Soft Top vs Besttop Sunrider for Florida Use

[dshark1]

Ok guys, really on the fence here. Have my Rubi 2dr for a couple months now. Only took the freedom panels off once so far. Have not removed the hardtop yet. With freedom panels off in the evening I have to say it was great. So I definitely would like more of that to really enjoy my Jeep. So I’m really considering the Sunrider for ease of use , don’t have to deal with the panels & storage. Plus with the weather here in Florida it’s just so unpredictable! But then the price of the sunrider gets close to a price for a soft top. So it’s safe to say I am really confused. Would luv to hear from Soft top & Sunrider owners. Pros & Cons , premium soft top owners vs regular soft top. If I was to get the Sunrider, I would definitely purchase the premium twill from what I read. All info would be much appreciated as to help in my decision. Thx in advance!

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[dshark1]

Bump

 

[Steve F]

I have dual tops (Premium soft top), yet to put the soft top on as it is still Winter here. I decided I wanted both those as I loved the soft top on my JK and the JL one is so much easier and convenient to use with just the two latches at the front to open and flip it back for a huge open space over front and rear seats. So, my opinion, soft top on a JL due to the massive improvements over JK and it's new found ease of use.

 

[dshark1]

I have dual tops (Premium soft top), yet to put the soft top on as it is still Winter here. I decided I wanted both those as I loved the soft top on my JK and the JL one is so much easier and convenient to use with just the two latches at the front to open and flip it back for a huge open space over front and rear seats. So, my opinion, soft top on a JL due to the massive improvements over JK and it's new found ease of use.

Thx … I’m just wondering if I do the Besttop Sunrider on my hardtop will that be enough vs a soft top Like u said , u flip your soft top which gives u much more open air then the Besttop Sunrider.

I have dual tops (Premium soft top), yet to put the soft top on as it is still Winter here. I decided I wanted both those as I loved the soft top on my JK and the JL one is so much easier and convenient to use with just the two latches at the front to open and flip it back for a huge open space over front and rear seats. So, my opinion, soft top on a JL due to the massive improvements over JK and it's new found ease of use.

thx for the input. Much appreciated

 

[Rhinebeck01]

@dshark1

As someone that resides in Florida a big percentage of the year, my vote is for the Bestop Sunrider for Hardtop JL/JT in Twill.

I said Bestop SR for Hardtop in Twill and did not say the Mopar offering which is made my Mopar/the same same, but only has a 1 yr. warranty versus the Bestop's limited lifetime warranty.

Suggest you go with the Sunrider.... and if the SR does not excite you, sell it... it will be easier to sell then a soft top.... and less $ lost...

With a JL soft top comes the pain in the arse dealing with it... to put it up and down, the scratched, creased, cloudy/fuggly plastic windows... The top fads and surrenders so to speak to the Sun. Your vehicle is more apt to be broken into/frigged with if you have a soft top.... has rattles, you need to maintain a large large piece of fabric.... etc.

Even though a soft top goes down and up fairly easily, you have to be care not to damage the metal frame and it does take time to do and.... well, in Florida with the intermittent / occasional heavy rains well..... a pain in the arse..

Anyway, in Florida the Bestop SR can stay on year round...

Ever want to rent a UHAUL trailer they do see the SR as a convertible top and will rent you a trailer...

You, your significant other /and you, can open and close the top in less then 15 seconds. Close it for a rain squall and 5 mins. down the road open it up in when the rain clears, in less then 15 seconds... I can open and close and never leave the JL's driver's seat....

IF you ever want to completely remove the SR from the JL it takes less then 15 min. for one person to do so..

Yada yada over.... 8-) While both a soft top and SR are aok.... suggest going with a SR... again, if that does not appeal to you it is an easy sell to another Jeeper.... not so with a soft top you want to get rid of. I know many guys in Florida that would not take a soft top if you practically gave it to them..

Anyway, if in doubt and you are on the fence... do go with a SR... if that does not do it for you, then go with a soft top...

.

 

[dshark1]

@dshark1

As someone that resides in Florida a big percentage of the year, my vote is for the Bestop Sunrider for Hardtop JL/JT in Twill.

I said Bestop SR for Hardtop in Twill and did not say the Mopar offering which is made my Mopar/the same same, but only has a 1 yr. warranty versus the Bestop's limited lifetime warranty.

Suggest you go with the Sunrider.... and if the SR does not excite you, sell it... it will be easier to sell then a soft top.... and less $ lost...

With a JL soft top comes the pain in the arse dealing with it... to put it up and down, the scratched, creased, cloudy/fuggly plastic windows... The top fads and surrenders so to speak to the Sun. Your vehicle is more apt to be broken into/frigged with if you have a soft top.... has rattles, you need to maintain a large large piece of fabric.... etc.

Even though a soft top goes down and up fairly easily, you have to be care not to damage the metal frame and it does take time to do and.... well, in Florida with the intermittent / occasional heavy rains well..... a pain in the arse..

Anyway, in Florida the Bestop SR can stay on year round...

Ever want to rent a UHAUL trailer they do see the SR as a convertible top and will rent you a trailer...

You, your significant other /and you, can open and close the top in less then 15 seconds. Close it for a rain squall and 5 mins. down the road open it up in when the rain clears, in less then 15 seconds... I can open and close and never leave the JL's driver's seat....

IF you ever want to completely remove the SR from the JL it takes less then 15 min. for one person to do so..

Yada yada over.... 8-) While both a soft top and SR are aok.... suggest going with a SR... again, if that does not appeal to you it is an easy sell to another Jeeper.... not so with a soft top you want to get rid of. I know many guys in Florida that would not take a soft top if you practically gave it to them..

Anyway, if in doubt and you are on the fence... do go with a SR... if that does not do it for you, then go with a soft top...

.

Thx for breaking it down. I was thinking that as well. Try sunrider & at worst I can always sell, if I don’t like it. I see how in demand it is. As far as the ease dept go”s , U make many valid points. Especially the sudden rain we get here in Florida… Thx a lot

 

[qnet]

I love my premium soft top, but agree that the Bestop sunrider would be the best choice since you already have a hard top. You will have kind of the best of both worlds.

I wouldn't mind going this route, but the aftermarket really gouges you for the Mopar hardtop.

 

[dshark1]

I love my premium soft top, but agree that the Bestop sunrider would be the best choice since you already have a hard top. You will have kind of the best of both worlds.

I wouldn't mind going this route, but the aftermarket really gouges you for the Mopar hardtop.

I think Sunrider it is for me. Thank you for your input.

 

[four low]

Just to introduce another possibility, EZTRUNK has come up with a Flip Back hinge option for the Freedom panels. YouTube has a video on it, just out. For me, this looks good, as I can open just the drivers side. The drawback, it looks like you have to pull over to unlatch, and flip back. Price not available yet ( yesterday) but price has to be a lot less than a Sun Rider,which is firmly in the Stratosphere for me.. check it out

 

[SlowPoke21]

I love the ease of use of the sunrider. But damn. The soft top on the JL is just as easy. You can store windows in your Jeep for the pop up shower. Or go safari mode for the pop up shower

 

[Rhinebeck01]

I love the ease of use of the sunrider. But damn. The soft top on the JL is just as easy. You can store windows in your Jeep for the pop up shower. Or go safari mode for the pop up shower

NO WAY, is placing the JL convertible top on a JL/JLU up or down easier or less time consuming, as convenient as doing the same deed with a Bestop Sunrider.... Also risk factor (damage to metal frame) when you put up or down the SR is pretty much zero... not so with the softtop..

 

[SSWIM]

Pretty much like has been posted. Sunrider is what I prefer. Ease of operation is just plain silly. Up and down in nothing flat. We use it in the mountains and the weather is crazy unpredictable also.


Sam

 

[TimmH]

I've been looking lately, at replacing my hardtop with a Trektop or a just do a Sunrider.

Bestops products pages are coming up blank for me right now though.

 

[rcadden]

Protip: you can get the Sunrider from Amazon with Prime Next Day delivery (at least in my area).

This provides two really key benefits:
1. No backorder to deal with
2. Easy returns if you hate it

I got mine a few weeks ago and it's probably my favorite thing ever. I can open/close the Sunrider while driving alone, even while sitting at a stoplight - it's that easy/simple/quick. Don't have to carry my Freedom panels anymore, can keep the hardtop on the rest of the Jeep, etc.

The sunrider (Twill) is *slightly* louder than the Freedom Panels + Headliner, but only if you're paying attention to it. My wife couldn't tell the difference.

There's an ExtremeTerrain video showing the Sunrider install - highly recommend you watch it, as it helped me much more than the in-box instructions did.

 

[dshark1]

Protip: you can get the Sunrider from Amazon with Prime Next Day delivery (at least in my area).

This provides two really key benefits:
1. No backorder to deal with
2. Easy returns if you hate it

I got mine a few weeks ago and it's probably my favorite thing ever. I can open/close the Sunrider while driving alone, even while sitting at a stoplight - it's that easy/simple/quick. Don't have to carry my Freedom panels anymore, can keep the hardtop on the rest of the Jeep, etc.

The sunrider (Twill) is *slightly* louder than the Freedom Panels + Headliner, but only if you're paying attention to it. My wife couldn't tell the difference.

There's an ExtremeTerrain video showing the Sunrider install - highly recommend you watch it, as it helped me much more than the in-box instructions did.

Thx for the info. I was debating where to purchase from. Whether direct from Besttop, Amazon also $50 cheaper. Was debating As far as quality control go”s. Probably just my OCD! Lol Extreme Terrain is giving me a pretty good finance option, However I read some pretty lousy reviews on them?

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