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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.

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.

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.

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.

It turns out the competition for the best seat covers for heavy equipment is pretty slim compared to work trucks. There aren’t a lot of manufacturers creating seat covers designed for big iron. In fact, only one makes customized covers for OEM seats.

The top brands (and pretty much only brands) we found are:

Ultra Seat
Jay’s Equipment
Construction Seats
TigerTough

We’ll give an overview of each one. And for price comparisons, we’ll use a Cat 312 excavator high-back seat.

Ultra Seat

Ultra Seat is, first and foremost, an aftermarket seat company. They make air suspension seats, harness seats, mechanical suspension seats, pedestal seats, pod seats, static seats, and semi-truck seats. 

They also make replacement parts for seats like foam, dampers, and lumbar parts. And not only do they take care of seats in the field, but they also specialize in seats for the office with their 24-hour office chairs.

Clearly, they live up to their name, and seats are their bread and butter.

But how are their seat covers? 

Ultra Seat provides covers for heavy equipment and semi-trucks. When it comes to heavy equipment, they have three types of covers: high back, medium back, and low back. 

You might think that three options for hundreds of different types of machines isn’t very robust. You’re right.

Here’s the deal, if you have one of their replacement seats or a Grammer seat (because Ultra Seats are very similar to Grammer), their covers should fit like a glove. But if you have an OEM seat, putting an Ultra Seat cover on will result in a sloppy fit. 

Highback seat price: $168

Pros

We love that the covers are made out of Cordura (not sure what kind of Cordura, though) and that they will fit really well on their own aftermarket seats. It's great that these come in multiple pieces (back, seat, and headrest when applicable). We also applaud their customer service for getting back to us within a few hours when we asked for clarification about the warranty. 

Cons

The reality is these covers won’t fit OEM seats well. There’s not much else negative about the company or its product.

Verdict

We like these covers, but only for Ultra Seat’s aftermarket seats. If you’re going to spend the money to protect your heavy equipment seats, go for a custom fit.

Jay’s Equipment

Jay’s Equipment also goes by Equipment Seat Covers. They specialize in one-size-fits-most seat covers for heavy equipment and semi-trucks. 

These covers aren’t designed to fit any particular seat. Jay’s offers nine different sizes that would fit most yellow iron and smaller machines. You’re encouraged to measure your seat and find the best cover. 

Covers are available in vinyl (we wouldn’t suggest that material for a seat cover…ever) or canvas.

Highback seat price: $89

Pros

It's affordable. This could be a great option if you don’t mind a seat cover to fit like that bad suit you only pull out for weddings and funerals. We like that they have nine options versus Ultra Seat’s three options. We also like that they only focus on seat covers. 

Cons

The fit is far from custom. Unlike Ultra Seats, these won’t fit like a glove on any seat. And they’re not meant to. We also don’t love the materials of the seat covers. The vinyl seems like it’s going to get hot and sticky. And canvas is strong, but it won’t withstand the abuse of a job site. On top of that, you only have 30 days to decide if you’d like to keep the seat covers. There’s no warranty after that.

Verdict

This one is a no from us. We like how simple the site is and appreciate how quick their customer service was in getting back to us, but these covers aren’t made of the tough stuff you need inside heavy equipment. We also wish they kept their social media current so that we could see more customer feedback. Ultimately, if you’re going to spend the money on cover, you may as well save your pennies and go for a more durable option. 

Construction Seats

Here’s another seat manufacturer and distributor that makes covers. Construction Seats also goes by the name K & M Manufacturing, and they’re a Minnesota-based company (we love that about them). 

Like Ultra Seat, these covers fit well on their own aftermarket seats but aren’t designed to hug OEM seats. The adjustable side laces make it a little easier to customize the fit, but you'll probably have some of the seat exposed.

Highback seat price: $132

Pros

The fabric these covers are made from will last. And if you’re getting a KM aftermarket seat, you’ll get a good fit. The covers will be durable and last you for years. Plus, they offer a one-year warranty on the covers, which is better than some other options.

Cons

If you don’t have a KM or Grammer seat, you might get a fit similar to a bunched-up sock in a work boot. Is it ideal? No. Will it work? Yes. 

Verdict

This is a more affordable option than Ultra Seats version, and we like that they’re made of durable 900-denier fabric. If you need an affordable option, we’d go with this one. 

TigerTough

TigerTough heavy equipment seat covers are meant to withstand the abuse of a construction site. On top of that, they’re customized to fit specific makes and models of heavy equipment. They cover most machines on a job site: backhoes, dozers, excavators, landfill compactors, motor graders, skid loaders (skid steers), telehandlers, and wheel loaders. 

We put our seat covers through torture tests to make sure they’ll hold up to whatever you throw, spill, squash, or scrape on them.

 We have a lifetime unconditional warranty on our heavy equipment covers. So if it doesn’t meet your expectations, we’ll take care of it. 

Cat 312 excavator seat price: $247

Pros

We stand behind our products like we stand behind blue collar industries, so you’ll get one heck of a seat cover. It’s a custom fit, so it’s 100% tailored to the seat you’ll put it on. No sloppy fits here.

Cons

These are the most expensive option on the list. We also custom-make all of our covers, so they’ll take a little longer to ship.

Verdict 

Being the only manufacturer on the market making custom seat covers for heavy equipment, we can’t deny that we’d be the best fit (physically) for your machines. But if budget is an issue, there might be a better option for you. However, protecting a seat is much cheaper than replacing a seat.

Summary

It’s difficult to review heavy equipment seat covers fairly when only one company (TigerTough) makes custom seat covers. We don’t expect to be alone in the market forever, but for now, we’re the frontrunner in protecting heavy equipment seats.

We also wanted to point out that the other companies don’t have reviews on their sites, so getting a feel for what people think is tough. 

When you’re shopping for seat covers, no matter the brand you’re looking at, make sure they are:

• Waterproof
• Easy to clean
• Airbag-compatible
• Have a great warranty and return policy
• Made in America

You need seat covers that will work hard in the elements you’re in. Don’t settle for one that won’t get the job done.

Seat covers for your truck are an investment. How much you spend varies. They can cost you under $100 for a one-size-fits-most option (if you don’t mind a sloppy fit) and up to $500 for a name-brand custom fit.

There’s no shame in our game, so we’re upfront about our prices. The average TigerTough set of bucket seat covers for trucks costs $287. 

Here are some of the prices we found in our research:

Why do prices vary so much?

Like anything in manufacturing, the cost of all goods is determined by factors like where the item is made (do they outsource it or is it made in the U.S.A.), what materials are used, and how much work goes into making it.

Some of the cheaper options you see on the market aren’t made in America, or they’re made from inferior materials that’ll crap out before your next oil change.

Do you get what you pay for?

Sometimes. But sometimes, you’re paying for a name. 

We reviewed the best work truck seat covers and found that some lesser-known names were some of the better options. 

When you’re looking for seat covers for your truck, we suggest keeping these qualities in mind:

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

Are seat covers worth the investment?

Absolutely. Even if you choose an option that’s $500+ per pair, you’ll come out ahead in the long run, especially when it comes to resale value. 

Don’t believe us? Learn the four ways seat covers save you money, and hit us up if you’re still in disbelief. 

Seat covers cost money upfront. But are they worth the investment? We think so, but instead of telling you our opinion, we'll shoot it straight to you with the facts.

We'll use $287 for a set of bucket seat covers since that's what the average TigerTough bucket seat covers cost.

1. Repairs and replacements

If you keep your trucks for a while, you'll need to repair ripped-up and damaged seats to improve conditions for the driver/operator (we're looking at you, blue collar folks). It also helps with your brand image. If your crew rolls up in a truck with foam spewing out of the seat, how does that speak to your work?

We asked some customers how much they've paid to repair or replace seats. The average cost to repair or replace seats was $632.50 per seat.

Not only do you have to pay for the seat to be repaired, but there's also truck downtime you need to factor into the cost. 

If a pair of TigerTough seat covers cost you around $287 ($143.50 per cover) and an average of $632.50 to repair or replace a seat, you've saved $489 per seat.

Money saved: $489/seat

2. Increased resale value

There comes a time in every truck's life when it's ready for the next journey. And when it comes time to sell, we want you to walk away with the most money you can.

If your seats look like they lost a bar fight, and someone opens the door of that vehicle (whether it's the dealership or the next potential owner), they're greeted with an interior that looks like trash. That gives them the instant impression that the truck's had a rough life, and that's how you've taken care of the rest of the vehicle maintenance for the whole time you've owned it.

According to Kelley Blue Book, a vehicle can be in perfect condition mechanically and physically on the exterior, but if the seats are torn and busted, it drops to good.

At a minimum, having seats in excellent condition can save you hundreds of dollars when it comes time to sell.

Money saved: $295-$1467

3. Lease chargebacks

Maybe you lease your vehicles. Check into the charges you get after turning it in; it's normal for leasing companies to work in charges for seat damages.

On average, we see leasing companies charge $1,000-$1,200 for damaged seats. They'll allow some light wear, but if they deem a seat damaged, they'll charge you for the whole dang thing.

Money saved: $713

4. Detailing

We realize work trucks might not get detailed very often, but if you drive around a personal vehicle and spill a coffee inside, you'll probably want to get those seats cleaned.

So how much will a nice detail cost you?

An interior detail with deep cleaning can cost around $279. That's not terrible, but do it once and you've paid for a set of seat covers.

Check it out; we've taken a cup of coffee to a TigerTough seat cover to show you what happens:

Spoiler alert: The seat under the cover was totally unscathed. Your lap, on the other hand, might be a different story.

Money saved: $280 after two details

How much money will seat covers save you?

Depending on your situation, seat covers can save you anywhere from $280 to $1467 or more, depending on your vehicle (we based that $1467 number off 2012 Ford F150.)

But if you put them on when you first get your vehicle, they'll help you get more money for it whenever you decide to sell it.

Are seat covers worth it?

Do seat covers cost money? Yes.
Is there a range of prices? Yes.
Are they worth it? Yes. Especially if your vehicle's interior sees equipment, debris, dogs, or kids (like 90% of you reading this).

Do the research and find the best seat cover for your truck, and you'll walk away, saving money in the long run.

So does grease come out of TigerTough seat covers? The short answer is...heck yeah it does! Watch this torture test to see what we mean:

Here's what we did:

• Went to town with a grease gun on a seat cover installed in a vehicle in a TigerTough employee vehicle. 10/10 recommend for fun. 
• Smeared that grease around for good measure.
• Tried to wipe off the excess grease with a paper towel, but that just smeared it around more.
• Sprayed degreaser all over the stain.
• Scrubbed.
• Repeated steps 4 and 5.

Boom! The stain came out and the seat underneath was totally unaffected. We'd recommend washing the affected pieces in the washing machine after removing the stain, just for good measure. Normally we say to wash in cold, but if you're dealing with grease, turn that water to warm.

If you're looking to remove grease stains from upholstered seats (not seat covers) you can try these steps, but we aren't experts so don't blame us if something goes wrong. We'd suggest you clean the seat the best you can and then add seat covers to protect from any future stains.  

So, we just got our hands on a 2011 F550 that was a heavy equipment service truck.

The truck had belonged to a heavy equipment dealer. This company installs TigerTough seat covers on their trucks when they're brand new, so we were pretty excited to see how everything looked.

It was pretty clear this thing wasn't somebody's grocery-getter. Even if you ignored the service body and the crane.

But what do you expect from a service truck that's eight years old? Broken equipment is never clean and rarely easy to get to!

This truck had over 235,000+ miles on it and hadn't been touched since it was decommissioned.

But what does it look like under the covers? Are they worth the money?

We peeled the covers off to see how everything had fared over 235,000 miles of being on the road, eight years of bouncing across construction sites, and countless dirty mechanic entries and exits.

Those pictures pretty much speak for themselves, don't they?

The buyer of this truck technically could have spent a ton of time and money getting the seats shampooed. That would have taken out some of the stains.

The shampooing wouldn't have touched the wear on the edge of the seat from eight years of getting in and out, though. You don't see any because the seat covers prevented it from happening. The original owner invested a little bit in preventing a costly problem

Seems like a good idea, doesn't it?

If you operate a service truck (or a bunch of them), seat covers are a pretty cheap way to keep the inside of your truck in good shape. They're inexpensive and often overlooked, but you just see what they'll do.

Save Your Service Truck.

We get it a lot; people looking for seat covers for vehicles that we don’t cover, crazy colors, or other really custom stuff that we don’t do.

So here’s who we’re right for and who we’re not.

First off, let’s start off with who we’re not right for. That way, if you’re in that category, you don’t have to waste any time.

If you’re looking for seat covers for a passenger car or SUV, a side-by-side, or a custom dog bed, there’s a good chance that we’re not your best bet. If it’s the dog bed one, we’re definitely not a good choice. 

We're not the right people if you’re looking for seat covers with the logos of your favorite sports team, vehicle manufacturer, or motorcycle (yeah, that one) on them. We do offer embroidery as an option to customize your covers, but we don’t do any licensing of copyrighted logos. Honestly, it’s really expensive, and we’d rather put the cost into good materials instead of a cool logo.

If you want seat covers that are two-tone, alligator skin or have crazy colors, we’re not the right seat cover. The same applies if you want extra foam padding, heated covers, or options like that. 

If you’re looking for a seat cover that you can quickly pop on to take the dog to the vet or trees to the dump, we’re probably not right. Our seat covers are going to take 30-60 minutes to put on and about half that to take off. So this one is your call.

Finally, the last thing we aren’t is cheap. And that’s for three major reasons.

1. We won’t send our manufacturing out of the USA. We’ve passed up opportunities to cut our labor costs to a quarter of what they are by sending everything across the border to get made. We’d rather pay American workers a fair wage. 
2. We use the best, toughest materials we can get so our customers get the best seat covers possible.
3. Every seat cover is designed specifically for a vehicle. That involves bringing trucks to our factory and spending hours designing the best seat cover possible.

If we’re not right for you, no hard feelings. We’d rather you find out now than after you spent your hard-earned dough and ended up disappointed.

Now, who we ARE right for.

We make seat covers for work. And by work, we’re talking blue-collar, hard work. Contractors, pest control, last-mile delivery, service trucks, and law enforcement, just to name a few industries. 

The people who use our seat covers are typically doing some of the following:

• Multiple entry/exits every day.
• Getting dirty
• Wearing tools and/or weapons on their belts
• And, most often, a combination of all three.

TigerTough Ironweave seat covers are made from 1000-denier CORDURA, some of the toughest material we can find to wrap around your seats. In fact, it has a higher abrasion rating than Kevlar. We use it because while it’s almost impossible to tear, it’s easy to work with, it’s water-resistant, and it’s made in the USA.

You’ll probably notice that our covers have no decorative stitching (aside from the optional embroidery, if you choose that) and very few seams. That’s because seams and stitching are the weakest points in anything sewn together. Since our customers use their vehicles as tools in their toolboxes, we’re doing everything possible to eliminate weak points.

Actually, a customer who goes by the name R00ster said it best. He’s a farmer from Virginia and says

R00ster goes on to say he throws grease guns, screwdrivers, and fencing tools (even his chain saw) on his seats and doesn’t worry about it anymore.

We build seat covers for people like R00ster. The people whose day-to-day jobs are the ones that make the lights come on, the food hit your plate, the gas come out of the pumps, and the packages show up on time. Ours are some of the best work truck seat covers on the market, and we're darn proud of that.

If you’re looking for a seat cover that isn’t luxury but most definitely is built for work, TigerTough is the best choice.