No disrespect ment but I usually use the mirrors when I back a trailer. Loved my soft topper on my Tundra and will be getting a new one for my new F150. It isn’t for everyone but if you like to have the bed covered but might want to use an open bed to haul something it’s a great setup
For sure, I think it all depends on the needs/application. It served me well for a year until I started towing a lot and needed the extra visibility. When I'm making a tight reverse and the trailer is at 60-70 degrees from my truck, the mirrors just don't see what I need to anymore. I found myself having to get out and look more often.
agree. it's like my 43 ft 5th wheel. I can't see shit. gotta use my mirrors. same thing if your pulling a trailer with a 10 wheel dump truck. can't look through the side of a dump truck lol
The straps will loosen as you ride if you're in safari mode. They tend to stay tight if it's fully closed. Also, missing that plastic end cap on the left side of the rear bar is kind of a big problem, because it's designed to provide a lot of structural integrity for the entire softopper - something you'll need at highway speeds in windy corridors. I have a softopper on my F150. I've driven over 8000 miles with it in every condition but snow, including two cross country trips from CA to ME. It's a great product. I would say in general you want to keep it fully closed to prolong its life, but otherwise going safari, or rolling up one or more of the sides is completely fine depending on the task at hand. You can also completely retract the entire softopper.
Good points for sure, and I would tend to agree. With the sides buttoned down it was a great product, but a lot of the time I had my dog in the back needing some fresh air in his kennel so I had the sides up, thus they loosened. At this point I sold the softopper and bought a hard shell with windows and such so the dog has a higher headroom and a bit more freedom than the crate. I’m glad you’ve had a good experience with your softopper!
Bro, tons of vehicles have limited visibility like that. Vans, box trucks, pickups with utility boxes or caps…..this is a skill issue, not a soft top issue. Sorry. Also, tape up your straps, don’t let them hang.
Very good point, but just because some vehicles have blind spots doesn't mean that they are what I want to drive. To me, being able to see my trailer backup in a customer's driveway is important. If I can keep visibility high, it reduces my risks. Yes, I have large mirrors which help but at certain angles, the trailer is not in the mirror so looking out the back/side of the truck is the best way to see it. That said, I see your point. Thanks for the comment!
I like the radica topper .. solid well built and a good match for size.. I have the Tacoma access cab .. never liked the softoppers for my applications but it is too bad it didn't work out for you
Just ordered one for my maverick my main reason for getting it is to transport my dog in his kennel in the back so I think I’m all good. I also have one of these on a 71 K5 Blazer never had any of the issues that you’re talking about with mine 🤷🏽♂️
Yea it kinda depends on the application. I liked it for the first six months or so and then it started loosening up and flopping around more with the sides up. I just couldn't handle the blind spot towing with the sides down so I think it just depends what you use it for.
Not sure the safari mode/look was meant for highway driving. (Dont think too many safari's cruise around at highway speeds), but bummer!...i've had many hard top shells before and wow, soft top is where its at for me!
Good point, it may not be designed for that. Unfortunately I'm always backing up a trailer so the blindspot was just a no-go for me. The hardshell can be limiting but for the most part I'm happy I made the switch.
@@RollingWithRuss i know you're set on a hard topper, but there are versions of the soft top that have windowed sides. (The hard top has always been a pita for my needs)
It was pretty good with the water tightness. I’d say it kept 99 percent of water out, even in some pretty good storms. As for bugs, I never slept in it so I couldn’t say but I think you’d want some air flow of some sort. I’m not sure if they sell screens or something but it will definitely keep you dry. That said, I switched to a hard top by Leer with the high roof, absolutely love it. It has lights inside and window screens which is nice, albeit $2k more expensive. So there is definitely some cost to a hard shell…
I run mine through car washes all the time, I see little to no water, but I don’t do long term storage. You will find dust and road dirt etc over time though. It will never be a hard shell. But it is a really solid product if the soft top fits your life style
Yea my mirrors on the Tundea (aftermarket) left a lot to be desired so I ended up not trusting them sometimes. They have a strange field of view. I added some bubble mirrors and that helped a lot.
Just put a softopper on my truck three weeks ago. I love it. Admittedly, it will spend the majority of its life in my garage as I mostly use it for road trips and camping. No need to let it get cooked by the elements unnecessarily. I can’t get a fiberglass shell because none of the companies have the mold anymore for my 28 year old truck. By the time I buy a used one and get it brought back to new I’m also blowing a lot of money. There’s times I appreciate being able to see more than just mirrors when backing, but I’m rarely towing trailers with my personal truck. Since it’s a rarity, I’d roll sides up or collapse the whole thing if I felt like it. My most noticeable concern upon installing my softopper is the plastic clips used to attach the rear window bar. I’m ordering extra because I know those will break at an inopportune time and I don’t care to remove the bed rails when storing the frame/cover. 😂 There’s always haters. You do you.
I think your application sounds like a great use for the Softopper. There are certainly pros and cons to them or anything else, and in my particular case it just wasn’t working for what I wanted it to do as well as I’d like. It’s kinda funny, I never meant for this video to be so negative, but I guess my tone and the way I presented it came out that way.
The problem with your straps is because you just let them dangle like that. I don't know if you were ever in the military, but to fix that you roll up the slack and tape it to the main strap
Never was in the military but that's good to know. At this point the Softopper is in my garage and I'm running an ARE hardshell which I generally prefer for my needs.
Ive had one on my Tacoma for a couple years, other than thise buckles not staying snug, havent had any other issues BUT i never have the sides up like that. Everything seems to stay where it should be. Were you able to sell yours pretty easily? Im going to a tundra with a 6.5 bed so i need to sell mine and get a new one. Edit: I see that you still have yours as of a week ago. Wish you were closer, would rather not buy a new one
Yea, they work well with the sides down and I never had any issues with it moving around when it was buttoned up. I do still have mine. Where are you located?
Right now I am waiting for a ford Maverick. I have a dodge Dakota with a canopy on it. I have windows on the side that I can’t see anything out of. I can’t think it will be any worse without windows.
I screwed up when I bought knock off tow mirrors on eBay and they just don’t give a good field of view. That was my bad, they are marginal at best. I should just replace the mirrors with better ones.
I have a Softopper on my 04 Tundra since 08, I have not had the problem with the straps loosening. I tuck the leading edge under the flap that goes down from the back window to keep it out of the wind. I see only a couple of differences in the construction since 08. Hope you can have the same results. They do offer replacement zipper pulls and I have restitched my entire canvas as of January 2023. I like the ability to choose colors and would like to have the ability to have both the solid panel and see thru windows on the sides to see out while backing. My biggest dislike is having to keep replacing the velcro on the tailgate which may have been solved with the addition/upgrade of the back bar to keep the back panel in place. Softopper has a sister company Bestop, who has the upgrades/accessories I am looking for on my new truck. Great review!
Thanks for the feedback, that's interesting. I still have the softopper sitting in my garage but am really enjoying my ARE hardshell so far. There are definite pros and cons to each system. If the softopper had come with some visible windows for the sides I would probably be still using it today, I just didn't like the blindspot when backing up a trailer.
Learn to use your mirrors. And your cameras. And it’s $990.00 dollars. Your hard top probably cost upwards of $3500.00 to $5000.00 . Thanks for your feedback
I use my mirrors but still prefer not having the blind spot there when backing up. Hard top was $3,400, certainly a lot more expensive. Definitely pros and cons of both softopper and hard top but for my needs the hardtop does the trick.
Who uses a topper mirror when backing up? I usually use the side mirrors or maybe the backup camera 😂. Sounds like you should have just bought a hard shell in the first place
My buddy has a softopper and loved it so I thought I may too. For my needs though it was just too much of a blind spot when I backed up the trailer at certain angles. My mirrors are okay but the aftermarket tow mirrors on the tundra aren’t great. Ultimately I’ve been very happy with the hard shell and should have gone that route first.
Blind spots, as a trucker, I could never imagine having to deal with that. I mean, how is your truck even street legal without mirrors? You should look into getting that fixed.
Sounds like a lot of complaints for some things that you control or most likely using it wrong, safari mode doesnt sound like highway speed mode so all the movement and flapping around seems to be expected... the trailer portion just sounds like inexperience coming into play and the zipper i would think you would be using zipper lube for something that sits outside in the rain and getting beat up by the sun.
Yea I think that Safari mode is probably only meant for slow speed driving but given the lack of side windows, it’s challenging to see with the trailer backing up. As for the zipper breaking, it happens.
Learn to use your mirrors properly and you’ll be able to back up no problem! What is a little more difficult to get around (without extra mirrors) is the loss of visibility of your blind spot on the passenger side, once again get another mirror or Lear to adapt… a Toyota with a soft topper is no more difficult to drive than a little delivery van, and countless people manage to do that every day
Very good points. I think my aftermarket mirrors are not the right concavity as they still left me with some desire to see. I added bubbles and that helped a lot.
Why you guys so mad that he dosnt like it cause visibility we get it you guys use your camera and mirrors but who dosnt like to look out the side windows
Trying to be kind but first learn to use only your mirrors to back up. Have pulled many different length personal trailers over the years and don’t use the rear window to do so. I drive tractor trailer with a sleeper and all you use are the mirrors.
10-4 big buddy. Maybe I am a bit harsh on the softopper. I think part of my issue is the aftermarket mirrors I put on the tundra had a weird concavity so they didn’t give me the field of view I wanted. That said, you’re right I should only have to use my mirrors backing up.
Geez, I always use my mirrors when driving and especially when I’m towing. If you need the visibility, one could always roll the sides up. It’s too bad your SofTopper doesn’t fit a Tacoma long bed.
I use my mirrors too, just tough when there is a giant black hole in your blind spot. All good though! I switched and got an ARE hard shell and love it!
@@RollingWithRuss I’m happy for you. We use our Tacoma TRD Off Road, long bed for an everyday driver or playing. We need the bed a lot so having a fiberglass shell isn’t for us.
the whole back can be unzipped and removed.just re zip the back in.start at the top like any zipper.i just drove 500 miles from washington to montana with the sides rolled up. never had a problem with my tie downs.plus you got a back up camera on that truck. just another whiny cali dude.
No disrespect ment but I usually use the mirrors when I back a trailer. Loved my soft topper on my Tundra and will be getting a new one for my new F150. It isn’t for everyone but if you like to have the bed covered but might want to use an open bed to haul something it’s a great setup
For sure, I think it all depends on the needs/application. It served me well for a year until I started towing a lot and needed the extra visibility. When I'm making a tight reverse and the trailer is at 60-70 degrees from my truck, the mirrors just don't see what I need to anymore. I found myself having to get out and look more often.
With a backup camera
Lol😂 never have I needed to look at the trailer when backing up. You look at your mirrors and pick a side to look at while backing up if turning.
So how you would do with a 53 ft trailer???
Mirrors Mirrors and mirrors
agree. it's like my 43 ft 5th wheel. I can't see shit. gotta use my mirrors. same thing if your pulling a trailer with a 10 wheel dump truck. can't look through the side of a dump truck lol
i appreciate your insight and report of your experience.
Glad you found it helpful!
The straps will loosen as you ride if you're in safari mode. They tend to stay tight if it's fully closed. Also, missing that plastic end cap on the left side of the rear bar is kind of a big problem, because it's designed to provide a lot of structural integrity for the entire softopper - something you'll need at highway speeds in windy corridors. I have a softopper on my F150. I've driven over 8000 miles with it in every condition but snow, including two cross country trips from CA to ME. It's a great product. I would say in general you want to keep it fully closed to prolong its life, but otherwise going safari, or rolling up one or more of the sides is completely fine depending on the task at hand. You can also completely retract the entire softopper.
Good points for sure, and I would tend to agree. With the sides buttoned down it was a great product, but a lot of the time I had my dog in the back needing some fresh air in his kennel so I had the sides up, thus they loosened.
At this point I sold the softopper and bought a hard shell with windows and such so the dog has a higher headroom and a bit more freedom than the crate. I’m glad you’ve had a good experience with your softopper!
Bro, tons of vehicles have limited visibility like that. Vans, box trucks, pickups with utility boxes or caps…..this is a skill issue, not a soft top issue. Sorry. Also, tape up your straps, don’t let them hang.
Very good point, but just because some vehicles have blind spots doesn't mean that they are what I want to drive. To me, being able to see my trailer backup in a customer's driveway is important. If I can keep visibility high, it reduces my risks. Yes, I have large mirrors which help but at certain angles, the trailer is not in the mirror so looking out the back/side of the truck is the best way to see it.
That said, I see your point. Thanks for the comment!
Fair sir, and your point is also very logical. Wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me, but I get it.
Yup 100% agree. I mainly use my rear view mirrors and back up camera and I'm fine.
I like the radica topper .. solid well built and a good match for size.. I have the Tacoma access cab .. never liked the softoppers for my applications but it is too bad it didn't work out for you
Hmm, never heard of the Radica topper!
Just ordered one for my maverick my main reason for getting it is to transport my dog in his kennel in the back so I think I’m all good. I also have one of these on a 71 K5 Blazer never had any of the issues that you’re talking about with mine 🤷🏽♂️
Yea it kinda depends on the application. I liked it for the first six months or so and then it started loosening up and flopping around more with the sides up. I just couldn't handle the blind spot towing with the sides down so I think it just depends what you use it for.
Not sure the safari mode/look was meant for highway driving. (Dont think too many safari's cruise around at highway speeds), but bummer!...i've had many hard top shells before and wow, soft top is where its at for me!
Good point, it may not be designed for that. Unfortunately I'm always backing up a trailer so the blindspot was just a no-go for me. The hardshell can be limiting but for the most part I'm happy I made the switch.
@@RollingWithRuss i know you're set on a hard topper, but there are versions of the soft top that have windowed sides. (The hard top has always been a pita for my needs)
Had mine for 3 years,never a problem. Fully extended for 3 years, 36,000- miles.
Glad to hear it worked well for you! I think they can be great depending on what you use them for.
Do you not use your mirrors?
Never. JK I use my mirrors but when the trailer is at certain angles it's outside of what the mirrors will show.
How did it do at keeping water out around all the contact points, trim etc and how does it do at keeping bugs out if you want to sleep in it?
It was pretty good with the water tightness. I’d say it kept 99 percent of water out, even in some pretty good storms. As for bugs, I never slept in it so I couldn’t say but I think you’d want some air flow of some sort. I’m not sure if they sell screens or something but it will definitely keep you dry.
That said, I switched to a hard top by Leer with the high roof, absolutely love it. It has lights inside and window screens which is nice, albeit $2k more expensive. So there is definitely some cost to a hard shell…
I run mine through car washes all the time, I see little to no water, but I don’t do long term storage. You will find dust and road dirt etc over time though. It will never be a hard shell. But it is a really solid product if the soft top fits your life style
Interesting. I had the same one for over 3 years, no straps loose problem, and backing up a 31’ trailer didn’t even cross my mind about the sides
Yea my mirrors on the Tundea (aftermarket) left a lot to be desired so I ended up not trusting them sometimes. They have a strange field of view. I added some bubble mirrors and that helped a lot.
Just put a softopper on my truck three weeks ago. I love it. Admittedly, it will spend the majority of its life in my garage as I mostly use it for road trips and camping. No need to let it get cooked by the elements unnecessarily.
I can’t get a fiberglass shell because none of the companies have the mold anymore for my 28 year old truck. By the time I buy a used one and get it brought back to new I’m also blowing a lot of money.
There’s times I appreciate being able to see more than just mirrors when backing, but I’m rarely towing trailers with my personal truck. Since it’s a rarity, I’d roll sides up or collapse the whole thing if I felt like it.
My most noticeable concern upon installing my softopper is the plastic clips used to attach the rear window bar. I’m ordering extra because I know those will break at an inopportune time and I don’t care to remove the bed rails when storing the frame/cover. 😂
There’s always haters. You do you.
I think your application sounds like a great use for the Softopper. There are certainly pros and cons to them or anything else, and in my particular case it just wasn’t working for what I wanted it to do as well as I’d like.
It’s kinda funny, I never meant for this video to be so negative, but I guess my tone and the way I presented it came out that way.
Thanks for the video! Is it possible to run a safety pin or two into each of the straps to keep them from extending on their own?
That is a good idea, and to be honest I’m not sure but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work.
The problem with your straps is because you just let them dangle like that. I don't know if you were ever in the military, but to fix that you roll up the slack and tape it to the main strap
Never was in the military but that's good to know. At this point the Softopper is in my garage and I'm running an ARE hardshell which I generally prefer for my needs.
If it keeps getting loose while you’re driving it, why not tie or sew it at the desired tension?
I ended up selling it and getting a hard shell.
Ive had one on my Tacoma for a couple years, other than thise buckles not staying snug, havent had any other issues BUT i never have the sides up like that. Everything seems to stay where it should be. Were you able to sell yours pretty easily? Im going to a tundra with a 6.5 bed so i need to sell mine and get a new one. Edit: I see that you still have yours as of a week ago. Wish you were closer, would rather not buy a new one
Yea, they work well with the sides down and I never had any issues with it moving around when it was buttoned up. I do still have mine. Where are you located?
@@RollingWithRuss CO
Right now I am waiting for a ford Maverick. I have a dodge Dakota with a canopy on it. I have windows on the side that I can’t see anything out of. I can’t think it will be any worse without windows.
Should be fine. I can’t imagine you will have too large of a blind spot in a Maverick.
I grew up using mirrors for everything so it works great for me.
I screwed up when I bought knock off tow mirrors on eBay and they just don’t give a good field of view. That was my bad, they are marginal at best. I should just replace the mirrors with better ones.
My straps have not loosened in the past 3 years. Softopper has been amazing
That’s awesome to hear! Maybe mine were not setup properly then.
I have a Softopper on my 04 Tundra since 08, I have not had the problem with the straps loosening. I tuck the leading edge under the flap that goes down from the back window to keep it out of the wind. I see only a couple of differences in the construction since 08. Hope you can have the same results. They do offer replacement zipper pulls and I have restitched my entire canvas as of January 2023. I like the ability to choose colors and would like to have the ability to have both the solid panel and see thru windows on the sides to see out while backing. My biggest dislike is having to keep replacing the velcro on the tailgate which may have been solved with the addition/upgrade of the back bar to keep the back panel in place. Softopper has a sister company Bestop, who has the upgrades/accessories I am looking for on my new truck. Great review!
Thanks for the feedback, that's interesting. I still have the softopper sitting in my garage but am really enjoying my ARE hardshell so far. There are definite pros and cons to each system. If the softopper had come with some visible windows for the sides I would probably be still using it today, I just didn't like the blindspot when backing up a trailer.
How do you have a SR5 and TRD on the same truck?
It’s the SR5 trim with the TRD Off-road package I believe.
Learn to use your mirrors. And your cameras. And it’s $990.00 dollars. Your hard top probably cost upwards of $3500.00 to $5000.00 . Thanks for your feedback
I use my mirrors but still prefer not having the blind spot there when backing up. Hard top was $3,400, certainly a lot more expensive. Definitely pros and cons of both softopper and hard top but for my needs the hardtop does the trick.
lol. Can’t wait to get mine
It was good overall, just not for what I was looking for. Still a great product in my eyes.
Who uses a topper mirror when backing up? I usually use the side mirrors or maybe the backup camera 😂. Sounds like you should have just bought a hard shell in the first place
My buddy has a softopper and loved it so I thought I may too. For my needs though it was just too much of a blind spot when I backed up the trailer at certain angles. My mirrors are okay but the aftermarket tow mirrors on the tundra aren’t great. Ultimately I’ve been very happy with the hard shell and should have gone that route first.
3:02 A solution to the straps getting loose could be a simple locking tarp clamp.
Got it. At this point, I sold the Softopper and put an ARE hardshell on.
Blind spots, as a trucker, I could never imagine having to deal with that. I mean, how is your truck even street legal without mirrors? You should look into getting that fixed.
It’s hard to believe it is! I took the mirrors right off and don’t even use them!
Sounds like a lot of complaints for some things that you control or most likely using it wrong, safari mode doesnt sound like highway speed mode so all the movement and flapping around seems to be expected... the trailer portion just sounds like inexperience coming into play and the zipper i would think you would be using zipper lube for something that sits outside in the rain and getting beat up by the sun.
Yea I think that Safari mode is probably only meant for slow speed driving but given the lack of side windows, it’s challenging to see with the trailer backing up. As for the zipper breaking, it happens.
Water proof?
Yea it’s pretty good surprisingly. Very minimal leaking ever in heavy rain.
Waiting on the "dangerous" part
The danger part was the blindspot it created when my trailer was at a 45 degree angle and I couldn’t see out the sides.
Learn to use your mirrors properly and you’ll be able to back up no problem! What is a little more difficult to get around (without extra mirrors) is the loss of visibility of your blind spot on the passenger side, once again get another mirror or Lear to adapt… a Toyota with a soft topper is no more difficult to drive than a little delivery van, and countless people manage to do that every day
Very good points. I think my aftermarket mirrors are not the right concavity as they still left me with some desire to see. I added bubbles and that helped a lot.
Had the zipper come off on me super easy fix
Right on
Fas-top is an awesome product.
Never heard of it! I’ll have to check it out.
Why you guys so mad that he dosnt like it cause visibility we get it you guys use your camera and mirrors but who dosnt like to look out the side windows
Haha probably the first positive comment I have gotten on this video. Thanks for watching!
Trying to be kind but first learn to use only your mirrors to back up. Have pulled many different length personal trailers over the years and don’t use the rear window to do so. I drive tractor trailer with a sleeper and all you use are the mirrors.
10-4 big buddy. Maybe I am a bit harsh on the softopper. I think part of my issue is the aftermarket mirrors I put on the tundra had a weird concavity so they didn’t give me the field of view I wanted. That said, you’re right I should only have to use my mirrors backing up.
Basically yours broke and your replacing it is all I got out of this
Yup! Something like that…
straps set up in the wrong way. thats why they loosen...
Well that would explain a lot.
Safari mode wasn't meant for highway speeds duh
Whoops, I guess I had the wrong impression that it could be. In any case, I’ve since upgraded to an A.R.E. truck shell and love it.
Geez, I always use my mirrors when driving and especially when I’m towing.
If you need the visibility, one could always roll the sides up.
It’s too bad your SofTopper doesn’t fit a Tacoma long bed.
I use my mirrors too, just tough when there is a giant black hole in your blind spot. All good though! I switched and got an ARE hard shell and love it!
@@RollingWithRuss I’m happy for you.
We use our Tacoma TRD Off Road, long bed for an everyday driver or playing.
We need the bed a lot so having a fiberglass shell isn’t for us.
Stop driving in safari mode so much
Fair enough. Sold the softopper and got a hard shell now. Much happier.
Softtopper sent me the wrong parts 3 times. Mine has fallen apart 2 times, zippers failed, etc. Warranty is a nightmare. Never buying one again.
Bummer, sorry to hear that :(
the whole back can be unzipped and removed.just re zip the back in.start at the top like any zipper.i just drove 500 miles from washington to montana with the sides rolled up. never had a problem with my tie downs.plus you got a back up camera on that truck. just another whiny cali dude.
Thanks for your comments, helps the algorithm!
plus your side roll up job sucks.roll it up even, the sides first , then do the back and it all tucks in nice.
Thanks for the tips!
You’re the problem - not the topper
Thanks, what a nice comment!
wow...people get so offended , most likely because they have no life.