Mesh sunshade : Bestop vs. Badbronco?

[BroncoKong Jr.]

Waiting for a full mesh front to back no zippers or cross bars option. I can wait.

Check out JTops. There is a support, but it's mostly out of the way. He has a Bronco line coming this spring.

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[‘21OBX]

It doesn't look that bad to me.

I like the strapless look

 

[BroncoKong Jr.]

I like the strapless look

Yours looks like a mess compared to his

 

[‘21OBX]

Yours looks like a mess compared to his

 

[BuckyAsh]

I currently have the prototype of the J Tops USA Bimini on my four door Badlands soft top Bronco and it is awesome! They are making a couple of modifications before they begin full production. They posted a picture of it on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jtopsusa/

I am not financially involved in this company in anyway. They are just working with me as a customer who wanted a Bronco Bimini solution and wow have they delivered. Can't wait for the final version.

I previously owned the Bestop Bimini and I felt it was a terrible solution that felt like an afterthought, I am surprised they even rolled it out. Bestop's customer service was great in letting me return it after telling them I was not satisfied with the solution, so they deserve credit there.

The problems with the Bestop solution as a owner:

• Terrible fit with gaps that let in sun
• Noisy with poor buckles for straps and overall attachments
• Putting it on is a hassle especially with the requirement to remove the speakers
• Metal bar in the middle of the roofline with junky metal attachments that quickly become loose
• I do not think it would be durable in the long run based on the materials I saw, but I cannot confirm because I returned it fairly quickly once I knew it was not a good solution.
• My wife and kids did not like it
• Felt like they were trying to make a solution for a hard and soft top, which I totally understand from of the economy of scale perspective, but it just didn't work

Here are my thoughts after a few days with the J Tops USA Bronco 4 door soft top solution:

• Amazing customer centric service with dedication to quality. I never owned a Jeep but I heard a lot of Jeep owners swear by them which is why I reached out to them
• Amazing fit with no gaps, nice tension, and no bar in the middle
• Very small amount of noise at highway speed, but I need to re-tension it after it sat in the sun for a few days.
• Putting it on was easy and I did not need to remove the speakers. I had to remove the top middle latch brackets you use for sunrider, but that took about a minute to take off and put on with the Bronco toolkit that came with our vehicles. It attached with:
  • Awesome straps with high quality buckles with attachment that leave nothing flapping in the wind, even had soft rubber under the straps that went across the roll bar to protect the paint, that is awesome!
  • Industrial magnets
  • Industrial 3M Velcro that ran along the top side
• Durability: This material is stout along with all the stitching, I think it will hold up nicely
• Looks awesome and like it was designed just for my vehicle, fit like a glove
• Like the Bestop, it worked great when closing the soft top over it, no issues
• Great at providing shade
• The family loved it, especially my daughters

I have not owned any of the other solutions so I cannot speak for those. Also, I don't know what final pricing will be yet but I will gladly pay it based on my experience with Bestop.

Please don't ask me for photos, go to their site or Facebook since I am not part of this company, just a blessed Bronco owner. My heart goes out for all of your still waiting for one, I was a first night reservation holder. The Bronco is worth waiting for, we love it.

 

[Daktari]

I currently have the prototype of the J Tops USA Bimini on my four door Badlands soft top Bronco and it is awesome! They are making a couple of modifications before they begin full production. They posted a picture of it on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jtopsusa/

I am not financially involved in this company in anyway. They are just working with me as a customer who wanted a Bronco Bimini solution and wow have they delivered. Can't wait for the final version.

I previously owned the Bestop Bimini and I felt it was a terrible solution that felt like an afterthought, I am surprised they even rolled it out. Bestop's customer service was great in letting me return it after telling them I was not satisfied with the solution, so they deserve credit there.

The problems with the Bestop solution as a owner:

• Terrible fit with gaps that let in sun
• Noisy with poor buckles for straps and overall attachments
• Putting it on is a hassle especially with the requirement to remove the speakers
• Metal bar in the middle of the roofline with junky metal attachments that quickly become loose
• I do not think it would be durable in the long run based on the materials I saw, but I cannot confirm because I returned it fairly quickly once I knew it was not a good solution.
• My wife and kids did not like it
• Felt like they were trying to make a solution for a hard and soft top, which I totally understand from of the economy of scale perspective, but it just didn't work

Here are my thoughts after a few days with the J Tops USA Bronco 4 door soft top solution:

• Amazing customer centric service with dedication to quality. I never owned a Jeep but I heard a lot of Jeep owners swear by them which is why I reached out to them
• Amazing fit with no gaps, nice tension, and no bar in the middle
• Very small amount of noise at highway speed, but I need to re-tension it after it sat in the sun for a few days.
• Putting it on was easy and I did not need to remove the speakers. I had to remove the top middle latch brackets you use for sunrider, but that took about a minute to take off and put on with the Bronco toolkit that came with our vehicles. It attached with:
  • Awesome straps with high quality buckles with attachment that leave nothing flapping in the wind, even had soft rubber under the straps that went across the roll bar to protect the paint, that is awesome!
  • Industrial magnets
  • Industrial 3M Velcro that ran along the top side
• Durability: This material is stout along with all the stitching, I think it will hold up nicely
• Looks awesome and like it was designed just for my vehicle, fit like a glove
• Like the Bestop, it worked great when closing the soft top over it, no issues
• Great at providing shade
• The family loved it, especially my daughters

I have not owned any of the other solutions so I cannot speak for those. Also, I don't know what final pricing will be yet but I will gladly pay it based on my experience with Bestop.

Please don't ask me for photos, go to their site or Facebook since I am not part of this company, just a blessed Bronco owner. My heart goes out for all of your still waiting for one, I was a first night reservation holder. The Bronco is worth waiting for, we love it.

This definitely sounds worth waiting for, thanks for the write up! I agree, the Bestop is a no go for me, that metal bar is just not gonna happen, not having a bar across the middle is one of the best parts of the Bronco. I'll definitely keep an eye on this company, thanks!

 

[Raptor Guy]

Why don't you all just wear a hat?

 

[redone17]

One reason I opted for Bestop is that I’m strongly leaning towards SMS Exposed Racks (at least for this coming summer). Can’t use GearShade with their crossbars. Doesn’t look like JTops would be an option either. Maybe I’m wrong. But, need access to the bolt holes.

 

[BuckyAsh]

One reason I opted for Bestop is that I’m strongly leaning towards SMS Exposed Racks (at least for this coming summer). Can’t use GearShade with their crossbars. Doesn’t look like JTops would be an option either. Maybe I’m wrong. But, need access to the bolt holes.

I don’t know the answer on that one, I bet if you email the folks at J Tops they will let you know.

 

[redone17]

I received some photos from Mike at JTops. Not likely compatible with SMS, but man do they look well made. Guess we’ll see what gets released by Gobi and other competitors in the coming months. I need to be able to mount my Superlite by June the latest. I’ll sleep in the back a few times again. But, that will get old fast.

Shipping is planned for the first week in April for JTops.

 

[bhb]

I ordered the bestop for summer. We'll see how it does. If not, will try another brand. For what its worth, Bestop is backordered (no date provided), so if you want one, recommend ordering now.

 

[redone17]

I ordered the bestop for summer. We'll see how it does. If not, will try another brand. For what its worth, Bestop is backordered (no date provided), so if you want one, recommend ordering now.

The price is also increasing April 1.

 

[SRB_ Beach bum]

Just installed the Bestop. Have had several tops from them and generally well made. Their bronco bikini (mesh) top is also nice product. One question that I have not seen answered, do you remove the center bow clips when reinstalling the hardtop? Do you then remove the middle bar until you use the Bestop again? The clips utilize the same bolt hole as the hardtop does- only one top can use these at a time. I do plan on running bikini mesh top under the hardtop.

 

[Ftchmup]

I'd buy into the gearshade if it wasn't for drilling into my hardtop latches. That's a hard pass for me.

2 tiny holes in a plastic latch, totally worth it. IMHO

Those worried about drilling your latches (hard top) for a gearshade…it’s literally 2 tiny screws per latch. You can remove or replace them later on if you don’t like. It doesn’t damage functionality of latches. As a matter of fact i found that it’s easier to twist the latches with the Allen key. Worth it in my opinion to have the top open and not burning my head from the Also if you can reach the center latches from the side, you technically don’t even have to drill. Loosen the side bungees and reach?

What he said.

 

[‘21OBX]

Just installed the Bestop. Have had several tops from them and generally well made. Their bronco bikini (mesh) top is also nice product. One question that I have not seen answered, do you remove the center bow clips when reinstalling the hardtop? Do you then remove the middle bar until you use the Bestop again? The clips utilize the same bolt hole as the hardtop does- only one top can use these at a time. I do plan on running bikini mesh top under the hardtop.

Do you mean the center as in by the windshield they unclip fairly easy and the front 5-6” folds back out of the way.
As for the bar I don’t have a hard too but I don’t see how you would pull it out without unbolting the bracket. The directions mention it can stay in place with the hard top installed. The brackets that come with it get added to and not replace what you have.

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