Best Soft Tops for Your Jeep TJ
Your Jeep TJ may have originally come with a hard top. But that doesn’t mean you lack customization and upgrade options. Soft tops offer convenience plus a wide range of customization possibilities. But before you shop for a Jeep soft top for sale, check out this quick guide. Keep reading to learn about their benefits, what’s on the market and more.
Benefits of a Soft Top For Jeeps
Soft tops offer a lot of advantages for your Jeep. They’re especially ideal in warm weather – just put the top down and you can cruise around in the open air and sunshine. Should rain start to fall, you can stop in a safe spot and pull the top back up. They’re also incredibly lightweight, with most weighing less than 20 pounds versus the average 140-pound hard top. Thanks to their materials and flexibility, soft tops offer an exact fit with simple installation and removal. Storage is also a cinch because these tops can be folded up and stored in smaller spaces.
Besides these obvious benefits, soft tops can improve your riding experience in other ways. You’ll find models with cool features like zipper pockets above drivers’ and passengers’ seats. With tailgate bars and clips, it’s easier to open your tailgate with a soft top installed. Most tops are also mold-resistant and have heat-sealed double-stitched seams that help prevent leaks.
Practical advantages aside, soft tops offer more style options. You’ll find full, half and bikini tops in a wide range of color options. It’s easy to find a color that matches your TJ’s exterior and complements its interiors.
Best Soft Top Materials for Jeeps
When you’re looking through Jeep TJ accessories at soft tops, you’ll notice that most are made with vinyl, denim, twill or sailcloth. Vinyl tops were common on older Wranglers – CJ and YJ body styles in particular. Many come with cloth interiors, but the vinyl exteriors are typically UV-resistant. Denim tops were standard issue on some YJ and TJ Jeeps. They’re heavier than vinyl and offer similar UV resistance and durability. They also aren’t as noisy as vinyl versions.
Sailcloth and twill are at the other end of the spectrum. They’re a little pricier, but their benefits can be well worth the extra money. Sailcloth is at least 50% quieter than denim or vinyl and offer top-notch UV, weather and abrasion resistance. Twill is the heaviest soft top material. Developed by Mopar, it’s a popular option on many high-end sports and luxury vehicles. Twill tops offer the same benefits as sailcloth but with added cold weather insulation, flexibility, durability and wrinkle resistance.
Shopping for Your Jeep Soft Top
Now that you’ve seen soft tops’ benefits and options, you’re probably ready to go shopping. You must consider your needs and budget when choosing one for your Jeep Wrangler TJ. Riders like you looking for Wrangler TJ, Cherokee, Gladiator or Jeep CJ5 parts know that where you buy gear is just as important as what you purchase. Choose a dealer specializing in off-road parts and accessories. Your retailer should have an extensive inventory and have a reputation for first-class customer service.
