Best Jeep TJ Soft Top and Sunshade Options

1. Editors Choice: Alien Sunshade Jeep TJ Wrangler Sunshade

There aren’t too many dependable, high-quality car parts priced below $60 brand new, but this sunshade is one of them. It’s designed to seriously cut back on the amount of sun entering your Jeep without entirely blocking your view of the sky, and based on the raving reviews from customers, it does the trick. The Alien Jeep TJ Sunshade is made from durable polyester with double-sewn edges, and it installs easily using a few bungee cords around the roll bar – that’s it. It even fits neatly under your factory hard or soft top, so once it’s installed, it seldom has to come off.

2. Best Replacement Soft Top: Sierra Off Road Jeep Wrangler TJ Factory Style Soft Top with Tinted Windows

Factory Jeep TJ soft top looking a bit worse for the wear? If you’re looking for a top-notch, great-fitting replacement that won’t break the bank, you’ve found it. Sierra’s tops are designed to be exact-fit replacements, using the same materials as the OEM tops – in the TJ’s case, denim – for a factory-original look and performance. The denim itself is waterproof, as on the original top, and the seams are heat-sealed to prevent leaks, while heavy-duty zippers and strong, UV-resistant polyester stitching keep it all together. Best of all, it comes with a three-year warranty, and if you already have working Jeep TJ soft top hardware that you can reuse, this is one of the few products on the market priced and sold without it.

Smittybilt Denim Black Extended Top

If you desire increased protection from the sun while retaining that open air Jeep experience, you need to check out this Smittybilt extended sunshade. It’s made of durable, weather-resistant black denim – the same material as your factory Jeep TJ soft top – so it should hold up well to years of exposure to the beating sun, and it doesn’t just cut down on the amount of sunlight entering the passenger area; it eliminates it. That’s great news if you ever forget to pack sunscreen. It installs easily with no tools, and it’s designed to go on tight – no excessive flapping in the wind once it’s on. Supposedly, this top is even capable of providing protection during a light downpour, although we haven’t tested that ourselves.

Badass Moto Jeep Wrangler TJ Front Mesh Sunshade

If, on the other hand, you want a bit less coverage, this Badass Moto sunshade for the Jeep TJ Wrangler might fit the bill. Installing simply in minutes, it covers only the seating area, leaving you with more wide, open-air freedom. The polyester mesh material is so durable that it comes with a lifetime guarantee, and it fits neatly underneath your factory Jeep TJ soft top so you don’t have to bother with removing it when summer’s at an end. The mesh material even helps cut down on wind noise when you’re out on the road, according to the manufacturer, leaving very little reason not to go topless ever again. It’s for all of these reasons our staff feels that it’s one of the best TJ soft top options available.

Bestop Black Diamond Trektop NX Jeep TJ Soft Top

If you’re looking to upgrade your factory-style Jeep TJ soft top, not just replace it, the Bestop Black Diamond Trektop NX might be more your speed. It’s the most expensive option on this list, but you get what you pay for, and here, you’re getting a lot. This replacement soft top is a direct fit, but one with numerous upgrades over the factory unit, including a Top Arch Bar system that helps keep it more taut, reducing flapping and preventing water from pooling on top, and quick-release bow knuckles that make raising and lowering the top a cinch. It also boasts a slick fold-back sunroof feature that allows you to get some air even while the top is up. And perhaps best of all, this top comes as an all-in-one kit, including necessary Jeep TJ soft top hardware like the tail gate bar and door surrounds.

Rampage Products Frameless Trail Top for Jeep Wrangler TJ

A great, affordable option with a lot of versatility, this Jeep TJ frameless soft top from Rampage Products springs for sailcloth fabric rather than denim, for superior weather and noise insulation. And if things ever get too quiet, the large side and rear windows can be easily removed, quickly converting this trail top into an open-air safari top. They stow in a concealed, protected pouch between the ceiling and roof. Durable and weather-resistant, thanks in large part to its heat-sealed seams and windows, this soft top features patented “anti-puddle” poles to keep water from pooling. Note that this top requires a windshield channel, and relies on some factory Jeep TJ soft top hardware like the door surrounds and tail gate bar.

Why do I want a different soft top than what already came on my Jeep TJ?

First off, how old is the original soft top that you currently have on your Jeep? Are the vinyl windows starting to show their age and fogging up? Many of the aftermarket soft tops that we’ve featured on our list can be manufactured from more durable materials and might even have features that your OEM soft top doesn’t, like the quick-release buckles and fold back sun roof features on the Bestop Black Diamone Trektop.

Are soft tops better than sun shades?

It all depends on what you’re looking for. If you want that classic open air Jeep experience, then a sun shade is likely what you’re looking for. The downfall of a sunshade is that you’re still very exposed to the elements if you get caught in a freak seasonal storm. Soft tops on the other hand are usually easy to be taken down if you want that wind in your hair feeling but can be quickly put back up to keep you protected and also add an additional layer of protection from lingering eyes and hands if you have anything in your cabin.

Additional Resources

• Best Jeep TJ Hardtops
• Best Jeep TJ Roof Rack Options
• Best Jeep TJ Half Doors

Recent Updates

6/16/2021: Ranked products, added FAQ and additional resources, updated descriptions

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