One of the core decisions you'll have to make when buying a Jeep Wrangler is if you should go with a soft top or hard top. Each come with their fair share of pros and cons.
In short, a soft top will be cheaper and easier to put down for when you want to go topless. A hard top will be more expensive, take up more space, yet remain durable and last longer.
Some Jeep owners even opt to go with both to utilize each of their advantages during different seasons. Depending on where you live can also influence your choice.
Without further ado, let's break down which Jeep Wrangler top is best for you.
Jeep Wrangler Soft Top
The soft top option works best if you plan on using it during warm weather. It's versatile and gives an easier experience if you want to go topless more often.
You can pop it down like a convertible top on a sports car, yet with your Jeep.
Pros
Easy to remove: With a lighter weight, the soft tops will be much easier to remove or put back up. This is very useful if you need to put your top back on quick due to rain.
If you live somewhere tropical like Florida with random weather, this can be an absolute life saver. You never know when a thunderstorm could come out of nowhere with rain pouring down on you and your seats.
Folds for storage: When traveling with your Jeep, it's simple to pop down a soft top to enjoy the weather. Many can fold right up for storage like how a convertible top would on a sports car.
Cheaper: If you ever damage your current top, it's a lot cheaper to replace it with a soft top. You could even get multiple soft tops for the cost of a hard top if you wanted to. This gives you extra money for other mods and accessories like wheels, tires, etc.
Lots of aftermarket options:
Jeep Wrangles are one of the most aftermarket supported vehicles due to the massive audience of enthusiasts, and it doesn't stop at tops.
There are endless aftermarket options for Jeep soft tops. The Pavement Ends soft top has high ratings and is much cheaper than other options.
No matter which model of Jeep you own, there should be something available that fits your needs.
Versatile: There's really endless different configurations of soft tops to choose from for your Jeep. You have sunroofs, full tops, half tops, and many more. You have much more customization, whereas hard tops usually only come in one style.
Cons
Less secure:
Most soft tops are opened with zippers. If any thief comes by, your Jeep would be an easy target.
The best way to keep your stuff safe in a soft top Jeep is to use an under seat lock box.
This is the easiest solution to this problem. Some people also leave their doors unlocked to deter thieves from cutting out the windows.
Loud on highway: Without the "true seal", a soft top will be louder when driving on the highway. You can still listen to music and hold a conversion, yet there is more road noise to deal with.
Not as durable: Due to the build and design of a soft top, they're going to need replacing much more often than a hard top. All the rain, sun, wear and tear tends to eat up the material over time.
Colder in winter: With the thinner material, there's also a lack of insulation with the soft tops. This can be quite apparent in the winter time when it's cold outside. Zippers can also get stuck if they salt the roads where you live.
PROS
CONS
Jeep Wrangler Hard Top
Hard tops work best if you want more security, protection, and less noise on the highway. Yet, you do give up simple storage and versatility in the outdoors.
If you plan on commuting everyday, then this is the option for you.
Pros
Quiet on highway: The hard top shell will provide more soundproofing from road noise driving on the highway. You'll be sealed in much better than a soft top and be able to hear your music much better.
More secure: You'll have way more security for your personal belongings inside a hard top Jeep. It's easier to lock up the vehicle and there's much less of a chance for a thief to break in.
Nice for winter: A hard top gives you much better insulation for those winter months when it's cold outside.
More durable: With the hard shell design it's going to last you a lot longer. Many times they can last the lifespan of the vehicle. The wear and tear will not affect it anywhere near as much as it will on a soft top.
Cons
Harder to remove: To take down a hard top is often a two person job. It does not fold up and needs it's own place in your garage. This might even deter you from taking the top off, even if it's nice weather outside.
If it ever starts to rain without your top on in your Jeep, you're also without the ability to put it back up really quick.
Extra space to store:
Whenever you want to take off a hard top, you'll need extra space in your garage to store it.
Some people also utilize a hard top hoist for their Jeep to make storage easier and to tuck it away.
Either way, you'll need the space for it if you plan on taking your top off.
More expensive: If your hard top ever gets damaged it's going to cost quite a bit more in order to get it replaced. A new hard top could even cost twice as much as a soft top.
Less aftermarket options: The market is much smaller than soft tops for aftermarket options. If you plan on getting a new hard top you'll need to go to a dealer or find a used original top. There are a few choices online, yet not as many.
PROS
CONS
To Conclude
When deciding between a soft top or hard top, it really comes down to how you plan on using your Jeep and what climate you live in.
If you're stuck on deciding between a soft top vs hard top, you could also get both! This way you get the best of both worlds as long as you've got the storage space.
For those living in an area with four seasons, the best combination is to use a soft top in the summer and a hard top in the winter. Then you can swap them for whatever the weather and situation calls for.