Here's my take on the visibility issue:
Note - Even though I don't own a H2, I've driven one quite a few times on various trips and trails.
Front view visibility - H1:
If you have the stock mushroom cap with no extension (homemade) or an aftermarket snorkel (Predator, SMA, etc), you'll find that the visibility on the H1 is slightly better than the H2. The A Pillars aren't intruding as much in your vision, and when they do, it's easy to see if there's something there behind them. You do get a broader, more panoramic view of the road, not because of the height (the H2 is taller than the H1, but the H2 was never designed to go into a cargo aircraft with a low ceiling), but due to the seating position and the window placement.
When you've got either a homemade or aftermarket snorkel, the visibility on the passenger side is drastically reduced, making left hand turns harder to see if there is oncoming traffic.
Front view visibility - H2:
The H2 has one big advantage over the H1 in visibility - there is a lot less glare. In Arizona, I find that there is more glare with the vertical windshields on the H1, making angled sun positions a challenge to drive sometimes.
The A Pillars are quite chunkier, making some blind spots possible, but it's not a huge factor with me.
Side view visibility - H1:
In my 4 Door Hard Top, side view visibility is hard on the passenger side. The height of the vehicle, combined with the small windows, makes a dangerous partnership unless you either upgrade to the Predator Convex glass, add a 4" wide angle to the mirror, or convert to the 2001 and up mirrors.
In wagons, the over the shoulder blind spot is huge (for 2003 and back units) on the passenger side. In soft tops and 4 Door Hard tops, the blind spot is a bit worse, since you have both the seat and the corner of the top blocking your view.
Side view visibility - H2:
Ironically, I find the side view visibility quite a bit better in the H2. Even though the vehicle has small windows as well, for me, the seat angle and position allows me to see better on the sides.
Rear view visibility - H1 and H2: Both are bad. If you've got the external tire carriers (on both vehicles), they intrude on the rear view mirror visibility to where it's quite useless.
So, it's a toss up in my book. Both give me a great view of the road.
Hope this helps,
Steve
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by kacyk:
Can someone give me some perspective on my previous question about visibility? The H2 has a hump on the hood which makes the otherwise short hood appear vast and it's difficult to see exactly where the corners of the truck are. But when I drove the H1, I "felt" that I could see the road a lot better and the corners of the rig were obvious. Although it is 5"s wider, it seemed easier to drive than the H2 because of the seating position and commanding view of the road.
Was I dreaming or ??? Can someone who has both a H1 and H2 comment? Thanks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>