Softopper 7+ year review

I had a Softopper (from Boulder, CO) on my truck continuously, every single day, since 2011 to December 2018 when I sold it.
The picture below shows what it looked like at the time of sale after 7.5 years


When I ordered it, I was very skeptical since I live in the Southeast where this thing was going to be exposed to the suckiest of sucky weather conditions and my biggest concern was going to be mildew resistance. But my Softopper went through many freeze-thaw-heat-some snow-humidity and a hurricane and to my utter amazement, not only did it stay largely mildew free but it didn't fade much, if at all and not only that, it never ever leaked up until the button rails got bent. More on that later.

When I first got the Softopper, I didn't think I was going to use it year round but I found myself not being able to live without it on and in the closed position and so I never took it off although I occasionally opened it up and I routinely would unbutton the side flaps to access things.

Unfortunately what happens to these after a while, and this was confirmed to me by Softopper, whose solution was to toss it and buy a new one, is that they shrink. And mine shrank like a mutha. What this meant was over time, it became increasingly difficult to button closed and eventually it became impossible to button it closed. And when I say impossible, I mean I got it closed but it required so much force to be able to fasten the buttons that it caused the rails to bend and be pried upwards at the end. (look in the picture closest to the cab), which also caused the softopper to be slightly higher than the roofline and subsequently allowed some water to get in which wasn't much but still caused some things to get ruined. There would always be some buttons that I had to fight with to get closed no matter what.

I attempted to bend it back but that wasn't so easy seeing as how the rails are square tubes. I also tried adding additional clamps at the end and that didn't work out either as there was nowhere else to clamp on.

So among the many great things about the softopper in my experience....
1.) Historically, my luck with fabrics is pretty bad although this material did hold up, didn't mildew that bad and didn't fade.
2.) Very rarely did it need adjustments or tightening the bolts.
3.) The topper didn't noticeably vibrate
4.) The topper didn't complain about being left on during occasional 90-110mph runs on the highway. I don't want to talk about that.
5.) It kept water out without any leakage or sublimation on the interior of the fabric.
6.) I was always concerned about people being about to break into it by simply unzipping it but I don't think they ever did but I can't be sure. This has more to with luck than with the product, obviously, as there is no way to secure it from unauthorized entry.
7.) It tolerated some reasonable weight loading on the back when sliding long ladders onto the rack (not pictured).
8.) The zippers held up to almost daily use although they weren't easy to close all the way towards the end.
9.) The price was, and still is, in my opinion, very reasonable for what you're getting.
10.) I always liked being able to unzip or unbutton towards the cap just to reach for something that had slid forward on the road or to run a power cord or water hose out of the bed.


Now for the things I didn't like.

1.) Lets start with the shrinkage. After about 4 years, it became significantly more difficult to button close. Adjustments of the rails didn't seem to help. Until one day, I could open the side flaps but I could never close them all the way again.

2.) The rails. If you ever go to take the topper out, those rails just looked out of place

3.) Hard to clean it with it closed. Specifically the part facing the back glass of the cab and if you don't clean it, and the flap doesn't go straight down, it can collect water and be hard to see through it. If there was mildew, this was where it had occurred.

4.) Their solution to securing the back flap was to use adhesive velcro tape strips. Uh yeah... but no. I refused to use velcro strips on the tail gate and as a result the back flap routinely blew in the wind. Is that my fault? Yes. I refused to install the velcro strips per the directions. Had I known at the time of purchase that velcro strips were to be used, I probably would have considered another solution. Recently I had a big 10'x12' poly tarp in the bed of the truck wadded into a ball thinking it was safe and sound under the softopper but somehow it managed to get sucked out in the crack in between the rear flap and the top of the tailgate. This happened on the interstate and it's very very lucky that it didn't cause a wreck because that was a big ass tarp and it could have wrapped across someone's windshield. Am I at fault for not securing my load? I mean, I used due diligence by having it under the softopper but then again I didn't follow installation instructions because I didn't want to stick adhesive velcro strips on my tailgate. Something tells me it wouldn't be Softopper Inc that would be liable in the event of a deadly crash.

5.) In my opinion, Softoppers look like something you would use for an overland expedition or some other temporary use but it does not look so great on a daily driver for continuous use. Now that trucks cost like $40k+, it feels a bit cheesy to me compared to what my peers have or don't have on their trucks. This has nothing to do with the function of the Softopper or its ability to do what it is intended to do but it was something that hadn't crossed my mind until I was on a date and my date showed up in a Jaguar and I showed up in this truck with a softopper and I don't think it made the best first impression.

6.) They get attention because they're different. And being an only child, I crave and require attention you might want something a little more mainstream.

7.) Closing, opening and removal was fairly straight forward but got more difficult over time.

8.) The hardware wasn't the greatest. Some plastic parts broke and one of light duty clips to keep the back of the topper secured to the rails either broke or ripped off. And whenever something uses cotter pins with a cheap key ring retaining clip, I just have to ask why they couldn't use something more in line with the price of the product.

9.) Softopper's solution to the shrinkage was to "buy a new one".
There could have been a less direct way of saying that, that didn't rub me the wrong way but it did.

Summary...
I would still recommend the Softopper under certain circumstances but am likely not (still haven't ruled it out) going to buy another one. The price is reasonable for what you're getting although the quality of some of the parts they use can be better. It keeps stuff dry but obviously, and this isn't specific to the Softopper brand, not able to be locked or secured in any fashion whatsoever, and something that can be secured would be a better fit for me. I'd be willing to trade the water tightness and extra cargo capacity of the Softopper for something that offers better security and more reliable closure, even if it's just a tonneau cover. I liked the privacy of a topper but missed being able to see out the back glass well.

My advice would be if you're going to use it permanently, and don't need to open it all the time, think fiberglass. If you're going to use it temporarily, consider that you might not like the rails left on and they aren't really designed to be removed. Unless you don't mind the somewhat distracting rear flap blowing in the wind on the highway, you're going to have to fall in love with Velcro all over again. Unless they changed something or went to a magnetic solution. I had long considered inserting some small ball bearings or something to weigh it down but didn't want to chip the paint.

 

I agree with the previous review.

I also had a Softopper from 2011 to last Saturday on my 06 DCSB. Pretty much on the truck full time unless hauling motorcycles. I lived the blistering sun of Bakersfield and then the last 2 1/2 years in south Texas. It shrunk but still worked. I had the aluminum cross bar on the tailgate flap that snapped into some plastic clips on the rails. I eventually replaced the rear flap because the vinyl window cracked, though to be honest, I hadn't been able to see through it for a couple of years before that. It was great for what it was. Well worth the cost, durable enough, and held up surprisingly well in the most brutal solar conditions in America. It also provided protection from the sun through the rear cab window. Bottom line, handy as a pocket on a shirt and versatile like a convertible.

I still have it. The frame is perfect. The canvas was crispy and crackly when I removed it from the truck Saturday. The rear panel is almost new, 1 month old. Anybody needing a frame and/or rear panel (gray) let me know, I'll be happy to work something out.

 

good info.

 

I'm thinking about replacing my snugtop with a softopper (payload issues when pulling my camper). My dogs ride in back, I run a 4" dryer hose from the AC through the windows, into the bed. They stay nice and cool under the Snugtop. Is this doable with the Softopper? Can I get a hose under that front window without it flapping like crazy? Even if I can get it through, do you think the Softopper would hold any of the cool air in?

 

ST used to sell a dog window for the cab-side with a flap that could open up, but now i think it’s just a conversion kit they sell to modify your standard window.

fyi, for the doggos to get some airflow, you can roll up the front corners while keeping the sides relatively closed. probably not ideal for the interstate, but idk, my pup rides in the cab.

and i don’t know about holding cool air, it might work alright but i can’t imagine it’d be as efficient as with a hard top.

i’ll add: because you’re talking dogs, beware of black under the sun... it looks good, but it heats up quick and stays hot. i keep a thermometer back there and during the summer (all closed up) it usually measures +20° the ambient temperature. honestly that’s not terrible, all things considered; the cab gets even hotter parked with closed windows... but i’d be wary about sticking my dog back there. obviously opening up the sides and rear can cool things off. i’ve also seen some guys line the roof with reflectix once or twice in the other thread, supposedly that helps, but i haven’t tried it.

finally: since this is/was a review thread, i’ll say i’ve had mine for over two years on the truck full time. imo it’s my best mod/addition hands down, and i only wish i’d gotten it sooner. i’m not using any velcro, my front is anchored to the rail, rear flap i’m using magnets to the tailgate. and i actually dig the look on my daily, but then again, my truck cost me nowhere near 40k (brand new). biggest con is visibility, but you get used to it. i’m spoiled now with the rear view camera, so it’s really nbd.

 

I've had mine now for 4 years.
I like it and get positive comments as they're not too common here.

When the cover was only a few weeks old, I backed into a parking spot at a store and put a small hole in the top from a branch of an ornamental strip mall tree. Needless to say, I was pizzed and put a small dab of silicone on the quarter inch hole and it's still there today.

My ONLY gripe is for whatever reason, I get wicked streaking on the side of the bed and tailgate after it rains. Noticeable on a black truck.
Tried a lot of cleaners and keep the canvas clean, but those streaks.

 

Could you insert rare earth Magnets instead of ball bearings?

 

Thanks for the review, I've been trying to decide what to do with my bed and it's nice to read a review based off of years of use.

 

I'll agree with most points. I'm on my second topper, purchased in 2016. So its currently 7.5 years old. My first topper was bought in 2004 and sold with that truck in 2008.

I have not experienced the tightening issue, at least to the degree that I have to Hulk it onto the snaps. It also has very mild fade when comparing it against recent replacement panels, but for a fabric its so unnoticeable I won't disagree with a claim of zero fade. (more on that later).

Leaking for me only happens in car washes. Its still rain tight, despite me cutting the dog window into the front vinyl.


I do have two mild beefs with it. One are the plastic release buckles. Those DO degrade under UV, and I have had to replace a few of them. The other is the vinyl itself. This is not the fault of ST, but rather points to my poor care of clear vinyl. I roll it up dirty, and am not gentle when the weather is below freezing. So on occasion I have cracked one in half. I'm now on my third rear window , and the front is almost due for replacement from being hazed over. Considering that I'm killing rear windows every 3.5 - 4 years on average, that's not really the worst expense in the world to have.

I'm also on my third 3rd-brakelight. Those aren't softopper parts, though, so I'm not counting that as part of the review.


The one thing I did notice since Bestop now has full management, is that the customer response/service has really slowed down. Spare parts that used to ship same day now take 2-3 weeks.


I do like it, and for a topper that's older than the truck it currently sits on, it still looks good. I have been really debating with myself if I would replace it with a hard shell. And considering that the hard shells I like start in the four grand range, the answer is still no. I might not like the current price where its at, but its still cheaper than the alternative.





^^ That rear panel was delivered a week ago. Compare it against the side panels.

 

My softtopper is a few months past 7 years and starting to show its age.
One of the plastic clips cracked from UV exposure and some of the stitching is starting to look a bit worn. I have seriously been thinking about a Wild Top this fall. I’m going to wait and hear a few more people report in on them though. I have rarely ever had meet to fold the topper down so that isn’t a big sell for me. I do like Wild Tops integrated roof racks.

 

I have a Softopper for my 2Gen, bought in 2021 and love all the features on it. It folds forward and you can remove it completely in under 10 minutes to do 'truck' things like moving or loading gravel, etc.. I even built a plywood platform so I can put shovels/skis/boots/dirty stuff under and the clean stuff on top. Totally worth the money for the flexibility of the topper, just wish I started with the full fabric panel on the rear.

My biggest beef with these is the rear window. Living in Canada we tend to get some colder weather and I have cracked the tinted (and thicker) plastic rear window and the standard clear (thinner) window in below -10C conditions. This was a huge disappointment for me but wasn't completely unforeseen. Since then I has to buy the full fabric rear flap and it that seems to work much better in low temperatures, just can't see out of it. My truck doesn't get washed that often and sees a lot of logging roads so the windows were always dirty anyway. Not seeing out of the back isn't really a change from the previous dirty rear flaps and isn't a huge deal for me.

Just wanted to share some of my experiences, overall 9/10, just some R&D on the rear flap would help round out the whole design.