mine was (car sold) the thinnest material I could get (so it would not build up too much under the parade boot) and I left it down all the time , only time it was up was if I got caught in rain , and then it stayed up until next drive, some times a week or two...when down it could stay down for months, never had a problem putting it back up, only that I had to really push the front down hard with arm/elbow to reach the clasp when not a hot day (hot days not a problem, winter months were) ...never had crease problems as it stretched fine.
Always had a soft beach towel folded , placed over the plastic window when ftop was down

and one of the reasons (the main one actually) to leave top down was just as you said :"Putting the boot on was an utter b*tch "....