Next Friday I am driving from Houston to go camping and 4wheeling in Colorado, Arizona & Moab for 2 weeks. I have a hard top on my 2011 Sahara. It also came with a soft top that I have never used. I also had a 2004 LJ with a hard top but no soft top. So, since I have absolutley no soft top experience I thought I 'd ask what you all would do based on your experience.

My thoughts....

Pro's to hard top
It will slow the bears down(No snickers .....as, I have had to deal with bears before in AZ, and NM when remote camping), it is more theft resistent(never had a problem), better climate control, and probably the biggest advantage is a quiter drive on the 1,400 miles there and back.

Pros to a soft top
Open air, open air, open air and the views.

Recommendations...........???

 

I drove from south Louisiana to Moab twice with my soft top, wouldn't do it any other way.

 

Thanks. Hearing from someone who has done it really helps.

 

Let me know how this trip goes, Ive been wanting to do something similar for a very long time. Right now im just gathering all my facts and properly plan this trip because i will only have 10 days to enjoy my vacation.

 

soft top all the way. But I dont have a hard top

 

Bunch of us are planning a tirp next year from Manitoba to Moab, ill be rocking the soft top for sure.

 

Soft tops are better for narrow canyons.

 

If you have the hardtop, you'll end up regretting not being able to take the top down while wheeling. Yeah, you could pull the hardtop but the soft top is a bit easier to deal with.

So yeah, my vote is soft top. has too many options not to do. As for bears, take ALL the food out of the Jeep while camping and store away from the campsite. use a bear bag or bear proof container.

 

I was going to stick with the hardtop, probably because that is what I am used to. However, with the feedback from you all pointing in the other direction I will be putting the soft top on this weekend to get ready for the trip.

Thanks for sharing your experience and opinions.

 

I've done both. Softtop advantages are already explained. This last time to GA, UT and CO, I took the hardtop. Stopping on the trail to have lunch, setting up camp, refilling water bottles from my refrigerator were all a ton easier with the hardtop flip-up window. Plus with an MBRP overhead rack, I could carry a lot more gear.