Since 1997, Jeep Wrangler soft tops have made use of a header bar system. The front edge on the soft top material is permanently attached to the header bar. Once the soft top is totally raised, latches secure your header bar on the windshield frame.
Jeep Bikini tops have no hardware; they simply attach to the windshield frame and roll bars. Since there isn't a "channel" within the windshield frame, one must be installed as a way to use a Jeep bikini top. On 1997+ Jeep Wranglers, a Header style Bikini using the no-drill windshield channel is still the best combination. The no-drill windshield channel simply bolts in the place that the factory soft top latches in above the visors. It can be easily removed along with the factory soft top (or hard top) and can go back on without any other modifications. This is also the same windshield channel that Bestop uses for their Supertop.
For 1997-2002 Jeep Wranglers, Bestop has a strapless bikini Top which has a drill-in fashion windshield channel. When the factory soft top, hard top, or possibly Supertop is later used, the windshield channel is going to be removed on the windshield frame making holes where it had been attached. This setup should only be recommended for vehicles which is won't be replacing the bikini Top with yet another top, at least alot.
On older (up in order to 1995) Jeep Wranglers and CJ's, both factory and aftermarket soft tops use the drill-in style windshield channels. A new windshield channel should be required only when putting a Jeep Bikini Top using a vehicle originally outfitted with a hard top, or if the original was lost or perhaps destroyed. As with all good products that are usually industry leaders there's always a need for improvement, on the new products and also the older ones.
