1997 Ford Expedition Truck & Jeep Soft Tops

Boost your Jeep, Bronco, or pickup’s weather resistance with a premium soft top from RealTruck! We offer a wide selection of canvas tops and toppers from all the leading manufacturers, including Bestop, Rampage, and Rugged Ridge.

Types of Soft Tops

Soft tops come in various styles, each featuring unique aesthetics, characteristics, and benefits. Some of the most common soft tops include: 

• Frameless: Frameless soft tops, like the Bestop Trektop Glide Soft Top, feature an easy-to-install, frameless design that doesn’t employ factory-style bows. Instead, the top stretches from the windshield frame, over the cage, and slanted downward to the rear tub corners for a sleek, fastback-style appearance. 

• Hybrid: Hybrid soft tops, like the Bestop Supertop Ultra Soft Top, feature a unique, hybrid design that allows for multiple top variations from one product! These tops are modular, allowing you to choose between a fully-enclosed, weather-resistant top, a sunrider-style open top, a safari-style bikini top, and fully open! 

• Bikini: Bikini soft tops, like the Bestop Traditional Bikini Top, feature a single piece of canvas or marine-grade vinyl stretched over the front two seats, leaving the sides and rear completely open. These tops offer moderate UV and weather protection while promoting an open-air feel. 

• Briefs: This is simply another term for a bikini top; the two are interchangeable. 

• Bimini: Bimini tops, like the Bestop Access Bimini, are similar to brief and bikini tops. The only difference is bimini tops cover all passengers and the cargo area for added UV and weather protection.  

• Sun/Mesh Shade: Sun shades, like the Rugged Ridge Eclipse Sun Shade, are similar to brief, bikini, and bimini tops; however, they feature a mesh design that blocks UV rays, heat, and wind without fully enclosing the roof.

Benefits of Soft Tops over Hard Tops

Soft tops offer several benefits over their hard counterparts, including: 

• Versatility: Several soft tops, specifically hybrid styles, are extremely versatile. Hybrid soft tops offer multiple top experiences in one, allowing you to run your Jeep with an open roof, open sides, or a fully enclosed cabin! 

• Easy Storage: Compared to hard tops, soft tops are much lighter and more compact when it comes time for storage. You can easily collapse and roll up a soft top into a small, effortlessly storable package that can fit on a shelf, in an attic, or anywhere else in your garage or shop. 

• Convenience: Soft tops are also far more convenient than hard tops, especially regarding installation and removal. Unlike hard tops, which require a hoist or an extra set of hands, you can quickly remove or install a soft top by yourself.  

• Affordability: Soft tops are also much more economical than hard tops, which can easily cost two, three, or even four times the price!

Soft Top FAQs

Q: Is a Jeep soft top good in the snow?

A: Soft tops are completely fine to run in the Winter, as long as your heater blows strong! However, there are a few factors to keep in mind. A soft top’s vinyl windows lose a great deal of flexibility in Winter months, especially when the temperature drops below zero degrees. As a result, refrain from rolling or unzipping your Jeep’s soft windows in the Winter to prevent cracking. Additionally, refrain from scraping the windows as you would glass, as this will likely abrade the vinyl windows. 

Q: How long do soft tops last?

A: While this number varies based on storage conditions and maintenance, it’s best to start inspecting your soft tops for holes and damage around the 5-year-old mark. In most cases, a replacement is warranted after around ten years of service. 

Q: How loud are Jeep soft tops while driving?

A: Due to the lack of insulation, sound deadening, and movement, soft tops are notoriously noisy, especially at highway speeds. However, around town, the faint, familiar flapping can be charming!