My favorite soft top hack

Nice. My favorite hack is to use a bungee to pull the zipper.
Do tell....

I have no problem with the getting the top on/off. Been doing it for ages. Takes me just a few minutes. But I am not above learning a new trick. What is this bungee hack of which you speak?
 
I have a bowless top, but for the sides, I zip them on before I put the top in position on the roll cage, then work my way forward, saving clipping the sides into the tub for last.
I have a bowless top as well, but always leave the top on safari style, and only have to put sides back in.
 
Nice. My favorite hack is to use a bungee to pull the zipper.

Using the S hook from the end of the bungee sounds like a great idea.

But I will say, if I used the whole bungee I'd want some people taking videos from different angles and at least one videoman at a distance because I never know when a bungee will out perform me by doing some crazy shit.
 
Yep - I find it much easier to get the zipper started with the bungee.
When I had the factory top still, I made loops out of 550 cord to pull the zippers easier. Also, get some beeswax to rub on the zipper... lubricates it, and does not attract dust... may attract bees though...
 
The first time I tried to take off the soft top I failed. I unlatched the top from the windshield pulled up and nothing. I was like dam wtf is holding this sh*t together. It wasn’t until I saw a YouTube video where I learned the soft top went into the door surrounds channel.

Like others I learned to do it the same way as you described. I have one trick for the rear window but I’m not around my jeep. One picture will explain it.
 
Trektop NX, but this is the sequence I've landed on after 5 years.

1. Open sunrider. This seems to relieve some of the tension on things and make stuff easier to bring together.
2. Stick the rear end of the top edge of the side window under the velcro flap on the top to hold it up while I start the zipper about 4". Repeat for other window, and then start rear window zippers by about 4".
3. Put front edge of side windows into door surround channel.
4. Zip up side windows
5. Put bottom edge of window into tub channel starting at front and stopping before the tub curves around to the rear.
5. Zip both sides of rear window and secure in tub channel brackets.
6. Finish putting side windows in the tub channel around the corner and then in the brackets overlapping the rear window.
7. Secure all velcro, flip sunrider closed and secure top in door surround channels.
 
Trektop NX, but this is the sequence I've landed on after 5 years.

1. Open sunrider. This seems to relieve some of the tension on things and make stuff easier to bring together.
2. Stick the rear end of the top edge of the side window under the velcro flap on the top to hold it up while I start the zipper about 4". Repeat for other window, and then start rear window zippers by about 4".
3. Put front edge of side windows into door surround channel.
4. Zip up side windows
5. Put bottom edge of window into tub channel starting at front and stopping before the tub curves around to the rear.
5. Zip both sides of rear window and secure in tub channel brackets.
6. Finish putting side windows in the tub channel around the corner and then in the brackets overlapping the rear window.
7. Secure all velcro, flip sunrider closed and secure top in door surround channels.
I'll have to try this next October when I put the windows back in mine. I remember on my old YJ's that I used to relieve the tension on the top by releasing the spreader bar for the back bow. Didn't think about doing that for the TrekTop last year, I just waited for a nice sunny day and let the windows sit in the sun for a couple of hours.