Key Takeaways

• There are several distinct types of Jeep soft tops, including full-enclosure tops, bikini tops, safari tops, Sunrider tops, and powered eTop options, each designed for a different open-air experience.
• Full-enclosure soft tops come in two main silhouettes: the classic squareback (Supertop) and the modern slantback fastback (Trektop), and your preference between the two is primarily a style decision.
• Bikini tops provide sun shade without full weather protection and are ideal for warm-weather, doors-off driving when you want maximum open-air freedom with minimal coverage.
• Bestop is the only aftermarket brand trusted as the OEM soft-top supplier to Jeep, meaning every top in the lineup is built to factory-level fit, sealing, and durability standards.

What Is a Jeep Soft Top?

A Jeep soft top is a flexible, fabric-based roof system designed to give you open-air freedom while still offering protection from sun, rain, and wind when you need it. Unlike a rigid hardtop, a soft top can be folded, removed, or retracted, so switching between enclosed cruising and topless driving takes minutes instead of a full afternoon in the garage.

Understanding the types of Jeep soft tops available helps you match your top to the way you actually drive. Whether you spend weekends on trails with the doors off, commute daily and want one-touch convenience, or simply love that golden-hour cruise with the top peeled back, there is a soft top style built for the way you live.

Soft tops remain one of the most popular modifications for Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator, and Ford Bronco owners for good reason. They are lighter than hardtops, easier to install and remove, and generally more affordable. Most importantly, they turn open-air driving from a weekend event into an everyday possibility.

The range of Jeep soft top styles has expanded significantly over the years. Where early Jeeps had one basic canvas cover, today’s owners can choose from full-enclosure tops, partial-coverage bikini tops, safari canopies, retractable Sunrider panels, and even push-button powered tops. Each style occupies a distinct role in an owner’s setup, and many Jeep enthusiasts keep more than one on hand to match the season, the trip, or the mood. The sections below break down every major style so you can find the one (or two, or three) that fits your driving life.

Full-Enclosure Soft Tops

A full-enclosure soft top covers your Jeep from front to rear, providing complete weather protection with windows, doors, and a sealed roof. It is the closest a soft top gets to the protection of a hardtop while still letting you fold, slide, or remove panels to go topless whenever the mood strikes.

Full-enclosure tops come in two main silhouettes, and the choice between them is more about style and identity than features alone.

Squareback Soft Tops (Supertop)

The squareback is the classic Jeep soft top profile, the shape most people picture when they think of a Wrangler with a fabric roof. It features a vertical rear window, a rigid folding frame, and a squared-off cargo area that maximizes rear headroom and storage space. Bestop’s Supertop Squareback is the direct descendant of the very first top the company built back in 1954, and it remains the standard every other Jeep soft top is measured against.

The Supertop family includes three variants. The NX offers zipper windows, a rollable rear window, and the broadest fitment in the lineup, including TJ models. The Glide removes zippers entirely with slide-out window panels and a full convertible fold. The Ultra adds patented Guide-Track retraction and Lift Assist for the smoothest open-air transition in the family.

What makes the squareback design stand out is speed: the rigid frame folds back and stays on the vehicle, so you can go from fully enclosed to completely topless in minutes with no removal, no storage bins, and no planning.

Slantback (Fastback) Soft Tops (Trektop)

The slantback, also called a fastback, offers a modern silhouette that slopes from the windshield header toward the tailgate. There are no visible frame bars over occupants, which means cleaner sightlines and a sleeker, sportier look. Bestop’s Trektop Slantback family is the standard-bearer here, and every Trektop variant includes integrated Sunrider access as a built-in feature.

The Trektop family also includes multiple tiers. The NX is the entry point, a style-first top that must be removed to go fully topless. The NX Glide adds a full fold-down design and zipperless windows. The Pro Hybrid is in a category of its own, featuring hard rear glass for a true hardtop-alternative experience. The Ultra brings Guide-Track retraction and Lift Assist for one-touch convertibility.

The Trektop is the right call for drivers who care about how their Jeep looks as much as how it performs. If your first question is “what will this look like on my rig?” rather than “how fast can I get the top off?”, the fastback silhouette is probably your match.

Squareback vs. Slantback: How to Choose

Replacement Soft Tops vs. Complete Kits

When it is time to refresh your soft top, you have two paths: replacing the fabric only or buying a complete kit that includes new hardware.

If your existing frame, bows, and mounting hardware are still in good shape, a replacement fabric skin is typically the more economical choice. You get fresh material, clear windows, and a renewed seal without replacing components that still work.

A complete kit makes sense when your hardware is worn, bent, or missing, when you are switching from one top style to another, or when you are installing a soft top on a Jeep that previously had a hardtop and lacks the necessary mounting hardware. Complete kits include everything you need for a full installation.

Not sure which route is right for your Jeep? Bestop’s soft top buyer’s guide walks through the decision in detail, and the soft top comparison chart can help you compare options side by side.

Bikini Tops

A Jeep bikini top is a partial-coverage canopy that shades the driver and front passenger without enclosing the vehicle. It is designed for warm-weather, open-air driving when you want sun protection overhead but still want to feel the wind, see the sky, and keep that doors-off freedom intact.

Bikini tops are not a substitute for a full soft top and should not be positioned that way. They shine on sunny days, weekend trail runs, and beach cruises where full weather protection is not the priority. Bestop offers three main bikini configurations, each with a different installation approach.

Header Bikini Tops

Header bikini tops mount to a header channel that runs across the top of the windshield frame. They require the header channel hardware to be installed, but once that channel is in place, the top clips on and off quickly. This configuration provides a secure, clean fit and supports extended coverage options that shade rear passengers as well.

Explore the full selection of Header Safari Bikini Tops to see what fits your Jeep.

Sun Bikini Tops

Sun bikini tops use a strap system that hooks into the factory header loops already built into your Jeep’s windshield frame. No extra hardware is needed, and they are compatible with your existing soft top, so you do not have to choose one or the other. When you want full coverage, your soft top goes back on. When you want sun-only shade, the Sun Bikini Top straps right in.

Strapless Bikini Tops

Strapless bikini tops are the simplest configuration available. They attach using the existing snaps on your Jeep’s windshield header and tub rails, so installation is fast, tool-free, and intuitive. If you want the easiest possible path to overhead shade, Strapless Safari Bikini Tops are the place to start.

Safari Tops

A Jeep safari top is an extended-coverage canopy that provides shade from the windshield header all the way to the rear of the vehicle, covering both front and rear passengers. Unlike a full soft top, a safari top leaves the sides open for maximum airflow and visibility while still blocking direct sun overhead.

The key distinction within safari-style coverage is between targa and safari configurations. A targa top covers the front occupants only, similar to a bikini top but typically with a more structured fit. A safari top extends that coverage rearward to shade the entire passenger area. Bestop’s Safari Bikini Top is a popular option that delivers front-to-rear shade with easy installation.

Safari tops are ideal for trail rides with a full crew, long summer drives, and any situation where you want overhead protection for everyone on board without closing off the sides.

Bikini Top vs. Full Soft Top: Which One Do You Need?

A Jeep bikini top and a full soft top serve fundamentally different purposes. A bikini top is a warm-weather shade solution for open-air driving, while a full soft top is an all-season enclosure that protects against rain, wind, cold, and trail debris. Most dedicated Jeep owners eventually own both.

If you drive in a warm climate year-round and rarely encounter rain, a bikini top might be all you need for daily use. If you need your Jeep to serve as a daily driver through all four seasons, a full soft top is the foundation. And if you love both extremes, pairing a full soft top with a compatible bikini top gives you the best of both worlds.

Sunrider Tops

The Sunrider is a retractable front panel that flips open to let in sun and air, similar to a sunroof, without requiring you to remove or fold the entire top. It gives you a quick taste of open air for a morning commute or a drive through town, then flips closed just as easily when the weather changes.

Bestop offers two Sunrider configurations. The Sunrider for Hardtop replaces the front freedom panels on a factory hardtop with a retractable fabric panel, giving hardtop owners soft-top convenience without switching their entire roof. The Sunrider is also built into every Trektop variant and available on select Supertop models, where it functions as an integrated feature of the full soft top.

The Sunrider is worth considering alongside any full-enclosure top because it adds everyday flexibility that a fixed roof simply cannot match. Even if you rarely go fully topless, having the option to flip open a panel for fresh air on a nice afternoon makes the driving experience feel more connected.

Electric Soft Tops (eTop)

For drivers who want open-air freedom without any manual effort at all, Bestop’s eTop is in a category of its own. It is the world’s only aftermarket powered soft top, and it transforms your Jeep from enclosed to open air at the push of a button.

No panels to remove and store. No planning ahead for weather. The eTop is designed for everyday use, turning open-air driving from something you schedule into something that happens whenever the moment calls for it.

The eTop is a premium option that reflects Bestop’s 70 years of engineering expertise and OEM-level integration. It fits Jeep Wrangler JL and JK models as well as Ford Bronco, and it is built to the same factory-level fit and sealing standards that earned Bestop its role as Jeep’s OEM soft-top supplier. For warranty details, visit Bestop’s official warranty resources.

For a closer look at how a Bestop soft top transitions between fully enclosed, Sunrider open, Safari bikini, and fully convertible modes, watch this walkthrough:

How to Choose the Right Jeep Soft Top Style

With so many Jeep soft top styles available, choosing the right one comes down to how you drive, where you live, and what kind of open-air experience you want.

If you want all-season protection with a classic Jeep look, choose a Supertop squareback. The rigid frame folds quickly, cargo space stays maximized, and it is the most proven design in the lineup.

If you want a modern, sleek silhouette and care about aesthetics, choose a Trektop slantback. The frameless design and fastback profile turn heads, and integrated Sunrider access is standard on every variant.

If you want warm-weather shade with minimal hassle, choose a bikini top. Pick header-mount for the most secure fit, sun-style for no-hardware simplicity, or strapless for the fastest install.

If you want overhead shade for a full crew, choose a safari top. Front-to-rear coverage keeps everyone comfortable without closing off the sides.

If you want sunroof-style convenience without removing anything, choose a Sunrider. It flips open and closed in seconds and pairs with both hardtops and soft tops.

If you want push-button open-air freedom with zero manual effort, choose the eTop. It is the premium option for drivers who want every drive to feel effortless.

The Soft Top Wizard on Bestop’s website can help point you in the right direction, but to confirm the right fit for your specific Jeep, always use the Year/Make/Model fitment tool or contact Bestop’s customer service team.

Soft Top Materials: What to Look For

Sailcloth is the entry-tier fabric, a durable, vinyl-coated material that delivers dependable weather resistance at an accessible price point. It is a proven option that has protected Jeeps for decades.

Black Diamond is a step up, a heavier vinyl fabric with enhanced UV resistance and a refined grain pattern. It offers improved appearance and longevity over standard vinyl.

Premium Black Twill is the mid-tier fabric, a 30oz woven material with a rich, textile-like appearance and enhanced fade resistance. It looks and feels a step above vinyl while keeping care straightforward.

Ultra-Premium Twill is Bestop’s top-tier fabric, a 40oz woven material with the most premium finish and the highest durability in the lineup. It is the material used on the Ultra and flagship-tier tops.

Each fabric is engineered to fit Bestop’s exacting standards for UV protection, water resistance, and long-term durability. For a deeper comparison, explore Bestop’s material comparison page.

Find Your Perfect Soft Top

Open-air driving should feel like freedom, not like a compromise. Whether you are looking for all-season protection, warm-weather shade, or push-button convenience, there is a Bestop soft top designed for the way you drive. Explore the full Bestop soft top lineup to see every style, or browse the soft top buyer’s guide to find the right match for your Jeep.

Frequently Asked Questions About Jeep Soft Tops

Here are answers to the most common questions Jeep owners ask when choosing between different soft top styles.

What Are the Different Types of Jeep Soft Tops?

The main types of Jeep soft tops are full-enclosure tops (squareback and slantback), bikini tops (header, sun, and strapless styles), safari tops, Sunrider retractable panels, and electric soft tops. Each style offers a different balance of weather protection, open-air driving, and ease of installation.

What Is the Difference Between a Jeep Bikini Top and a Full Soft Top?

A full soft top completely encloses your Jeep with a fabric roof, sides, and rear window for all-weather protection. A bikini top covers only the overhead area, leaving the sides open for maximum airflow. Bikini tops are designed for warm-weather driving, while full soft tops work year-round.

What Is a Jeep Safari Top?

A Jeep safari top is an extended-length bikini top that covers both the front and rear seats. Unlike a standard targa-style bikini (which covers only the front occupants), a safari top stretches over the full length of the roll cage, providing sun and light rain protection for all passengers.

What Is the Best Jeep Soft Top?

The best Jeep soft top depends on your priorities. For all-weather protection, a full-enclosure top like the Supertop Squareback or Trektop Slantback is ideal. For open-air summer driving, a bikini or safari top provides sun coverage without enclosing the cabin. Consider your climate, driving habits, and budget when choosing.

Which Jeep Wrangler Has a Soft Top?

Most Jeep Wrangler trims are available with a factory soft top option, and aftermarket soft tops fit all modern Wrangler generations including the YJ, TJ, JK, and JL. The Jeep Gladiator also supports aftermarket soft tops and bikini tops designed for its extended cab and bed configuration.

What Is the Difference Between a Squareback and Slantback Soft Top?

A squareback soft top has a traditional vertical rear profile that mirrors the factory OEM design, maximizing rear cargo access. A slantback (or fastback) soft top has an angled rear roofline with a sleeker, sportier appearance. Slantback tops are typically frameless and can convert into a safari bikini by removing the side and rear windows.

What Is a Sunrider Top for Jeep?

A Sunrider is a retractable front panel built into certain Bestop soft tops or designed to replace the front panels on a factory hardtop. It flips back from the inside to create an instant open-air sunroof without removing the entire top, giving Jeep owners quick access to open-sky driving in seconds.

Can You Use a Bikini Top With a Hard Top or Soft Top Still Installed?

Sun Bikini tops are specifically designed to work with your existing hard top or soft top still in place. They strap into the factory windshield header loops and do not require a separate windshield channel. Header and strapless bikini tops require the factory top to be removed before installation.