Paul Potratz answers your questions about Soft Top Classic Land Rover Defender vs Hard Top Classic Land Rover Defender.
Helderburg Live: Soft Top Defenders — What Are Your Options?
With warm weather returning, many Defender enthusiasts are thinking about soft top conversions for their Land Rover Defenders. Soft tops offer open-air enjoyment and classic styling, but their versatility and design options go much deeper. Here’s a breakdown of the key features, options, pros and cons, and practical advice for anyone considering a soft top Defender.
Body Styles and Soft Top Compatibility
While the D90 (three door) is the most popular for soft top conversions—offering the cleanest lines and most options—you can get a soft top on other Defender variants:
- D110 (five door): Can be converted, but fitting around second-row doors makes this more complex.
- D110 “13 door”: Rare fire chief versions can also take a soft top.
- D110 Double Cab / 130 (crew cab): These generally get cargo covers over the rear, not full soft tops.
The D90’s classic proportions and three-door design give it the broadest range of top styles and frame systems.
Roll Bar Systems: Internal vs. External
For any Defender soft top, you’ll need a roll bar system that supports the roof structure:
Internal Roll Bar
- Located inside the truck, invisible from the outside.
- Classic, refined appearance.
- Allows for more soft top styles and colors (black, tan, blue, brown, green, etc.).
- Flexible window layouts—three windows or up to seven with additional alpine and cargo windows.
External Roll Bar
- Frame sits outside the truck, visible in front of the windshield and doors.
- Rugged, adventure-ready look reminiscent of vintage off-roaders.
- Limited to the classic three-window top style.
Soft Top Styles and Features
- Window configurations: Choose between simple tops with three windows (sides and rear) or elaborate versions with additional alpine and cargo windows for more light and visibility.
- Quick removal: The entire top can be taken off in around 10 minutes and reinstalled in 15.
- Color choices: Beyond standard black and tan, darker brown and other creative hues are available—especially with internal roll bar systems.
- Top construction: Most modern canvas tops are highly durable, UV-resistant, and stand up to years of weather exposure with proper care.
Soft Top Maintenance & Living With One
Maintenance Tips
- Wash canvas tops with damp water only—no detergents.
- Be extra gentle with clear windows; use premium microfiber cloths to avoid scratches.
- Tinting clear plastic side and rear windows is not recommended (tint won’t last on roll-up panels).
Durability
- Modern soft tops last for years and are more robust than older convertible tops, which experienced more wear from compacting and stretching.
Interior Options
- Some manufacturers offer soft tops with a different colored liner inside, though these are more complex to fit and remove.
Practical Considerations
- Noise Levels: Soft tops aren’t as quiet as hardtops, but highway wind noise is surprisingly modest. Some minimal water leakage may occur at the windscreen in heavy rain, but minor strap adjustments usually solve this.
- Convertible Experience: Easily roll up windows or remove the top for open-air driving. If you enjoy convertibles, a Defender soft top is a natural fit.
- Cost: Converting to a soft top often costs more than retaining a hardtop, since you’ll need to purchase a roll bar in addition to the soft top itself.
| Option | Internal Roll Bar | External Roll Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Classic, elegant | Rugged, adventure |
| Top Colors | Many | Mostly black/tan |
| Windows | 3 or 7 options | 3 only |
| Removal Difficulty | Easy | Easy |
Final Thoughts
Soft top Defenders provide a true taste of open-air motoring, modern canvas durability, and a wealth of options to fit your style. Whether you prefer a rugged, classic, or highly customized look, there’s a combination for every enthusiast—or climate. Choose what moves you, and enjoy the season with the wind in your hair.
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