Sky One Touch Top versus Hard/Soft Top Option?

[Mikepa]

Two years now with SkyTouch and my opinion stands. Love the simplicity of opening the top and/or sides anytime of the year here in New England, including on the highway, trails and the beach. No regrets and would certainly purchase again. Had a couple minor problems with it as documented elsewhere in the forum but fixed them myself very easily.

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[Young04]

Two years now with SkyTouch and my opinion stands. Love the simplicity of opening the top and/or sides anytime of the year here in New England, including on the highway, trails and the beach. No regrets and would certainly purchase again. Had a couple minor problems with it as documented elsewhere in the forum but fixed them myself very easily.

What sort of problems? Also do you take yours through a car wash?

 

[Boolas]

I was curious if there is anyone with remorse, the "should have's" about opting for the "Sky One-Touch" Roof Option versus the Freedom Top or Soft Top? I guess just the ability to take the whole top off versus not being able to? I have had many previous jeeps with Hard and Soft Top options and looking to get my daughter a jeep with the Sky One-Touch Top and I'm not trying to flip her out of this jeep for one with a different roof option down the road if she has any remorse. I haven't been able to spend much time in one with this new roof option to see if the same feeling or something fairly close to that feeling of no top is there with this Sky One-Touch Roof. I'm also trying to think about her being young and not having to deal with different tops, storing them, on and off for weather, etc. I appreciate anyone's thoughts on the matter!!

Nope. Love the ht for what I do. For an around town driver... Definitely.

 

[Mikepa]

What sort of problems? Also do you take yours through a car wash?

Minor problem:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/broken-sky-one-touch.39564/

Never been through a car wash with mine but I power wash it regularly to clean off salt, pollen, sand and/or mud. No leaks to speak of in the roof or window panels.

 

[dennis2society]

I bought a 2020 JLU with hardtop and then immediately installed Bestop Sunrider.

Was going back and forth on sky-one-touch but I bought during Covid and coudnl't find a moderately priced one on the lot. They were all fully loaded saharas and rubicons back in Covid July. Gotta a good deal on a sport s and loving it with bestop sunrider.

Love how easy sunrider is to open and close. Thought I would want the one touch b/c it opens the back part of the roof but I find that the bestop offers best of both worlds - open sky in front and shade to back of head. Never have anyone in back seats but might have felt stronger about one-touch if i did.

Left sunrider on since July, street parked in pretty brutal NYC winter. Thought I would change back to hardtop but didnt want to let sunrider go. No issues in NYC winter street parked (except bird poop.)

If i were to do it again, not sure if I'd buy sky one touch or not. Probably would if price was right. Love the way the open roof looks but kind of worried about maintence. I sit top down on the street sometimes when i'm WFHing. Might be worried about leaves and debri getting in one-touch grooves. Also had to contend with the boss's feedback - my wife really wanted us to get a panda - black and white. The one-touch would have been all-white - which is fine - just not the look we wanted.

Biggest downside I've noticed from sunrider is that I can't open or close if driving 30mph+. That and the bird poop....

My 2 cents. Hope it helps.

 

[llaslo]

I love mine! My previous jeep was a dual top. I had the hard top off so much I eventually sold it to get it out of my garage. The soft top was almost never up, and I never had doors on it. Due to this, I was apprehensive about getting the SOT, but I couldn't be happier with my decision, and I'd definitely do it again. The only thing that annoys me is that I wish they'd figured out some sort of quick-release system for the rear glass so that I could take that out just like the back side window panels. I mean you could do that, but it would be a total PITA. So I just live with that. It's the only con I have to say about the SOT option, and I'd definitely buy it again.

 

[PJJPtx]

I run mine through the car wash, and I open the top to and from work every single day as long as it is not raining. Yes, it's not as naked as a hard or soft top with the top off, but the convenience is there to use it on a whim.

It reminds me of the old question of what's the best camera? The best camera is the one that you have with you when you need to take a picture.

 

[alksion]

I just wanted to ask anyone with a sky one touch if you’re using a roof rack option. Obviously if you have a large roof rack on top of the vehicle it defeats the point of the sky want to touch but I’m just wondering if it’s possible.

Also let’s say a year or two down the line you want to get a complete hardtop is it possible to order the parts and have them painted through a dealer?

One last thing, compared to a hardtop with the headliners is the noise about the same or is it slightly noisier?

 

[rain2020houston]

I just wanted to ask anyone with a sky one touch if you’re using a roof rack option. Obviously if you have a large roof rack on top of the vehicle it defeats the point of the sky want to touch but I’m just wondering if it’s possible.

Also let’s say a year or two down the line you want to get a complete hardtop is it possible to order the parts and have them painted through a dealer?

One last thing, compared to a hardtop with the headliners is the noise about the same or is it slightly noisier?

The only thing I can answer is the noise question. I'm curious about the other 2 questions you've asked also! So IMO the noise is much lower with the one-touch. Also, the rain sounds soothing on the fabric and doesn't ding ding like a hardtop. I drove a rented hardtop rubicon prior to my purchase and it was loud and squeaky. I've ridden in many soft tops years ago and they were all very loud, I'm not sure about the newer models. A big reason I went with the one-touch was the noise and convience.

 

[Gee-pah]

I just wanted to ask anyone with a sky one touch if you’re using a roof rack option. Obviously if you have a large roof rack on top of the vehicle it defeats the point of the sky want to touch but I’m just wondering if it’s possible.

Also let’s say a year or two down the line you want to get a complete hardtop is it possible to order the parts and have them painted through a dealer?

One last thing, compared to a hardtop with the headliners is the noise about the same or is it slightly noisier?

Hey Josiah:

I hear you on the roof rack sort of defeating the purpose of the sky one touch roof, but makers like LOD allow their racks to be completely open, with additional parts removed (for what it's worth to you) when not in use:

https://lodoffroad.com/products/jeep-jl-2018-destroyer-4-door-base-roof-rack

Still more, I'm pretty sure (check with LOD) that the cross bars option (if not the sliding roof option)--in those cross bars angling up by design in the middle of their length--permit the sky one touch top to open, should ventilation (if not a view of the sky with gear above) be desired.

I think Gobi has also made design changes to accommodate this top's higher clearance for opening, and I've seen rain gutter mounts on the forum--also with higher clearances--to accommodate the power top.

Also--I've read from sources here that you are not married to the sky one touch top for the life of your vehicle. I mean sure, having it removed and replaced with, say, a conventional hard top is a four handed dealer job that with parts and labor will set you back some--but its doable: i.e. there's nothing about the construction of the JL that is different for a sky one touch top owner from what I've read.

 

[syismaster1]

I was curious if there is anyone with remorse, the "should have's" about opting for the "Sky One-Touch" Roof Option versus the Freedom Top or Soft Top? I guess just the ability to take the whole top off versus not being able to? I have had many previous jeeps with Hard and Soft Top options and looking to get my daughter a jeep with the Sky One-Touch Top and I'm not trying to flip her out of this jeep for one with a different roof option down the road if she has any remorse. I haven't been able to spend much time in one with this new roof option to see if the same feeling or something fairly close to that feeling of no top is there with this Sky One-Touch Roof. I'm also trying to think about her being young and not having to deal with different tops, storing them, on and off for weather, etc. I appreciate anyone's thoughts on the matter!!

I love the Sky one touch option; best of both worlds and you don't have to worry about storing anything.
Test drove a friends for a beach day and with FL storms it was so handy being able to close and open the roof without having to pull over.
The noise is obviously a bit more than a full hard top but at 80mph on the highway not loud at all.

I personally did not order it though.
On the Willys with the Sun and Sound package it is a great deal!
I personally want to keep this Jeep for at least 10 years and realistically I expect some sort of leak from the top or a mechanism malfunctioning. I can not imagine it is cheap to fix either and with time limited and regular 300+ mile trips, I can not afford to have the roof stop/leak a lot especially with the way it rains down here. I am fine with taking just the freedom panels off of the hard top when I can not go fully topless.

This is just my $0.02. I am not bashing the top I think it is awesome!
I just want to see how it plays out for a few years before owning it myself.

Most of my friends have the Sky one touch option though with Zero regrets and the feedback from owners on here has been generally quite positive so I'd say your daughter would appreciate the convenience.

 

[JeepM0M]

At first, I did not want the One Touch. Now, after 8 months and my wife driving the Jeep more than I do, I wouldn't want anything else. We live in Arkansas and it goes from clear and sunny to pouring rain without notice. No scrambling to put a top on. Just hit the button. We do not remove the rear quarter windows, but have removed the doors. It looks fine without the doors , but we do not like the look of the windows being removed.

The biggest negative I have encountered is we want a roof top tent and the options are limited with the one touch top because of clearance. We also bought the extended warranty just because of the top so that added extra cost.

Hey…I’m in Ar. as well. Curious if the one touch is as insulated as the hard top? Are you finding it colder in the winters here and hotter in the summer compared to the hard top? TIA!

 

[Foulness]

Hey…I’m in Ar. as well. Curious if the one touch is as insulated as the hard top? Are you finding it colder in the winters here and hotter in the summer compared to the hard top? TIA!

The cold hasn't been an issue. The heat in the summer was. I purchased the Hothead headliner for the sky one-touch and it was a drastic improvement on temp and noise.

https://hotheadheadliners.com/products/sky-one-touch-headliner?variant=39284097253442

 

[Young04]

The cold hasn't been an issue. The heat in the summer was. I purchased the Hothead headliner for the sky one-touch and it was a drastic improvement on temp and noise.

https://hotheadheadliners.com/products/sky-one-touch-headliner?variant=39284097253442

Was the improvement with noise specifically that drastic? I was originally planning on putting this headliner in but then after I got my Jeep with the Sky One Touch, it seems to be almost as quiet my prior JLUR with hardtop and Mopar headliner so I didn't bother. I was fearing the Sky One Touch was going to be closer to the soft top (which was pretty loud).

 

[Foulness]

Was the improvement with noise specifically that drastic? I was originally planning on putting this headliner in but then after I got my Jeep with the Sky One Touch, it seems to be almost as quiet my prior JLUR with hardtop and Mopar headliner so I didn't bother. I was fearing the Sky One Touch was going to be closer to the soft top (which was pretty loud).

Highway speeds, yes. Normal in town driving I did not notice any difference. It did add a velcro noise as well as the top opens and closes but its very minor and not a big deal.

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