The off-road capability of a Jeep is great, but one of the biggest perks to owning a seven slot is that it is America’s only four-door convertible. When the temperatures rise, there is nothing better than ditching a Jeep’s hard top and enjoying the great outdoors. The sun on your face, the wind in your hair, and the occassional bug in your teeth are all part of experiencing nature in all its glory. A Jeep is literally the perfect vehicle for summer and being trapped under a hard top for the best season of the year is completely senseless.
Of course, we have an idealistic and romantic vision of the topless Jeep life. In reality, the weather isn’t always perfect and there are times when you get tired of “experiencing” nature. Getting drenched by a summer rainstorm, pelted by hail, or baking in the sun eventually gets old. Some protection from the elements without giving up on the unique open-air experience that Jeeps offer would be pretty sweet.
That is where a soft top comes in extremely handy. They perfectly bridge the gap between a hard top and no top. You can run one when the weather is bad or you just want to get out of the sun for a bit. And, on those perfect summer days, you can remove it and enjoy running with no top. They are easy to install, easy to use, and great for making your Jeep a lot more versatile and adaptable.
One of the biggest names in soft tops is Bestop. Started in a small upholstery shop in Boulder, CO in 1954, Bestop has grown into the largest manufacturer of premium soft tops for the Jeep Wrangler. In fact, they have actually made the factory soft top for the Jeep Wrangler since 1986 and still do today. They are a great place to head to when looking for a soft top for your Jeep.
Bestop does have a lot of options when it comes to adding a soft top to your Jeep. One of their most popular is the Trektop family of tops. Even within the Trektop line, there are three different tops. What is the difference between them? What one will work best for you? We take a look at each top to help you decide which one will be best. Now you have no excuse to ditch that hard top and enjoy all of what summer has to offer. Happy summering!
Bestop Trektop NX
Bestop’s Trektop NX has been its bestselling premium top since 2012. It was recently redesigned to incorporate a host of improvements. Among them is that it now utilizes zipperless technology to allow for easy removal of the side window panels. The rear panel uses zippers for security and easy removability. Bestop’s F.I.T. system (which helps keep tension on the top) has also been incorporated to help keep the Trektop taught and in place. Zippered pockets above the driver and the passenger allow for storage of smaller items. A tailgate bar is also used to allow the easy use of the tailgate. The Trektop NX is the most affordable of the Trektop line.
The Trektop NX has a cool Sunrider feature that allows you to flip back the front portion of the top. This allows you to enjoy some sun without having to remove the whole top. We have used it before and it is super simple and quick to operate.
One thing to remember with the Trektop NX is that it is not fully convertible. The rear panel and windows can be removed, which basically turns it into a bikini top. For a fully open-air experience, you will have to remove the whole top.
Bestop Trektop NX Glide
The Trektop NX Glide offers the fastback styling of Bestop’s other Trektops, but it is unique in that can fully open. It also uses zipperless panels for both the sides and the rear panel. This makes them a bit quicker to remove than the panels in the Trektop NX. The windows are 40-mil and tinted standard as well as being D.O.T. approved. It is available in black, some cool color options in Premium Color Twill, and the factory-style Black Diamond Sailcloth.
We have used the Trektop NX Glide before and folding down the top is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. You do have to remove the side panels and the back window before folding down the rest of the top. It isn’t something you can do at a stoplight, but can easily be done in a couple of minutes.
Another unique feature of the Trektop NX Glide is that it has a huge Sunrider panel. You really don’t have to fold the whole top down to get an open-air experience. It is the only top in the Trektop line that can be fully folded down though for those looking for a fully convertible top.
Bestop Trektop Pro
The Trektop Pro sits at the top of the Trektop family and is radically different from others. A hybrid of a soft top and a hard top, it is designed to bring the best of both worlds together. Looking at the photo, it is easy to notice the rear glass hatch with gas assist struts. The Pro also has sliding rear glass windows for extra ventilation. It is made from premium 30-oz. triple-black acrylic twill fabric for maximum durability and a wrinkle-free look. With its integrated defroster connector and mounting points for an optional rear wiper motor assembly, it is a soft top that you can leave on your Jeep all year long.
Even though the Trektop Pro is more substantial than the average soft top, you can still enjoy open air wheeling with it. Removing the back hatch and side panels turns the Pro into a bikini top. You do have to remember the side and rear panels have glass so you don’t want them bouncing around in the back of the Jeep. However, a optional Window Storage Portfolio is availabe to store and protect them. We would recommend it.
In theory you can remove the Trektop Pro’s top and side panels for a full convertible experience. This takes some time though, and isn’t something you would want to do all the time. The Trektop NX Glide would be a better choice for those wanting to regularly go topless. However, the Trektop Pro also has a Sunrider panel that is easy to open allowing you to enjoy some sun with the quick flip of a couple of latches.
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