Beaming sunshine warming your skin, water splashing in your face, and a cool breeze are all great if you're spending a day at the beach, but when these elements are part of your commute, then it might be time for a new soft top. While not having a top shouldn't keep you from wheeling your Jeep, we have to admit that the shade is pretty nice and protection from incoming mud bombs after hammering through a pit makes the drive home less crusty.
When it comes to replacement tops, one company simply has it covered, Bestop. From the guy who just needs a little sun protection to the wheeler who wants the fully-enclosed off-road experience, Bestop's huge product line offers something for everyone. We're a big fan of keeping things simple, and since we use the back of our '97 Jeep Wrangler more as a truck bed than a people-mover, we opted for the Bestop Halftop. As a complete replacement soft top, the Halftop morphs the Bikini top, Windjammer, and Duster into a quality, user-friendly, one-piece design. The replacement soft top not only gives our '97 Jeep Wrangler a fresh look, but it keeps us covered without reducing visibility.
 1. The provided Z-bar attaches...  1. The provided Z-bar attaches using the sheetmetal fasteners and is designed to secure the top's net divider in place. This is a great addition for the guy using the back of his Wrangler as a storage trunk, since the net divider will prevent all your junk from sliding up front. |  2. The windshield header is...  2. The windshield header is what secures the front of the soft top and acts as a pivot brace for the sunroof feature. Latching the header down to ensure proper placement, drill two holes on each side and then thread in the new mounting screws. |  3. When snapping the top into...  3. When snapping the top into the windshield header it is important to take your time and make sure that you have both sides even. A warm sunny day and a helping hand are two great aids to make this a quick step. |
 4. Bestop utilizes many of...  4. Bestop utilizes many of the Wrangler's existing snap rails and lips, making for a quick and easy instillation. As elemental as it may sound, be sure to follow the instructions since the top is designed to install in a certain order. |  5. A zip in rear window is...  5. A zip in rear window is used to seal up the cabin in inclement weather. And when you're ready to leave the doors at home and let the breeze flow through, a permanent window mesh resides in back to let the fresh air cruise. |  6. Since our original sport...  6. Since our original sport bar covers were extremely weathered, we installed a new set of rear sport bar covers. The Bestop covers come complete with foam padding, simply zip into place, and are a nice finishing touch to complement the new top. |
Top It Off
It is very important to get the top in the sun and perform the install on a warm day. The Bestop material is all high-quality stuff and is a little snug when it's cold. We've driven our '97 Wrangler a fair amount with the new top and enjoy the new look and visibility. Wind noise is about the same as you would expect from a factory Jeep soft top, maybe a little less. Installing in about an hour, the Bestop Halftop fits great and gave our Jeep the new mini-pickup look we were hoping for.