Dusters and Covers

Covers for an open Jeep

When the soft top is folded or the hard top is off, the rear tub of a Wrangler is open to rain and to anyone walking past. A duster or deck cover is a flat fabric panel that spans the tub behind the front seats, attaching to the belt rail and tailgate bar, with sleeves or collars around the rear sport bar. A tonneau cover is the same idea, usually sized to pair with a windjammer or wind stopper behind the front seats so the cab is enclosed on three sides. A cargo cover sits lower, directly over the cargo area behind the rear seat, and a canopy cover shelters the whole cab from above when the vehicle is parked.

Which style suits how you drive

• Duster deck cover: the Bestop Duster covers here fit models without a soft top or with the hard top removed, attaching with Bestop's belt rail system so there is no drilling. The rear seat usually needs to be removed or folded, and some versions require a fold-and-tumble style seat.
• Tonneau cover with sport bar sleeves: MasterTop tonneau covers for the YJ, TJ and JK use custom sleeves around the sport bar and a front zipper that mates to a MasterTop Wind Stopper, giving an enclosed cab with the rear open for storage.
• Cargo cover and extension: Pavement Ends cargo covers work with the factory soft top bow assembly in place, so you can keep the top folded and still cover gear. An extension seals the gap between a cab curtain and the cargo cover on four-door JK Unlimited models.
• Canopy cover: a strap-down shelter for a parked Jeep that keeps sun, snow and rain off the cab. It does not fit over a soft top.

Fabric and hardware

Black Diamond is the textured, heavier fabric used on 2007 and later factory soft tops; Black Denim and Spice Denim match the look of 1990s and early 2000s tops. MasterTop's covers use 28 oz sail cloth. Match the cover to your existing top fabric if you care about a uniform look, and expect the Denim colors to be the choice for a YJ or TJ. None of these covers are completely waterproof; seams and zippers shed rain in normal use but can wick in a downpour, and the makers say so. Hardware is usually a belt rail that snaps or bolts to the body and a tailgate bar, which is why many listings require the factory soft top hardware or include their own rail.

Fitment pitfalls

These covers are cut to one body style, so a two-door JK cover does not fit a four-door Unlimited, and a TJ cover does not fit an LJ Unlimited. Check whether the cover needs the factory soft top bows present or absent, whether it works with a hard top removed, and whether your rear seat type is compatible, since several Bestop covers are not for stationary rear seats. Covers that zip to a Wind Stopper are brand-specific; a MasterTop tonneau pairs with a MasterTop Wind Stopper, not another brand's.

Living with a cover

Install on a warm day so the fabric stretches into place, and leave it tensioned in the sun for an hour before the first drive. Fold covers loosely for storage, never creased, and clean them with a soft top cleaner rather than dish soap, which strips the water repellent. Zippers last longer when cleaned and lubricated. Confirm the exact year range, door count and seat type on the manufacturer's fitment list before choosing a cover.