WeatherTech vs. TigerTough Seat Covers

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.