just make them based on demand. Might cost a little more like that but I think that would be acceptable. As it stands right now there’s almost nothing out there…

 

[JPAloha]

I almost went with a tan premium top but plumped for the safe choice of black, glad as I later acquired a pair of half doors and those only come with black uppers. If a good aftermarket top and door upper became available in Tan I may switch (fully retractable is the way).

I’m not sure the 2 door is being killed off as some speculate but unless sales numbers increase then demand for aftermarket parts will keep us a lower priority than the 4 door crowd.

Another thing I’d seriously consider would be a sky one touch equivalent for the 2 door. Make the rear glass removable as well as the sides and I’d be hard pushed to not go that way.

 

[Heimkehr]

...try being a Jeep gladiator. We have the factory soft top, the stupid freedom panel soft top and aftermarket there is a sun top. That’s it...

If I see 10 Gladiators on the road, a solid 8 will be hard tops. Maybe 9. A soft top on that model really stands out. If these numbers are accurate and then scaled up, it's easier to understand why the aftermarket isn't meeting the demand that isn't really there.

 

[Billkowski]

Its not the most practical top but its different and I've liked it. just wished the side windows were tinted.

 

[Riotfunk]

It also doesn’t help dealers aren’t ordering soft tops for any of the Jeeps they’re going to sell. Doesn’t matter 2 or 4 door, it’s just all hard tops. Except for the expensive fiat looking retractable thingy. I haven’t seen any new 22/23s with a soft top on a lot. Used yeah.

Come to think about it, I haven’t seen any dual top JLs either. JKs it was a big selling point to have both.
Hell some dealers even had them in stock for the JK.

 

[desmo2]

Its not the most practical top but its different and I've liked it. just wished the side windows were tinted.

It seems to me that buffeting would be horrendous in that little back space.

If only that back window could roll up! OR, have a glass rear window that could fold down and be strap secured...it appears it would fit within the tail gate.

@Bestop is really leaving the modern iteration of the original 2-door in the lurch. I'm not ashamed to say I'm a bit miffed about it. Options? OPTIONS?!? Good luck even finding a premium twill soft top for a 2-door anywhere! And you want OPTIONS?!? HAHAHAHA, go F yourself (apparently).

It blows my mind how cast aside the 2-door is when it comes to aftermarket support. Traditional aftermarket brands (looking at you, Bestop) have shut down their 2-door support. I acknowledge that 4-door variants now dominate the market, but why would you ignore the original concept? It makes me sad. Sad me is less happy than happy me.

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