Each TigerTough custom seat cover is shipped with step-by-step color instructions on installing them on the exact vehicle they were specifically designed for.
So if you ordered seat covers for your 2017 Toyota Tacoma, you’ll get instructions on how to install those covers in a 2017 Toyota Tacoma. Pretty nice, right?
There are covers in the seat cover world that look awful because the installation process is confusing or inadequate. It’s a common problem with seat covers. We addressed this head-on by making installation as straightforward as possible.
And in case you toss your instructions in a moment of confidence and need a few pointers along the way, you’re in luck because we record installation videos for every vehicle.
Since each vehicle is different, each seat cover install will be different.
We’ll walk you through what a typical installation looks like.
Watch the video version
Before you start
Lift and remove the headrest.
Lean the seat back.
Remove any straps on the underside that hold the carpet up.
If you have a Ford, unclip the plastic connectors under the seat–they might feel like they’re going to break, but they will come off.
Installing the seat bottom cover
Make sure you start with the correct seat cover–passenger and driver’s seats are different, so just look for the tag.
Line the seams up.
Push the top flap of the seat cover between the seat back and the seat bottom.
Take the strings and put one between the seat and the center console and cover and one between the seat cushion and plastic on the door side. These need to go down and under the seat, not straight back and behind the seat.
Tuck the cover between the cushion and the plastic trim around the seat.
Go behind the seat and find the strings you ran through the sides of the seat.
Run them under the seat. Look at your specific instructions to see if you need to run them behind or in front of the seat mounts.
Run the strings through each side of the StringLock as tight as possible and clamp it (the tighter, the better!).
Run the front seat flaps over any seat-adjusting bar and under the seat.
Pull tight on the front and back flaps and fasten them underneath the seat.
Installing the seatback cover
Make sure the airbag tag is on the door side of the seat.
Slide the cover over the seat.
Press the cover down around the plastic headrest mounts.
Go to the back and tuck the carpet flap up into the seat cover.
Push the front flaps through the seat crease and fasten them on the backside.
Lastly, installing the headrest cover
Put the headrest back in, but don’t put it all the way down.
Take the cover and make sure the long flap is in front.
Tuck the flap to the back and secure it.
You can put the headrest down now if you’d like.
How easy was it?
We’ve installed other seat covers (check out this Carhartt install we did) and must admit that ours take longer. Since our covers come in multiple pieces, you’ll get a better fit, but it will take a little while to get those pieces where you want.
We say to expect to spend up to 45 minutes per seat on installation.
“If you’re looking for a seat cover that you can throw on for the weekends and then take off during the week, this cover is likely not the best choice. While you certainly can remove and reinstall these covers, the process is involved enough that I wouldn’t want to do it frequently. To get a precision fit, you give up being able to quickly and easily take the covers on and off.”
Wrapping it up
These aren’t the easiest to install, but they’re also not rocket science. If you’ve ever stepped foot on a job site, you can install these. And we can assure you that every installation step helps give you the best-looking fit on your new seat covers.
Every vehicle installation is going to vary a bit. But we won’t leave you in the dark. You’ll get detailed instructions, an install video, and you’re always welcome to contact us if you’re stumped. And if you want to skip the installation altogether, check out one of our 850+ dealers.
We've seen people reviewing our seat covers (which are made for humans) and talking about how they love them for their dogs.
That got us thinking about what makes a seat cover great when you've got dogs. Whether you've got hunting dogs, service dogs, household pets, or work with a K9 unit, you will need a cover that protects from wetness, stains, scratching, and chewing.
Since we make our covers for humans, it's only fair that we look at seat covers that humans can use, so we won't review pet hammocks. And because we only make seat covers for trucks, SUVs, and vans, we'll look at those covers.
We're going to divide these into two types:
Seat protectors: Not a custom fit, have a boxier shape and will be obvious in your truck
Seat covers: Custom fit and will blend in with your truck's interior
Here are some of the top-searched brands for backseat and how they hold up to dogs:
Seat protectors all have a very similar shape: a boxy apron that fits hundreds of different bench seats with a skirt that runs around the edge, so it will feel (and look) like a universal cover. But these top contenders all have strengths in different areas.
WeatherTech Seat Protector
Image source: WeatherTech website
We've reviewed WeatherTech before, and here's the bottom line: We love WeatherTech, but would stick to their floor liners and not their seat protectors.
We like that these are made in America, easy to install, and machine washable. We don't love that you won't be able to access the center seatbelt or use the features of a split seat.
Takeaways from the WeatherTech Seat Protector:
No center seatbelt access
Can't use the split seat
Water resistant, not waterproof
Made in America
Quick to install
Washable
Some people love this seat protector; some people don't. Overall, half of their customers wouldn't recommend it.
“The straps around the headrest did not provide a very tight fit, and my two labs consistently moved the seat cover off the seat while jumping in and out of the truck during our trip. It is well made but moves around too much.”
Orvis is known for quality gear that can brave the elements, so the Orvis Backseat Protector should be no exception.
This has a very similar fit to WeatherTech's version, but this is a new item from Orvis, so we'll need to wait for reviews to come in to see if it's a better investment.
Orvis stands behind their products with the Great Catch Guarantee. If you aren't happy with your item, you can return it for a small restocking fee online or for free at a local store.
We've also reviewed Canvasback before. They're known for their cargo liners but make seat protectors too. They were founded in the 1990s by a dog owner wanting to make interior vehicle protection durable enough for dogs.
Their rear bench covers are like the ones we mentioned above, with a few notable differences: they're waterproof, have more color options, and can fit smaller SUVs.
Takeaways from the Canvasback Bench Seat Cover:
No center seatbelt access
Can't use the split seat
Waterproof
Made in America
Woman-owned company
Quick to install
Machine washable
“I was delighted to find a car seat cover made in the USA and happy to support a woman-owned business! … The price is on par with what I've paid for other seat covers (namely Orvis). The quality appears to be good; I appreciate that the pieces velcro together for easy cleaning. Like most seat covers, it doesn't fit perfectly, but with so many car makes and models out there, I imagine it's hard to find a perfect fit.”
We hadn't heard of Kurgo before we started researching, but their site was really nice to use. We actually liked their No Slip Grip Bench Seat Cover better than this one, but the No Slip option was only 55" wide, not wide enough to work in most large SUVs and pickup trucks. So, we'll be reviewing the Kurgo Wander Bench Seat Cover Extended With.
The cool thing about this cover is that it has additional pockets to store a leash, poop bags, etc. Kurgo also has a piped edge ( a slight raised edge around the seat) to help prevent liquidy messes from spilling into the floor. According to their customer service, their products are made in Vietnam, China, and Taiwan.
Takeaways from the Kurgo Wander Bench Seat Cover:
No center seatbelt access
Can't use the split seat
Waterproof
Made in Vietnam, China, or Taiwan
Quick to install
Not machine washable
“After having this seat cover in my SUV for several years, we bought the extended size for our 2020 F-150 back bench seat - it fits perfect. These products are awesome and wear like iron.”
Meadowlark really isn't any different than the other seat protectors here. But it is the most affordable. It has the same basic shape and won't let you use the 40/60 or 60/40 split seat features.
Takeaways from the Meadowlark
No center seatbelt access
Can't use the split seat
Waterproof
Made in China
Inexpensive
Quick to install
Washable
“Been looking around for a decent cover for my dog. He tends to drool after a fun day at the park. This did the trick, and it fit the rear bench perfectly.”
4Knines Multi-Function Crew Cab Truck Seat Cover with Hammock
Image source: 4Knines website
We added the 4Knines cover to this lineup because it had some unique options not available in the other brands mentioned.
Now, we said we weren't going to review hammocks, and we stand by that, but this protector has a foldaway hammock that you can tuck away, making this one an option for people to use. It also has a split design, so you can flip seats up or down as needed without removing the cover. We love that.
4Knines does warn that their cover isn't chew-proof. So keep that in mind if you've got a chewer.
Takeaways from the 4Knines Multi-Function Crew Cab Truck Seat Covers
Access to all seat belts
Split-seat design
Waterproof
Made in China
Optional hammock
Quick to install
Machine washable
Not chew-proof
“This is our second 4knines cover (the other goes to our smaller vehicle), and just as I suspected, this cover is the best one I've seen for a truck! Easy to install and fits just right! I love that it's easy to split if I have something big I need to put inside the cab or if I've got the kiddos with me. No need to worry about dog hair or drool all over everything, which is a big plus in my book (it's a legit worry when you've got a giant breed!). If it does get dirty, it's easy to take off and throw in the wash.”
It's tough to say. Your preferences will be different than ours. But if you want an American-made seat cover, go with Canvasback. They're a little cheaper than WeatherTech, a small business, and have more color and pattern options.
If you don't care where your seat protector is made, we like 4Knines. It's more attractive than the extended fit of the Kurgo, and you can use your split bench features. It's not the cheapest, but it's also not the most expensive.
Seat Covers for Dogs:
These seat covers will be tailored to fit your truck's bench seat like a glove. It's a custom fit that will complement your vehicle's interior. These don't just have one or two sizes. They have dozens (if not hundreds) of sizes because they're made for your specific truck.
Covercraft Carhartt SeatSavers
We're no strangers to Covercraft's Carhartt seat covers. These are a fan favorite in the seat cover world. We love that these give you a custom fit and remind you of your favorite Carhartt jacket.
These covers, like TigerTough, are meant to withstand the conditions of hardworking men and women. Grease, dust, snow, mud…it can handle it all. Think about what a pair of Carhartt coveralls goes through–the seat covers can put up with the same.
They have two kinds of Carhartt covers. Both covers offer a custom fit, a three-year limited warranty, and two Carhart colors. Let's go over the differences.
Carhartt Seat Savers
Image source: Covercraft website
This is the more affordable of the two Carhartt options offered by Covercraft. The only thing that would make them better is if they were all made in America, had multiple pieces, and were waterproof (they're water resistant).
Being one piece, you need to tuck the cover into the crease where the seat back meets the seat bottom. If your dogs are rambunctious in the truck, you might find that these don't always stay in place.
Takeaways for the Covercraft Carhartt SeatSavers:
Access to all seatbelts
Split-seat design
One-piece cover
Water resistant (not waterproof)
Made in Mexico and the United States
Three-year warranty
Machine washable
“They look good, they fit great, and the dogs and wife love them. We do a lot of hunting and fishing, and they clean up great, and dog hair does not stick to them.”
These are the premium Carhartt seat covers from Covercraft. They're most similar to what we have at TigerTough because they are multiple pieces, so you'll get the best, most secure fit on your seats.
These offer a better fit than the SeatSavers, and they're made exclusively in the United States.
Takeaways from the CoverCraft Carhartt Precision Fit Seat Covers:
Access to all seatbelts
Split-seat design
Multi-piece cover
Water resistant (not waterproof)
Made in the United States
Limited three-year warranty
Machine washable
Most expensive option
“Outstanding product and protection of seats. I have [them] only on [the] rear seat for my dogs. Great product, but installation was a real challenge. Directions and tips on installation can be improved.”
Like Carhartt, our covers are made for hardworking men and women. Unlike Carhartt, all our seat covers are made in the United States from nearly indestructible CORDURA, are waterproof, and come in multiple pieces for a super custom fit.
With our unconditional warranty, your dog can do its worst to our seat covers, and we'll repair or replace them for free.
Based on the specs alone, we like the TigerTough covers best. They're the cheapest option, have an unconditional warranty (important when you have dogs), and are made on American soil. We like Carhartt too and suggest thethere'sere's ever a vehicldon'tdon't make a seat cover for.
But there are many great seat covers for you and your pup. We like to say to look for these things you'reou're considering seat covers:
Waterproof
Easy to clean
Come in multiple pieces for a great fit
Have a great warranty and return policy
Made in America
Depending on your activity level, size (and number) of dogs, and your budget, there's a seat cover out there that will meet your needs.
We’re dog people. I mean, we’re Americans, after all. At TigerTough, we have dogs who ride along in our trucks just like our customers do, so wondering if our seat covers are durable enough to withstand dogs is a valid concern.
If you’re bringing your pets along for the ride, first, you want to protect your seats. You paid good money for your vehicle and want to keep that resale value. We get that. So you need seat covers. Second, you want those covers to withstand what your pet dishes out.
Our covers aren’t made for dogs. And we don’t have any pet hammocks you see slung in the back seat of a Subaru near you. We make our covers for hardworking men and women, so let’s see how TigerTough holds up to pets.
Made for Messes
Dogs are gross. They run through mud, jump in swamps, and roll in...stuff. You need seat covers durable enough to handle the messiest scenario your dog finds itself in.
Customer's dog in a truck with TigerTough car seat covers.
“Tough as f###ing nails, my dog puked on them and didn’t even faze them. If they ever wear out, I’ll buy [them] again.”
-Gene
How well does dog hair clean up?
Sadly, our seat covers don’t repel dog hair. We’re actually not sure of any covers on the market that do.
But we’re happy to report that dog hair easily vacuums up off the seat covers. We tested three tools to remove dog hair from the seat covers a standard vacuum cleaner, a Lily Brush, and a Furz-Off Stone. Out of all of them, the vacuum performed the best, and the fur came right off. You won’t need special tools.
Worst case scenario, you can easily remove the seat covers and toss them in the washing machine for ultimate cleanup.
“The best thing about these for me is their resistance to dog hair and ease of cleaning when they get dirty. I've got two large labs that wreck everything they touch. [A] damp cloth and good to go. Dog hair doesn't porcupine quill into the fabric. It vacuums right up. One dog has coarse hair, and the other soft. So well worth the money. So much better than the Carhartt I've used for the last 20 years.”
- Mark
Durability
We have yet to find a dog who can dig or chew its way through one of our seat covers. We can’t say it won’t happen, but until (if) it does, we’re considering them scratch-proof. No matter how much your dog digs, it won’t be able to dig through the cover. Heck, if a screwdriver can’t stab through a cover, we don’t think your dog has a chance of destroying these.
“We bought these well over a year ago mainly for our three dogs, and they look just like the day we put them on, so easy to clean too. We love them."
- Dennis
Customer's dog in a truck that has TigerTough seat covers.
Safety
If your dog uses a dog seatbelt or harness, you can still clip it in. All connection points and seatbelts are still accessible with TigerTough.
Disclaimer: We’ve only tested our seat covers for human safety, not dog safety, so be sure to read any instructions that come with your dog's car seatbelt before using it with TigerTough seat covers.
Dog-Friendly Seat Covers
We don’t make our seat covers with dogs in mind. Our covers fit like a glove on your captain/bucket seats and bench seats. We don't make pet hammocks or cargo liners (but if you are looking for cargo liners, we recommend Canvasback.) We make our seat covers for people first, but our covers are great for pets too.
If our covers can withstand concrete, coffee, gypsum, chainsaws, and weed-eaters, they can withstand the wear and tear of dogs and whatever other animals you happen to have riding shotgun.
But suppose your dog manages to dig with the ferocity of a first-time excavator operator and actually causes some damage. In that case, we have a two-year unconditional warranty and will happily replace those covers. And yes, we mean unconditional.
“Absolutely fantastic product! Holds up great to a German Shepard Service Dog getting into and out of the truck multiple times a day now for months with no signs of wear. Cleans easily, including the famous “German Shedder” glitter! My wife loves it. She can access the storage compartments in the back seats with no problems and loves the fact that this seat cover even allows her to raise the one section of the back seat allowing the dog to get in and out easier. No other seat cover does that, well none that we found! It is just the best!”
- David
We've seen our seat covers in action with a range of dogs—hunting dogs, pets, police K9s, and service dogs. Not a single negative review about TigerTough seat covers for dogs has come our way. Even though our seat covers aren’t designed for dogs, they've proven to be as dog-friendly as the best of them.
Some of us need to read a million reviews and exhaust all the options before pulling the trigger to buy a product. If you're that kind of person, we totally get it. You want all the info before you make the decision.
Here are some top questions we get from customers before they order:
What color should I get?
When picking your color, consider the color of the dirt and dust that you usually deal with. Is it light? Is it dark? Black will hide more of the darker oil and grease. Gray is best for light-colored dust like drywall dust. Hunt much? Then maybe you'll go the camo route.
If you're not concerned about dirt, then first of all, we're jealous, but secondly, choose whatever color you'd like! We don't have anything flashy, but we'll have a color in our nearly indestructible CORDURA that goes well with your interior. We have: black, gray, tan, western viper, urban viper, snow conceal, and drt.
Here are the patterns we have available:
Keep in mind that some seat covers (heavy trucks, transit vans, law enforcement vehicles, etc.) don't come in the camouflage options right now.
Are they safe with heated/cooled seats?
Yes, they are! They are perfectly safe to use with heated/cooled seats. You won’t notice much of a difference with the heated seats. With the cooled seats, the cover will restrict most of the airflow.
Are they safe with my airbags?
Yes! If your airbag deploys (and we hope it doesn’t ), the cover will not restrict it. A lab-tested tearaway will cover any airbags.
Pretty waterproof. Water can’t get through the fabric, but a seam is perforated. All seams are perforated since sewing needles need to poke through the fabric to stitch the thread.
Look, you’re not gonna want to use them as a bucket if you can help it, but spills and liquid won’t penetrate the cover (remember it can get around the edges, though). We still recommend cleaning up liquid as quickly as possible.
There's a reason your mom always kept napkins in the car. It was to prepare you for this moment in life.
How long until I get them?
Our lead time varies. Check the product description or the top bar on the website to see when orders are shipping. Want to see if your item is in stock? Contact us to find out.
How long do they take to install?
If you’ve never installed a set of our covers before, we guesstimate about 30-45 minutes to put on a front bucket set. Make sure and watch the install video and read our installation expectations, and it will go as smoothly as possible for you!
But if you've ever stepped foot onto a job site, we have full confidence you can install a seat cover in your vehicle.
What’s the warranty?
All of our covers have at least a two-year unconditional warranty (HEAVY has lifetime warranty). Unconditional means… unconditional. The warranty only applies to the original owner, covering all physical damage to the cover, no matter how it happened. (If your covers are stained, that just means that they’re doing their job! Although stains can be minimized by cleaning up spills right away.)
How's TigerTough compare to WeatherTech or Carhartt?
Oh, we love this question! We have all sorts of respect for WeatherTech and Carhartt. And we want all of our customers to be informed, so we reviewed how WeatherTech compares to TigerTough and how Carhartt compares. It all comes down to what you want out of your seat covers.
We also reviewed the best seat covers for work trucks so that you can find the seat covers that work for you—even if they're not TigerTough.
Do they hold up to dogs?
Yes! Our seat covers are scratch-proof and mess-proof. They'll withstand whatever your dog dreams of doing to them. Although we don't make our covers with dogs in mind, our customers love how our durable our covers are when it comes to their dogs.
Are they actually made in the U.S.A.?
Heck yeah, they are! Once upon a time, we tried making covers in Mexico. Although they were fine in quality and comparable to the ones made on U.S. soil, we decided to make all of our seat covers under the stars and stripes of Old Glory.
Do you make seat covers for my minivan?
Sorry, but we don't. It's not that we don't love minivan drivers, but we specialize in making seat covers that support blue-collar industries. And we want to be good at what we do, so we focus on trucks and heavy equipment to make the best seat covers for our customers.
If you need more info...
If you have more questions, just contact us. We're regular people who love what we do, so we're happy to talk about seat covers all day long.
We know WeatherTech makes incredible floormats. They’ve been in the business since 1989 and are well-known in the industry for their floor protection. A few of us at TigerTough even rock their mats in our trucks.
But when we were researching our Best Work Truck Seat Covers article, WeatherTech Seat Protectors were mentioned as an option for work trucks. Since we love their floormats, we had high expectations for their seat covers. So we ordered a single cover to fit a 2023 F150 XLT passenger seat to try our best to give an unbiased review.
Let’s see how it holds up.
Watch the video review
Ordering and shipping
WeatherTech wastes no time in shipping. We received our order in just two days!
WeatherTech shipping package vs. a TigerTough shipping package
The seat cover arrived in a plain brown box. This doesn’t affect our review, but we know their floormats come in a branded box, and it’d be cool to see that same thought put into shipping their covers.
Inside the box was the cover, wrapped in protective plastic, an invoice, and the installation instructions. No swag or fanfare. It was just a straightforward package.
Design and appearance
The weird thing is, WeatherTech does an excellent job of showcasing their Seat Protectors on the rear bench seats of vehicles in their stock photos, but you need to dig a little to find the covers shown on a bucket or captain seat.
WeatherTech Seat Protector installed
But once we installed the set we ordered on our Ford F150, we had that a-ha moment about why WeatherTech didn’t put their bucket seat covers in the spotlight.
It turns out they only offer six different fits for their seat covers–this fit is far from custom, despite searching for a specific vehicle when ordering. It reminds us of those weighted vests the dentist makes you wear before taking x-rays.
This is a one-piece seat cover, so you won’t get an attractive fit.
The lack of a headrest cover doesn’t help the appearance of an apron, so when you open the door, you can immediately tell this is a seat cover. Also, any grime from your head will still transfer to the headrest. That won’t help with resale value.
Fit
It’s crucial to point out that WeatherTech advises you not to install their seat covers on seats with side airbags. A standard consumer probably doesn’t realize that these airbags were being placed in vehicles starting in the 1990s. As of 1997, a mandate was put in place that all passenger-side seats contain airbags.
WeatherTech warns not to install their Seat Protectors if the side impact airbag is compromised
That means you shouldn’t put WeatherTech Seat Protectors on any passenger seat of a vehicle made after 1998. They could work on airbagless rear captain seats if your vehicle has those, but they wouldn't work on the seats of the Ford F150 we tried them on.
A side strap covers the side impact airbag tearaway seam
Let’s just skip right past that red flag and move on to the control panels.
The skirt of the Seat Protector covers the control panel on a Ford F150
The front skirt of the Seat Protectors went over the side control panels of our Ford F150 passenger seat. So if we needed to adjust the seat, we’d have to pick up that fabric curtain to access the controls. That’s not a deal-breaker, but it's inconvenient.
But the back of the seat is a different story.
Back of the Seat Protector
The back of the seat isn't covered by anything beyond the hook and loop straps that secure the Seat Protector. This might not be a big deal if you don't have passengers in the second row. But either way, it's not going to give you a secure fit.
Despite claiming their seat covers are semi-custom, having six varieties for thousands of different vehicles won’t give you a custom fit.
Manfred from Connecticut was disappointed with how they fit his 2018 Ford F150:
“I found the quality of the material good. The elastic to hold the fabric up against the seat was not very strong and unable to tighten, allowing the back to sag. The ‘grippy’ material on the bottom does not work well with leather seats allowing the bottom to slide forward. It is almost impossible to access the seat belts. There is no way to secure the bottom to the seat allowing the cover to ride up.
“All in all, for a cover that you advertise as a ‘custom’ fit, it is very poorly designed. I have been using the cover for two weeks. For the price and ‘custom’ fit, I expected much better.”
Material
According to their site, the seat covers are “made from a polycotton twill fabric featuring a water-repellent finish, and an extra layer of nylon lining.”
We’re always fans of anything that will protect your seats from spills. Waterproof would be better, but we won’t be upset over water-repellent. Just get to those messes quickly before any liquid seeps into your seats.
But the non-slip backing is questionable. Reviews say that it doesn’t work on leather. Dave tried them on his 2014 Ford F150 with leather interior:
“Purchased cover for backseat. So disappointed. Does not stay in place on the leather seats. Keeps folding up. The whole thing is cheap what we got. I'm sorry....but not good. Seats were full of mud on our trip. A blanket would have served better.”
That grippy material on the back is similar to a foam shelf liner. No, we’re not being snarky; that’s what it’s like.
Backing on a WeatherTech Seat Protector resembles non-slip shelf liner
Installation
Installation was quick. We were able to install it in under three minutes. There’s a strap that goes behind the seat and one that goes under. There’s an additional clip that goes around the headrest. Note that if you don’t have headrests, you won’t be able to install this seat cover.
We’re happy to report that a novice could install these.
Effectiveness
We didn’t do any of our torture tests with these seats, so we suggest checking out the reviews on the WeatherTech site from people who’ve used these covers in action. They’ll be able to tell you how these have held up in the long run.
Spoiler alert: Only 50% of customers would recommend the covers.
Warranty
Here’s where we can give WeatherTech some points. They offer a limited lifetime warranty on their Seat Protectors.
If anything goes wrong with the cover that you couldn’t prevent, WeatherTech will help you out.
Value
The WeatherTech Seat Protectors cost around $300 for a pair of bucket seats. That’s not cheap. And when you consider that the covers don’t protect the back of the seats or the headrest, and you’d have to pay an extra $55 per seat for a seat back protector, you’re looking at over $400 to fully cover your front bucket seats.
If you have $400 to spend on a pair of seat covers, there are other brands we think you’ll be happier with.
Summary
We wanted to like these but just couldn’t.
On rear bench seats, these could work well for pets or equipment. (Especially if you don’t need the middle seat because center seatbelts won’t be accessible.) If you’re not hauling around humans, this could be a good option, and the humanless options seem to be what positive reviewers are using these for.
But even then, WeatherTech reviewers give the Seat Protectors 3.2 stars out of 5. That’s a 64%, and if we were still in high school, they’d be getting a D. Not something we’d brag about.
Let’s face it; seat covers aren’t WeatherTech’s bread and butter. They’re known for floormats and other vehicle accessories. So although we love WeatherTech, we wouldn’t recommend their seat covers, and we’re not just saying that as a seat cover company; we’re saying this based on research, testing, and verified customer reviews.
Mike from Pennsylvania gets how we feel:
“I gotten many items from Weathertech over the years. All top grade. But the front seat protector I just purchased is awful. Looks bad, doesn’t fit well, uses Velcro attachments. Just awful. I have it two weeks. Constantly had to refit and re-adjust Velcro. I gave up and took it off. $150 bucks for an absolute failure. Stick to floor liners. Those work great.”
If you’re ready to invest in seat covers that last, take a look at these favorite brands.
We didn’t know much about ShearComfort before doing our Best Work Truck Seat Covers review, but we were pleasantly surprised by their specs. In that review, we looked at their Waterproof covers made of 500 Denier CORDURA®. Since we wanted something more similar to our covers for this comparison, we ordered their CORDURA® 1000 Denier Xtra-Duty Seat Covers, which seemed promising.
Let’s see how they compare with TigerTough seat covers.
Watch the full video review
A side-by-side comparison with ShearComfort's CORDURA® 1000-Denier Xtra-Duty Seat Covers with TigerTough's seat covers.
Packaging
The ShearComfort covers arrived in a plain, unbranded box with “custom seat covers” printed on it. If we were grading this, we wouldn’t ding points for an unbranded box, but they don’t get extra credit.
We were disappointed that their covers didn’t come with instructions. There wasn’t anything in the box except the covers. Maybe this was a packaging error, or perhaps it’s standard. Either way, since we work in the seat cover industry, we assumed we could figure out how to install them. Installing guides are available online, but we didn’t dig into them.
TigerTough covers ship in a branded bag, and we include full-color instructions for your specific vehicle. No generic instructions here. And all our instructions are available online (check out a copy) if yours mysteriously disappears.
Materials: What are they made of?
We got excited about ShearComfort because they, like us, use CORDURA®️, which is like the diamond-tipped saw blade of the seat cover world. These particular seat covers of theirs are made from 1000 Denier, the same as ours. (They have other types of CURDURA®️ as well.)
But there’s a plot twist.
ShearComfort’s covers aren’t fully covered in CORDURA®️. The back of the cover–where the pocket is–is made from stretchy nylon. Think 1980s workout gear–same vibe.
This was surprising because nowhere in the product description does it say the back is made from a different material. We can’t tell how this mullet-of-a-seatback will perform long-term, but we’ll get into more details in the installation section.
Design and Fit
The ShearComfort Xtra-Duty covers come in three pieces. We love this–it means the cover will have a more accurate fit.
We want to point out that the seat covers we ordered didn’t look exactly like the stock image. The cover we received didn’t have an airbag tag, and instead of a tearaway seam, it had a hole with a flap for the airbag. However, these were indicated as airbag-compatible, so we’ll trust them.
Overall, both covers look great installed.
Headrest
TigerTough's covers fit under the headrest support mounts. ShearComfort's covers have a bias tape that goes around the mounts.
The ShearComfort covers have slits around the headrest mounts with a visible bias tape around the edge. Similar to how Carhartt does theirs. This doesn’t affect function; you wouldn’t notice this if you had the headrest down.
TigerTough covers are designed to fit under the plastic part of the headrest supports for a cleaner look.
Seatback
The part of the cover you rest your back on is similar on both brands. The TigerTough option you see has the added embroidery (which will cost you extra), but other than that, they’re about the same. We didn’t see an option to add embroidery to ShearComfort.
The actual backs of the seatbacks are very different.
TigerTough has a pocket which costs extra to add. ShearComfort has a pocket that comes standard.
ShearComfort has a pocket, which is rare as a standard feature. You need to pay for this additional feature with the TigerTough vehicle covers (seatback pockets come standard on our heavy equipment seat covers, though.)
But, like we mentioned earlier, the material on the back of ShearComfort Xtra-Duty cover is a totally different material. It’s thin and stretchy.
Here’s what we don’t know about this back material:
What it’s made of
How durable it is
If it’s waterproof
If it will stretch out with time
That said, we wish they would have wrapped the whole seat in the 1000 Denier CORDURA®️.
Side airbag-compatibility
TigerTough has a tearaway seam for airbags. ShearComfort has an airbag hole and flap.
ShearComfort deems their seat covers as side airbag-safe. This is huge. We wouldn’t ever recommend putting on a seat cover that wasn’t compatible with side airbags.
This is where we got another head-tilt, though.
The stock images of ShearComfort’s Xtra-Duty seat covers show a tearaway seam, similar to how TigerTough does it. But the covers we received from them had a hole covered by a flap for airbag deployment. Since the hole is smaller than the airbag deployment area on the factory seat, this does make us nervous. We couldn't find any testing info on their site, so we couldn't see how they deploy.
The airbag feature we received was a hole and flap on the side of the cover (left). The cover featured on the site had a tearaway seam (right).
We emailed the ShearComfort team to see if their covers were tested. This is what they said:
"Yes all of our seat covers are made airbag compatible if the vehicle has side impact airbags...While I cannot send [the] documentation as it is proprietary information (every company has different methods that need to be certified), but I can assure you that there is regulation and tested and our manufacturing is certified."
TigerTough seat covers have a tearaway seam, so the side airbags can fully deploy in a collision. A third-party lab tests our covers for compatibility.
Here's one of the testing videos:
Seat crease
Both covers are made up of multiple pieces, so there's a clean seat crease.
Both brands are similar here too. You can tell ShearComfort is a bit stiffer in this area, but we think that would break in with time.
Since each cover is made of three pieces (the headrest, seatback, and seat bottom), there will be a clean seat crease.
Seat bottom
TigerTough and ShearComfort covers both tuck into the seat bottom and allow for access to the seat controls.
Both covers allow access to the seat controls and tuck in nicely on the side.
An elastic bungee connects on the side and runs under the seat to secure the ShearComfort covers. This helps keep it in place. Sort of. Elastic gives, so the cover may shift slightly when you slide into the seat. It’s also not a great material to use on seat covers because it stretches out over time, and if your vehicle gets hot at all, that will reduce the lifespan of the elastic.
TigerTough uses a string that runs along the edge of the seat bottom and cinches up (like your favorite drawstring pants), runs under the seat bottom, and our Stringlock secures it all. It’s not the easiest, but it’s the best way to keep the seat bottom from shifting.
Keeping the cover secure on the seat bottom is a common problem with seat covers, and not many brands have figured out how to solve this effectively.
Ease of Installation
“That install kind of sucked,” admitted one of our team members.
Since we didn’t receive installation instructions with the seat covers, we just went for it, assuming we’d figure it out. The headrest and seatback were fine, but it got rough with the seat bottom. We didn’t know what to hook the hooks to (Part of the seat? Each other?). This is partly on us because we didn’t search online for installation instructions.
And because we knew the airbag slot needed to be on the side of the seat closest to the door, we could figure out which cover to put on which seat. But it wasn’t indicated on the seat covers themselves. That box wasn't checked on ours:
The ShearComfort covers we ordered weren't marked for driver or passenger seats.
ShearComfort has a two-year, risk-free warranty, according to their site:
“This product comes with a 2 Year Risk-Free Warranty against any defects in workmanship and materials. This warranty excludes daily wear and tear, accidental damage, or wear because of improper use or installation.”
Two years is better than we’ve seen from other seat cover companies, but we don’t love that it doesn’t cover daily wear and tear. If a seat cover breaks down during daily wear and tear, it's probably not one you want in a work truck.
The TigerTough warranty is two years, but we make our covers for the blue collar world, and they’re designed to power through the worst of scenarios, so we’ve made it an unconditional warranty. We don’t care how you wrecked your seat covers; we’ll repair or replace them for you.
Price
We used a 2023 Ford F150 as our test model for pricing.
The ShearComfort option is nearly twice as much as the TigerTough version. However, you can usually find a coupon code for ShearComfort or wait for a sale. We keep things straightforward at TigerTough–we don’t have coupons or surprise sales. You get what you get.
Customer Reviews
With a 4.6-star rating and over 1,700 reviews, people really like ShearComfort’s covers. Ed P. says:
“This stuff is really tuff material, looked rough at first but it conformed decently over a short time. I have zero worries about my new trucks interior now. There are a couple small areas the seat cover did not cover. So be it.”
We have around 800 reviews, but we average a 4.9-star rating. This is what Stephen E. has to say:
“This is my second set of covers for my personal truck. Indestructible. Have purchased a set of front and Rear for a RAM truck in my Volunteer Fire Department. Are holding up well to the abuses that fire fighters put them through with the gear they wear.”
Summary
Ultimately, seat covers save you money, so they’re a wise investment, and you should take some time to research which ones you like best.
Both of these seat covers are well-loved by their reviewers. It all comes down to preference and what your budget looks like.
Based on the facts, TigerTough is a little more appealing since the price is about half of what ShearComfort charges, and the warranty is unconditional. But both covers are great options and will protect your seats for years.
There’s a lot of competition when it comes to seat covers. You’ll undoubtedly see the Carhartt SeatSaver Custom Seat Cover when you google best seat covers for my truck.
Everyone loves Carhartt. You’ve got the hat, the jacket, and maybe the coveralls, so it’s natural to want to deck your truck out with it too. You’ve relied on Carhartt on the job, but can you rely on it in your vehicle?
And how do these covers compare to TigerTough seat covers?
We’ll take an unbiased approach (no…seriously, we will) in comparing these two seat covers.
Covercraft Carhartt vs. TigerTough–who’s going to take home the gold? We’re about to find out.
Watch the video comparison:
Packaging
We love the box the Carhartt covers arrived in. It was straightforward, said what it was, and branded so that you knew what to expect. The only thing we didn’t love was it wasn’t clear which cover went on the driver’s seat. Since these are airbag-safe, putting the correct cover on the seat is important.
TigerTough seat covers come in a branded bag, and Carhartt seat covers come in a branded, shelf-ready box.
The Covercraft instructions are pretty simple and what you expect from a standard seat cover company. It’s a universal one-sheeter designed to work for any vehicle.
TigerTough covers come in a branded bag. If you’re ordering a lot of covers (like a fleet), you’ll get a box filled with these bags. Not as shelf-ready as Carhartt, but it does the job.
Unlike Carhartt, we send a detailed full-color instruction packet with our covers and a link to an install video for your specific vehicle. It might not be necessary for everyone, but we try to avoid troubleshooting by offering as much detail upfront.
Materials: What are they made of?
Carhartt SeatSaver Custom Seat Covers are made of “heavy-duty, firm-hand Carhartt® Duck Weave fabric and triple stitched main seams.” This is the same 100% cotton fabric you know from your favorite Carhartt gear. You can feel it already, can’t you? Like their apparel, the seat covers are water-resistant but not waterproof.
TigerTough seat covers are made from 1000 Denier CORDURA®️. That’s a mouthful, so what does it mean? It’s made in the U.S., waterproof, nearly indestructible, and so tough that it meets Military Specifications. It’s designed and tested to withstand some of the most brutal conditions.
Carhartt Duck Weave is tough but won’t withstand the same abuse as 1000 Denier CORDURA®️—seats in a vehicle experience more friction than an article of clothing. So if your truck’s interior will be used well, you’ll want to consider your options carefully.
Customer photo of Carhartt seat covers (not sold by Covercraft), made with the Carhartt® Duck Weave fabric showing visible wear on the driver's seat.
Derrick had some great things to say about the durability of his TigerTough seat covers:
“These are great quality, tough, very good fitting seat covers. I have had similar covers in the past on a previous Tundra, and they lasted 16 years until I sold that truck. I expect the same from these.”
Design and Fit
The fit of the Carhartt Seat Savers is the number one complaint we hear about them. These covers are made in a single piece (plus the headrest), so you won’t get a secure fit. Covercraft's Carhartt Precision Fit comes in separate pieces and fits more like TigerTough seat covers, but they flaunt a price tag starting at $429, so we didn't use them for this comparison.
The SeatSavers look alright at first but shimmy and shift as you slide in and out of your vehicle.
TigerTough seat covers come in multiple pieces: the seat bottom, back, and headrest cover. You’ll get an accurate fit, no matter your vehicle.
More pieces = better fit
Just take a look at a recently installed Carhartt seat cover vs. a TigerTough seat cover that's been installed for eight years. The seat portion on the Carhartt cover is already shifting:
New Carhartt SeatSavers. Customer photo courtesy of the Covercraft website.
Both headrest covers protect well. We’re happy that Carhartt covers them (because we’ve run into some covers that don’t). If you’re in any type of blue-collar line of work, chances are, you’ll want a cover protecting your headrest.
Just below the headrest, around the headrest supports, there’s a difference.
TigerTough covers are designed to fit under the plastic headrest mounts. Carhartt has a visible bias tape around their mounts.
The Carhartt covers have a visible bias tape around the edge. TigerTough covers are designed to fit under the plastic mounts of the headrest supports for a cleaner look. If you have the headrest all the way down, you wouldn’t notice. None of this affects function; it’s just a difference in design.
Seat back
TigerTough seatback embroidery is an additional fee, whereas Carhartt's logo comes standard on their covers.
Covercraft’s option has the Carhartt patch in the area between your shoulder blades. TigerTough arrives bare. If you’d like, you can add embroidery, whether stock or custom, for an additional fee. As far as we can tell, you can't add custom embroidery with Covercraft.
As you move down the seat back, both covers fit well, but TigerTough fits more securely. We make our covers in multiple pieces, so there are additional points for the cover to stay secured to the seat.
TigerTough's seatback pocket is an add-on for an additional fee. Carhartt's seatback pocket comes standard.
On the actual back of the seat, Covercraft gets points for having a pocket come standard on their vehicle seat covers. This is an upgrade feature for TigerTough and will cost you extra.
Seat crease
OK, this is where the difference is most obvious. It all comes back to one-piece vs. two, and the two-piece options just look neater.
TigerTough's seat cover comes in multiple pieces with a separate seat bottom and seat back. Carhartt's seat cover has one piece for the seat back and bottom.
Even if you shoved your hands into the crevice to get a neat look on the Carhartt cover, it would shift as soon as you slid into the vehicle. WeatherTech's seat covers are the same way. It makes for an imperfect fit, but you judge which look you prefer.
Seat bottom
These are pretty comparable. Both covers allow access to the seat controls and tuck in nicely on the side.
Both seat cover allow access to the seat control panels.
We wish there were additional contact points on the seat bottom, but overall it works.
Ease of Installation
Installation on the Carhartt covers was about seven minutes. Since their cover is one piece, it made things simpler. There are little pillows that you shove into the seat crease for the covers to stay in place.
TigerTough took about nine minutes. That extra piece adds some complications to the installation process.
💡Helpful tip: When we installed the Carhartt seat covers, we couldn't find any indication of which cover went on which seat. In order for these to be airbag-compatible, they need to be on the correct seat. Take a look at the inside of the seat cover for a tearaway seam. That seam should be on the side of the seat closest to the door.
“Covercraft’s warranty coverage protects against defects in material and workmanship, as well as the fabric becoming unserviceable during normal use. After factory inspection, at its option, Covercraft will repair or replace the unit or specific panels or parts judged to be unusable. Warranty does not cover fading, which occurs naturally on all products used outdoors, or weather resistance of fabric.”
This is pretty good, but in the end, Covercraft can determine what they’ll cover and what they won’t.
Our warranty is shorter at just two years, but we believe in the durability of our products, so we’ve made it an unconditional warranty. It doesn’t matter how your seat covers got wrecked (but we bet there’s an epic story there); we’ll repair or replace them for you.
Three-year limited vs. two-year unconditional warranty. Would you rather have limited love or unconditional?
Price
We want to compare apples to apples here, so we used a 2023 Ford F150 as our test model for pricing.
Covercraft Carhartt SeatSavers: $422 (this base price seems to fluctuate with their sales) TigerTough Seat Covers: $297
The Covercraft covers cost about 44% more than the TigerTough option. However, you’ll be able to find coupon codes for Covercraft, whereas we keep things straightforward with no-fuss pricing on our site. What you see is what you get.
Customer Reviews
With a 4.5-star rating and over 2,000 reviews when this was published, there’s no denying that people love their Carhartt seat covers. A lot of the reviews echo the same, but we liked how specific Matthew H. got:
“Exactly what I expected. Had put these in my landscape work truck three years ago and have been pleased. When I got a new-to-me CR-V, twelve years old but very clean, there was no question I wanted to invest in seat covers to keep the nearly new interior in good condition. Good fit, decent attachment, and I expect no durability issues.”
TigerTough covers don’t have as many reviews, but we average a 4.9-star rating, which is pretty great! We love what John T. has to say about his TigerTough seat covers:
“As advertised. I tried to jam a screwdriver through them with acceptable (non-extreme) pressure. They held up just fine. I’m sure the friction from my backside over the years getting in and out of the truck (2009 F150) will never wear these covers out. Wish I had bought a set when the truck was new. Would have saved the original seats from wear and increased the resale value. Pursuing ordering a set for my 2019 F250 to just prevent excessive wear.”
We often say that the Carhartt covers are the second-best covers for work trucks. If TigerTough doesn’t have a cover available for your vehicle, definitely go get your Carhartt fix. And if you love the Carhartt brand but want your seat covers to fit like a glove, you might want to consider upgrading to Covercraft’s PrecisionFit Carhartt Seat Covers, with two pieces (plus the headrest); they're designed to fit better.
When it comes down to the facts (and not our paychecks), TigerTough is cheaper, more durable, and has a more forgiving warranty.
To be direct, yes, airbag-compatible seat covers are considered safe if they allow the airbag to deploy in third-party testing.
But for those who want to know more details, this article is for you.
Airbags are relatively new in automobile history. They were heavily considered for passenger vehicles in the 1950s, according to The Rough Road to Airbags. The concept was brought to Chrystler, but they weren't interested. Ford and General Motors experimented with prototypes but couldn't mass-produce them.
But it wasn't until 1990 that the first collision with two cars deploying airbags was recorded. Since then, airbags have saved over 50,000 lives.
So what are airbag-compatible seat covers, and why are they important?
What are airbag-compatible seat covers?
Seat covers are considered compatible airbags when holes or flaps allow the seat airbag to deploy. They're considered safe for installation.
TigerTough seat cover with airbag-compatible tag
When you install seat covers on a newer (2012+) vehicle, you're almost guaranteed to cover up an airbag in the side of your seat. If your seat cover doesn't allow the airbag to deploy, you will likely be smashing your head and upper body into the side of the vehicle in the event of a crash. That's not something fun to think about, but it's true.
Watch this video and see how the torso airbag in the seat works with the ceiling airbag to protect the driver from hitting the side of the vehicle:
That doesn't mean you shouldn't install seat covers on your vehicle. Just don't install cheap, universal-fit covers. But watch out; even well-known manufacturers don't always have airbag-safe covers.
WeatherTech Seat Cover instructions and warnings
If the seat cover doesn't mention anything about compatibility, and you see straps or anything covering the side airbag, it's probably best not to install it in your car, truck, van, or SUV.
A seat cover that's not compatible with airbags.
Which brands of seat covers are compatible with airbags?
In our research, we've found the following top brands to be considered safe:
Covercraft
Wet Okole
Canvasback
ShearComfort
TigerTough
We haven't looked to see if these brands (other than TigerTough) have been independently tested, but according to their websites, they're considered safe with airbags. We suggest you only install seat covers that are independently tested and verified for airbag compatibility by a qualified third-party laboratory.
So TigerTough seat covers are airbag-safe?
Yes.
TigerTough seat covers have been independently tested and verified by MGA Research Corporation in Troy, MI. Watch the airbag deploy in under 30 milliseconds in the testing video below:
Whether you're installing truck seat covers or if they're for your car or van, check and make sure that the cover will allow your airbag to deploy. You owe it to yourself and your passengers.
Why are they important?
When adding aftermarket parts to your vehicle, you need to ensure that you don't hinder any of the safety features of your truck, van, car, police vehicle, etc.
All vehicles today have airbags in the steering wheel and passenger side dash. Most vehicles come with them in the side of the seat back. Some cars have airbags in the A-pillar (by the dash), the B-pillar (by your head when you're in the seat), the ceiling, and other locations in the vehicle.
We HIGHLY recommend checking your owner's manual before modifying your vehicle's interior to ensure you aren't compromising your and your passengers' safety. And when you're ready to install seat covers, be sure they're compatible with your airbags.
