Center Console T-Top Comparison: Krypt vs. Other Brands
If you're comparing Krypt T-Tops with Stryker®, Fishmaster®, Dolphin® or Make A Wake®, don't make your decision from one specification or a free accessory. Compare the complete T-top, actual fitment for your boat, price, available accessories and parts, and just as importantly, whether you can reach someone who knows the product when you need help.
Krypt Watersports has been in the marine tower systems business for nearly 20 years, with more than 5,000 T-top installations. We don't install or sell our competitors' current products, so the competitor information in this guide comes from specifications published by those companies, while our opinions come from our experience helping boat owners shop for, install and live with aftermarket T-tops.
What Should You Compare Before Buying a Center Console T-Top?
I tell people to start with fitment, not the brand name.
Before buying anything, know your boat's year, make and model and measure the overall width of the center console. Look at the available mounting area, side doors and hatches, canopy size and what accessories you intend to install.
Then ask yourself a few practical questions:
- Does it actually fit my console and the way I use my boat?
- Is the canopy appropriately sized for my boat?
- Can my console door still open?
- Does it fold if I need lower clearance?
- Can I trailer it the way I intend to use it?
- Can I add the rod holders, electronics, lights or other accessories I want?
- Are replacement parts and accessories available?
- Can I easily reach knowledgeable customer support?
- What is the total price for the setup I actually need?
Don't assume the most expensive T-top is automatically the best T-top for your boat.
We built a separate Krypt T-Top Fitment & Measurement Guide because we think measuring your boat first is that important. We also have a Krypt X1 vs. X2 vs. X3 comparison so you can match the T-top to the size of your boat and how you plan to use it.
Krypt vs. Stryker® T-Tops
Stryker® T-Tops makes a serious product. Its SG600 currently uses 2-inch 6061-T6 aluminum, is designed as a universal folding T-top and carries a five-year manufacturing-defect warranty. The SG600 page currently lists a regular price of $3,179 and a sale price of $2,649.
My issue with Stryker® isn't that I think they don't make a good T-top. My issue is value.
When a customer is spending that kind of money, I think it makes sense to compare what you're actually getting for the additional cost.
At Krypt, our approach is different. We're trying to give the customer a quality universal T-top at an aggressive price, backed by a U.S.-based team that's easy to reach and knows these applications.
We've been doing this long enough to know that the sale isn't the end of the conversation. Customers call with questions about installation, standoffs, console doors, accessories and fitment. We want to be there to answer those questions.
Krypt vs. Fishmaster® T-Tops
Fishmaster® also makes a substantial product. Its current Pro Series is listed at $2,499, fits center consoles from 24 to 50 inches wide, uses 2.25-inch 6061-T6 aluminum side supports and has a twice-folding design. Fishmaster® also specifically markets the Pro Series for compatibility with side console doors.
There's a lot to like there.
But this is where I come back to the same question: What features do you actually need, and what are you paying for them?
A folding mechanism gets a lot of attention in T-top marketing. If you're constantly dealing with extremely low clearance, the way a top folds may be an important deciding factor.
But don't let an impressive folding system become the entire buying decision.
Look at fitment, overall construction, canopy size, accessory compatibility, parts availability and price. Then decide whether the differences justify what you'll spend.
Read the full Krypt vs. Fishmaster® T-Top comparison
Krypt vs. Dolphin® and Make A Wake® T-Tops
These two require a slightly different conversation.
Dolphin® T Top currently sells several configurations, including the Pro2, Pro3 and a side-door Pro3+ model. Its current site lists the Pro2 at $1,899 with fitment up to 50 inches, while the Pro3 is marketed for rough-water applications and the Pro3+ addresses consoles with side doors.
Krypt has a longer history around Dolphin® products than with the other brands. We previously carried and supported Dolphin® products, and Krypt still maintains Dolphin® installation resources.
Today, we think Krypt provides the better choice for our customers, particularly when the customer wants U.S.-based support, parts availability and a product line developed around the installation questions we keep hearing from boat owners.
Make A Wake Marine also offers a legitimate universal folding T-top. Its current Pro 600 is listed at $1,899 on sale, fits consoles up to 50 inches and uses a 2-inch 6061-T6 aluminum structure according to its current product specifications. It also carries a five-year warranty on house-made metal products.
My advice is the same: compare the complete buying and ownership experience, not merely one specification.
Read the full Krypt vs. Dolphin® T-Top comparison
Read the full Krypt vs. Make A Wake® T-Top comparison
The Biggest T-Top Buying Mistake: Comparing the Wrong Things
This is probably the biggest misconception I see.
People can spend too much time comparing folding mechanisms, free accessories, review counts and warranty length and not enough time figuring out whether the T-top is actually right for their boat.
I'm not saying those things don't matter.
I'm saying they shouldn't make the decision for you.
I've been around marine tower systems for nearly 20 years, and my advice to a neighbor would be simple:
Do your research. Read the fitment guides. Call the companies you're considering. Ask questions and see how you feel about the answers.
If you can't easily figure out which T-top fits your boat before the sale, think about what happens when you have an installation question two years later.
Look at the actual product and the company standing behind it.
Krypt has more than 5,000 T-top installations, a 99.9% fitment success rate and a return rate below 0.05% based on our internal experience. We maintain parts and accessories, and our customers can reach a U.S.-based support team when they need help.
That's my idea of value.
Not simply the lowest price.
The right product, at the right price, from people you can actually talk to.
Frequently Asked Questions About T-Top Brands
Which center console T-top brand is best?
There isn't one answer for every boat. Start with your boat's year, make, model, console width and intended use. Then compare construction, canopy size, fitment, accessories, parts, support and total price.
Are more expensive T-tops always better?
No. Price should be considered alongside the specifications and support you're actually receiving. For example, current manufacturer listings show meaningful price differences between comparable universal models from Stryker T-Tops, Fishmaster, Dolphin T Top and Make A Wake Marine.
Should I choose a T-top based on the folding system?
Only if folding capability is especially important for your storage or clearance situation. Otherwise, compare the entire T-top, including fitment, construction, canopy, accessories, parts, support and price.
What should I do before ordering a universal T-top?
Measure your center console and mounting area first. Know your year, make and model, check side-door clearance, and think about the accessories you'll eventually want. Then compare models that actually match those requirements.
What would you do if you were choosing between Krypt and another brand?
I'd read each company's fitment information, compare prices and specifications, and then call each company. Ask your real installation and fitment questions. How that company handles those questions tells you a lot about who you'll be dealing with after the box arrives.