Bowless Soft Top

Jacket4256

Jacket4256

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 6, 2021
Messages
260
Location
Tennessee
I am thinking one of my next upgrades for my Jeep needs to be a top, I have done some reading on here and the general consensus is Bestop or no top. I have one of the pavement ends Bestops now and it does the job of keeping it somewhat warm and cool its a soft top and a Jeep I don't expect it to be perfect. I have found that I hate the frame top its a pain in the ass to get latched and my wife who does drive the jeep absolutely can not get it latched by herself.

I think I have found the style top that I want, I have a buddy that has the Bestop Trextop, I like the flip back sunroof, and not having a frame to deal with but am I missing something is the Bestop the best one for what I want, another buddy swears by rampage tops for bowless, I am still super new to this so just looking for direction or suggestions.

Links to the three I have found so far.

Bestop Trex top here

Quadratec here

Rampage here
 
Bestop is the best top in existence, but they ain't cheap and you get what you pay for in fit and finish.
If you're OCD like me, you have to have a perfect fit.
The others will "work", but they won't fit perfectly and will have wrinkles and that might not be an issue with you?
 
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I would go with the Bestop, that's what I did and don't regret it one bit. Before others jump in and scream from the roof tops, yes it does have the Bestop logo on the back top of it. It doesn't bother me and if it bothers you look elsewhere. I you honestly want the best, get a Bestop !!!!!
The day I installed it
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Safari top.

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After being installed for over a year.

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Another vote for Bestop here. I also recently got the treetop NX and so far I'm fully satisfied. My concern was that some people have reported constant flapping which in my case has not occurred (at least not in a way that I find annoying).
 
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John Cooper said:
I would go with the Bestop, that's what I did and don't regret it one bit. Before others jump in and scream from the roof tops, yes it does have the Bestop logo on the back top of it. It doesn't bother me and if it bothers you look elsewhere. I you honestly want the best, get a Bestop !!!!!
The day I installed it
View attachment 295154

Safari top.

View attachment 295155

After being installed for over a year.

View attachment 295157

View attachment 295156
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looks good how is the flip top easy to fold back and get back on, I rarely ever take the top off now because its so hard to get back on, and my little one who says he wants the top off bitches as soon as it gets windy
 
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I’ll go with bestop but there’s a few things you’ll have to know. First the rear window is a pain in the ass to get it back on might be a problem for you wife if she goes full topples. The sun rider feature is nice that you can just flip the first half of the top back. That might be all she would do. If she does want to go full topless she would have to take off the whole top completely store it at home or something.
With an OEM like soft top going topless is easy as taking off the side windows rolling the rear window up and have the frame plus soft top roll back. You don’t have to store the soft top at home and it’s easier to put back on.
 
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Jacket4256 said:
looks good how is the flip top easy to fold back and get back on, I rarely ever take the top off now because its so hard to get back on, and my little one who says he wants the top off bitches as soon as it gets windy
Click to expand...
What top do you have? The bestop trek top has a sun rider feature that allows the front half of the top to fold back. Pretty easy just unlatch it from the windshield frame and where the soft top goes into the channels of the door surrounds.
Edit: Forgot you where the OP forget my question
 
Jacket4256 said:
looks good how is the flip top easy to fold back and get back on, I rarely ever take the top off now because its so hard to get back on, and my little one who says he wants the top off bitches as soon as it gets windy
Click to expand...
The sunrider is easy, you just unclamp the the header and undo the door surrounds and fold it back. Flip it back over to close it put the clips back in the door surrounds and lock the header down.
 
Where are you in Tennessee? If you are close to me we might be able to meet up and you can check it out.
 
I have had the factory soft top, the rampage and now the trek top. Love the trek top but the only pain is the back window is tight so if you remove it to access the back its a pain in the ass the put back in. sun rider is nice and works great. The rampage is half the price of the best top. The back window is easy to remove and install. So far the trek top is watertight with no leaks.
 
06TJ35's said:
What top do you have? The bestop trek top has a sun rider feature that allows the front half of the top to fold back. Pretty easy just unlatch it from the windshield frame and where the soft top goes into the channels of the door surrounds.
Edit: Forgot you where the OP forget my question
Click to expand...
I have the bestop pavement ends basically a replace a top for the factory.

We tend to use the factory one as a sunrider any way just remove the sides and go.
 
John Cooper said:
Where are you in Tennessee? If you are close to me we might be able to meet up and you can check it out.
Click to expand...

I am about 30 min outside of Knoxville, I have a buddy that has the Trextop which is why I have been leaning towards it just wanna makes sure that I am not spending the extra 2-300 hundred carelessly on a top if I don't have to do so. Thanks for the offer ! !
 
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You would like the bestop trektop much better. Better fit and material and I’m sure your wife is not going to take off the full top off. The sun rider feature will be all she would do.
 
Jacket4256 said:
I am about 30 min outside of Knoxville, I have a buddy that has the Trextop which is why I have been leaning towards it just wanna makes sure that I am not spending the extra 2-300 hundred carelessly on a top if I don't have to do so. Thanks for the offer ! !
Click to expand...
No worries, I like the top, I have had just about every soft top out there. Bestop to me is the only way to go!!!!
 
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i have a rampage frameless, no complaints. it's a tight fit and the 1st fit should be done warm.
 
Be sure you really want a frameless, I had the mastertop frameless which is alegedy run by former Bestop people and down the block in Colorado. I was happy with the fit and materials, but I returned it on the last day possible because I missed the ability to fully drop the top.
 
I have the Trektop NX, been on for a year and a half, love it, and no problems, other than back being tight... but if I'm just getting into the back I don't fully unzip. I never fully take the top off, I either just remove the sides and back, or on colder days flip the sunrider back.

I had the Rampage previously, and I recommend everyone steer clear of that junk. First top I had from them, ALL the stitching deteriorated 10 months after initial install. They warrantied it, and I had the second top do the same thing... Third top under warranty, the rear tightening straps deteriorated, and the fabric where the stitching went through started tearing out... one day I tried to zip the back window, and the zipper flanges just ripped right off the top.
 
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Depends on how you use it. I normally run no top in the summer, and put the hard top on for the winter.
I bought the soft top for trips so I could take it off when I get there. That hasn't worked out as well as I wanted.
As mentioned, the rear window (and sides on an LJ) can be a pain. Plus, it's designed more to leave the top portion on.
However, if you're just trying to decide between brands, I would stick with Bestop.

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