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We've seen people reviewing our seat covers (which are made for humans) and talking about how they love them for their dogs. 

Whether you've got hunting dogs, service dogs, household pets, volunteer with a rescue, 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:

1. Seat protectors: Not a custom fit, have a boxier shape and will obviously be a cover in your truck
2. 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:

Best Seat Protectors for 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

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.

But when it comes to dogs in the backseat, the WeatherTech Seat Protectors will do just fine. 

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.”

-Ken, WeatherTech customer

Wet mess protection: 3/5
Chew and scratch resistance: 3/5
Price: $190

Orvis Grip-Tight® Backseat Protector

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.

Takeaways from the Orvis Backseat Protector:

• Can't use the split seat
• Water resistant, not waterproof
• Made in China
• Microfiber
• Quick to install
• Washable 

Wet mess protection: 3/5
Chew and scratch resistance: 3/5
Price: $180

Canvasback Bench Seat Cover

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.”

- Sophie, Canvasback customer

Wet mess protection: 4/5
Chew and scratch resistance: 4/5
Price: $160

Kurgo Wander Bench Seat Cover Extended Width

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 Width.

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.”

-Linda, Kurgo customer

Wet mess protection: 5/5
Chew and scratch resistance: 4/5
Price: $59

Meadowlark Dog Seat Cover Bench

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.”

- dcf111, Meadowlark customer

Wet mess protection: 5/5
Chew and scratch resistance: 4/5
Price: $50

4Knines Multi-Function Crew Cab Truck Seat Cover with Hammock

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.”

- Caitlin, 4Knines Customer

Wet mess protection: 4/5
Chew and scratch resistance: 3/5
Price: $150

Our favorite seat protector for dogs:

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

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.”

- Keith, Covercraft customer

Wet mess protection: 4/5
Chew and scratch resistance: 5/5
Price: $435

Covercraft Carhartt PrecisionFit Seat Covers

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.”

- Harold, Covercraft customer

Wet mess protection: 4/5
Chew and scratch resistance: 5/5
Price: $498

TigerTough Seat Covers

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. 

We don't make our seat covers with dogs in mind, but our customers love how the covers hold up to dogs.

Takeaways from TigerTough Seat Covers:

• Access to all seatbelts
• Split-seat design
• Multi-piece cover
• Waterproof
• Made in the United States
• Unconditional two-year warranty
• Machine washable

"They're great. No movement, no wear, and my 85lb Labrador crawls all over them daily. Great fit and price."

- Jeff, TigerTough customer

Wet mess protection: 5/5
Chew and scratch resistance: 5/5
Price: $325

Our favorite seat cover for dogs:

Based on the specs alone, we like the TigerTough covers best. OK, yes, we work for TigerTough so that feels biased. But they're the cheapest option, have an unconditional warranty (important when you have dogs), and are made on American soil. We like Carhartt and love the look of the covers and suggest them if there's ever a vehicle we don'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'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. And when it doubt, any protection is better than none, so go with what you can afford.

Seat cover overview

A lot of seat covers suck.

They fall short on fit, installation, warranty, and wear. We've reviewed some of the top seat cover brands on the market, and even some of those have struggles.

So here are eight roadblocks we hear when it comes to buying seat covers. We've addressed them to eliminate the suckage.

Problem 1: Seat Covers Suck to Install

First off, any seat cover that fits well will take a little time to install. If it just slips on, it will slip right off the first time you sit on it. 

TigerTough Solution:

We’ve worked our tails off to ensure that TigerTough seat covers don’t suck to install. It won’t be a breeze, but we'll make it as easy as possible.

• Everything is held on the seat with hook and loop fasteners (you may call this VELCRO, but that's a brand name, and we aren't allowed to call it that) except a string that runs under the seat. That’s held together with our patented Stringlock. More on that later.
• When designing a new seat cover, we also shoot a detailed install video and write up an install guide for that seat. We don’t do generic instructions because vehicles aren’t generic. 
• TigerTough seat covers aren’t one-piece covers. The back, bottom, and headrest of your seat are all covered with separate covers, so you can work on one section at a time and end up with something that fits properly.
• There’s a very fine line between seat covers that fit well and feeling like you’re putting five pounds of potatoes in a four-pound sack. We tip-toe right down that line. Johnny Cash would be proud.  

Problem 2: Seat Covers Never Stay In Place

We're with you. Seat covers that shimmy and shift are as bad as a bunched-up sock in your work boot. Ain't nobody got time (or tolerance) for that.

TigerTough Solution:

• Everything is held on with hook and loop, string, and the Stringlock. None of these have any “give.” Your cover is secure once you’ve snugged everything up, pulled it tight, and slammed it into place. We don’t secure anything with elastic or adjustable clips because elastic stretches as soon as you put pressure on it, and adjustable clips tend to self-adjust over time.
• This is another reason for the three-piece cover. When you can completely wrap the seat back, bottom, and headrest separately, the seat cover conforms to the seat's shape and has no room to move.
• Everything is fully wrapped. Rather than run straps under the seat where you can’t see them, we run the cover all the way under the seat and connect it together in the back. Some seat covers are like aprons. Ours is like a pair of trusty coveralls. Which would you prefer on the job?
• Stretchy fabric is notorious for moving around. Since TigerTough seat covers are made from tough, tightly woven fabric, there is no stretch at all.  

Problem 3: Seat Covers Never Fit Right

An ill-fitting seat cover doesn't do anyone any favors. And one-size-fits-most usually means one-size-fits-none. There's no reason to settle for a bad seat cover.

TigerTough Solution:

Every TigerTough seat cover is designed specifically for one seat style or one vehicle.

Here’s how the process works:

1. We get the seat into our factory for the most accurate measurements.
2. Our design team spends 2-3 days designing a cover that matches the seat exactly.
3. We install the cover, taking detailed install photos and videos so you can see precisely how it goes when installing it.

If you’re hesitant to use seat covers based on past experiences with covers that fit like socks on a rooster, you have every right to be!  

No seat cover we make is designed from pictures or manufacturer specs. It’s all done the hard way, by hand, using the seats they'll cover.

Problem 4: They’re Unsafe

Okay, some seat covers aren't safe. Or hey, maybe safety never even crossed your mind. We actually reviewed a very popular seat cover brand that isn't considered safe when it comes to airbag deployment. You might also be think it's not safe to use them with heated seats.

TigerTough Solution:

Any TigerTough seat cover designed for seats with airbags built into them is designed to tear open exactly as the factory seat does if the airbag deploys.

A third-party lab independently tests our designs to ensure they work just as they should.

As for the whole heated seat thing, most covers are safe for heated seats. There will be some that perform better than others though.

Problem 5: They’re Ugly

Well, this is pretty subjective. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?

Seat covers have come a long way, though, and you can likely find a cover in a style that suits you. Whether you want something tough, floral, camo, or fluffy. Heck, even Carhartt has covers.

TigerTough Solution:

We design for performance first, not looks. You won’t find bright colors, elaborate patterns, or luxury quilting on any of our seat covers. 

The fanciest we get is camo covers and custom embroidery.

We skip the decorative stitching so the covers are as tough as possible and look a little plainer than the factory seats.

If you want something that looks like a custom interior, you may not love our covers. If you’re looking for something that’ll keep your seats in good shape for as long as you own the truck, you’ll think they’re perfect.

Problem 6: They Wear Out

Remember the cheap parts store ones that we talked about? Those do wear out. We've even seen Carhartt wear out.

If you’re going to spend good money on seat covers to keep your seats looking good, you’re kinda getting the short straw if they’re made from cheap, stretchy fabric that wears out in a few months. Leave that material for yoga pants, not your truck.

TigerTough Solution:

You can be confident that your TigerTough covers aren’t going to give up on you. Since they’re designed for work, they’re made from military-grade fabric. The solid colors are made from the strongest fabric, a 1000-denier CORDURA, and the camos are made from almost-as-tough 900-denier polyester.

They’ve got a two-year unconditional warranty and we really mean unconditional.  If anything wears out or breaks for any reason, we’ll fix or replace it. (But we want to hear how it happened because we know there's a good story behind it.)

Here’s how a set looks after eight years and 235,000+ miles in a heavy equipment service truck:    

Problem 7: They’re Sweaty

You had pleather seat covers once, didn’t you? Or did you buy some cheap vinyl ones once that gave you flashbacks of your days on a school bus?

Gross. We don't blame you for wanting to steer clear.

TigerTough Solution:

Both of our fabrics are breathable so you won’t have to deal with swamp@** or peeling any bare skin off your seats. These won’t feel any different than your factory seat as far as being breathable or making you sweaty.

When spending hard-earned cash on your truck, ensure you get breathable seat covers.

Problem 8: They're expensive

No one wants to spend extra money on their vehicle. But seat covers aren't a frivolous expense, they're actually an investment. Don't roll your eyes —we'll show you the numbers.

A pair of TigerTough seat covers costs $297 with our standard fabric. By using seat covers as a preventative maintenance tool, you're get your initial investment back...and then some. 

See how we came up with these numbers.

Problem 9: They don't work with my heated or cooled seats

Not all seat covers get along with heated or cooled seats. If you're planning to fire up the heat or blast the AC in your seats, steer clear of pleather or neoprene covers (unless the manufacturer confirms they won't compromise your temperature controls).

TigerTough Solution:

While our covers aren't specifically designed for temperature-controlled seats, they're safe to use with heated seats. And sure, you can use them with air-conditioned seats, but don’t expect to feel that cool breeze with the same gusto on your backside like you would on a bare seat. We’re all about protecting your seats, so that's where we put our focus.

Problem 10: You're Not Sure What to Get

This is tough. First, we recommended finding the best brand for what you need. 

TigerTough Solution:

We’ve designed the lookup on our website to make it easy to find the covers for your vehicle. All you need to know are the following details.

• The year (2020)
• The Make (Ford)
• The Model (F150)
• The Trim Package (XLT)
• The Cab Type (SuperCrew)

Once you punch in all that info, we’ll show you only the seat covers that will fit your truck!  If there could be a couple of different seat configurations in your vehicle, we’ll show you the different options and explain the differences between the two.

Find the best seat covers for your truck

If you're still not sold on seat covers, that's okay. But here's our list of things you should consider when shopping around:

• Multiple-piece covers
• Waterproof
• Custom-fit
• Made in the U.S.A.
• Airbag-compatible
• A strong warranty

Seat covers are an investment, and you want to be sure you're making the smartest choice for your needs.

WeatherTech is famous in the world of vehicle interior protection. (We admit, that world is pretty tiny, but their presence in it is robust.) They've been in business for decades, are made in America, and offer a decent warranty. What's not to love?

We want to compare WeatherTech with TigerTough seat covers and share our in-the-trenches experience so that you can make an informed decision. We’ll be looking at this as objectively as possible by pointing out the facts, but we’ll be comparing the features and performance with TigerTough.

If you don’t want to read this all, the bottom line is, WeatherTech Seat Protectors are disappointing. Yep, we went there. We know they’re a great company, but their seat covers have many common problems seat covers can face. You can read our WeatherTech Seat Protector review if you'd like more in-depth information.

We ordered charcoal Seat Protectors to cover a 2023 Ford F150. We’ll start with the construction, then go into the individual parts, performance, and pricing.

Watch the video comparison

Installation

Installation was a breeze on the WeatherTech Seat Protectors. It took us under three minutes to get one cover installed. If you’ve ever put a bib on a kid, you’ll be a pro at these. Two straps connect behind the seat, one under the seat, and a stretchy strap around the headrest posts.

TigerTough takes longer. You’ll have to install all three pieces; getting a secure fit takes time.

Design and fit

WeatherTech’s Seat Protectors have a one-piece design and only lay on the front of the seat, and the back is wide open. Think hospital gown.

They offer six variations of their seat cover to fit thousands of makes and models of vehicles. 

TigerTough seat covers come in three pieces and wrap the entire seat, more like coveralls. We customize seat covers to snugly fit thousands of trucks, vans, and SUVs.

Headrest

Well, this section is weird since WeatherTech doesn’t cover headrests. 

They have a strap that goes around the bars of the headrest, but they don’t cover the portion where your head will be. So, all the oils, dirt, grease, etc., will transfer from your head onto your headrest. 

But ironically, you can’t install WeatherTech Seat Protectors unless you have a headrest, or the cover won’t be secure on your seat.

TigerTough’s seat covers have a separate headrest portion that secures with hook and loop so that your headrest remains unscathed.

Seatback

Appearance

The front of the seat back (we know that sounds weird), the part where you rest your back, is where WeatherTech has a standard dog logo patch. Some reviewers didn’t love this logo (we suspect they’re cat people), but it’s harmless.

At TigerTough, you can have a blank seat cover or custom embroidery starting at $19 per seat. This is all about looks, so let’s move on to function.

Function

WeatherTech’s Seat Protectors cover the front of the upright portion of your seat, but they are bare on the backside. See what we mean about the hospital gown?

Two hook and loop straps connect on the back, but they dangle and feel awkward. It would be nice if there were a way to secure the extra length of unnecessary straps. 

You can purchase an additional seat back protector from WeatherTech for $55 each if protecting the back of the seat is important to you. (We’re looking at you, parents.)

TigerTough seat covers wrap around the seat for complete protection and to keep the covers secure. We use the same material on the front as we do on the back. If you'd like to add seat back pockets, that's an option too.

Seat crease 

Since WeatherTech Seat Protectors are one piece, there’s no great way to make a clean crease in the seat. On the plus side, it will catch your crumbs and debris. On a back seat with kids, we could see the benefit of having a crumb-catcher.

The TigerTough seat cover comes in three pieces, so the seat bottom and back are separate, giving you a clean crease.

This is as functional as it is aesthetic. A good fit will keep the seat cover in place, but if you want it to look one way or the other, that’s your preference. 

Seat bottom

WeatherTech has a skirt that goes around the base of the seat. This covered the seat controls on the 2023 F-150 we tried it on. No attachments run under the seat to secure this, so the cover tends to shift as you get in and out of your vehicle.

In comparison, TigerTough seat covers are meant to tuck into the plastic trim of the seat and secure under the seat with straps for a snug fit.

Airbag safety

This isn’t an area to gloss over, and it’s the reason we wouldn’t put WeatherTech Seat Protectors in our own vehicles. Having airbag-compatible seat covers is necessary for your and your passengers' safety.

WeatherTech says not to install their Seat Protectors if the securing straps cover the side seat airbags.

💡 Quick history lesson: most cars made after 2014 will have side airbags due to federal regulation, many deploying from the seat.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that between 1996 and 2012, 2,252 lives were saved by side and curtain airbags–before regulations were even put into place. At that time, only 42% of vehicles on the road were equipped with side airbags. That percentage is much higher now.

We know you take safety seriously, whether it’s in your personal vehicle or if you’re managing a fleet. So if you’re considering WeatherTech Seat Protectors, look to see if the securing straps will cover any side airbags. If they do, find a better option.

Price

This area is perplexing. Each WeatherTech Seat Protector for a captain or bucket seat is $150 each. So protecting your front seats would be $300. Adding back protection to fully cover your front seats with WeatherTech would cost over $400. And you still don’t have your headrests protected.

To fully cover your two front seats with TigerTough, it will be $297 (we used a 2023 Ford F150 for spec). Plus, your headrests are covered.

WeatherTech: $410 (no headrest protection)
TigerTough: $297

Overview

Even if we didn’t work for TigerTough, the facts all point to WeatherTech being inferior. They don’t cover as much, aren’t a custom fit, cost more money, and there’s a good chance they’ll prevent your airbag from deploying.

Even their customers have a hard time justifying the cost of these seat covers when you look at recent reviews:

"WeatherTech should stick to floor liners. Their advertising for this product is very misleading. Be advised the seat cover does not cover the back of the seat and head rest. They are simply velcro strapped in the back to hold it on. And they don't fit, just flapping around. They really look cheap, but cost a lot. They requested my vehicle make and model so the cover would be custom fit. Wrong! They don't fit and are downright ugly! You will be sorry if you buy it. Needless to say, I returned it."

^{George S., Arizona
May 24, 2023
WeatherTech Seat Protector reviewer}

There are many seat covers on the market, so if TigerTough isn’t right for you, there’s probably an option that’s safer and more affordable than WeatherTech.

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 

1. Lift and remove the headrest.
2. Lean the seat back.
3. Remove any straps on the underside that hold the carpet up.
4. 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

1. Make sure you start with the correct seat cover–passenger and driver’s seats are different, so just look for the tag.
2. Line the seams up.
3. Push the top flap of the seat cover between the seat back and the seat bottom.
4. 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.
5. Tuck the cover between the cushion and the plastic trim around the seat.
6. Go behind the seat and find the strings you ran through the sides of the seat.
7. 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. 
8. Pull them as tight as you can.
9. Find the StringLock.
10. Run the strings through each side of the StringLock as tight as possible and clamp it (the tighter, the better!).
11. Run the front seat flaps over any seat-adjusting bar and under the seat.
12. Pull tight on the front and back flaps and fasten them underneath the seat.

Installing the seatback cover

1. Make sure the airbag tag is on the door side of the seat.
2. Slide the cover over the seat.
3. Press the cover down around the plastic headrest mounts.
4. Go to the back and tuck the carpet flap up into the seat cover.
5. Push the front flaps through the seat crease and fasten them on the backside.

Lastly, installing the headrest cover

1. Put the headrest back in, but don’t put it all the way down.
2. Take the cover and make sure the long flap is in front.
3. Tuck the flap to the back and secure it.
4. 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. 

According to Hunt Tested:

“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’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.

Waterproof material

Our covers are made from 1000-Denier CORDURA®. We’ve literally dumped tar on our seat covers and poured five gallons of coffee on them, and the seats underneath came out unscathed. So if your pooch soils your seat and you’ve got a TigerTough seat cover on it, don’t sweat. The seat under it will be fine.

“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

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.

It might seem weird that we're reviewing seat covers that aren't ours.

We already compared WeatherTech Seat Protectors with TigerTough seat covers. But we wanted to give these a separate review. After all, if we want to make the best seat covers in America, we better know what other seat cover companies are doing well.

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!

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.

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.  

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.

Let’s just skip right past that red flag and move on to the control panels. 

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.

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.

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

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

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. 

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

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.

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 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

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:

Overall, the installation took seven minutes, which is still less than TigerTough seat cover installation, which was at nine minutes.

Warranty

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.

ShearComfort CORDURA® 1000 Denier Xtra-Duty Seat Covers: $470
TigerTough Seat Covers: $297

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.