How to Choose Seat Covers for Your Jeep Wrangler

Hi guys! If you’re wondering how to choose the best Jeep TJ Seat Covers or think that it can be difficult to find these, then today I’m going to break down the different types of seat covers available for your truck. Alright, let’s jump right in and see what you can do to make the right choice!

When it comes to seat covers in your Wrangler, you want to make sure they’re protected, whether it’s from mud or dirt while you’re out and about, or just if you and your kids get spilled on your daily commute to work. Not only will they be great at keeping clutter out of factory furnishings or fabric, but they’ll do a really good job of preventing future wear and tear from their constant use, or even just covering up existing wear and tear that give your interior a much-needed freshen up. It’s very easy to get lost with all of the different types of Jeep TJ Seat Covers, considering they come in different styles, materials and even trim levels. Well, I have selected different seat cover options to explain to you the differences in their durability, seat cover and even water resistance.

This first option is the simplest type of seat cover. This is essentially a heavy-duty towel that is great if you are looking for some temporary protection for your seats from time to time and don’t really want to commit to full coverage. Now, for example, if you’re jumping into your jeep on the beach and don’t want sand or a wet swimsuit on your seat, or if you have a pet in the car and don’t want their paws to get dirty on your factory fabrics, this is a great choice. This special cover is the Seat Armor Towel 2 Go in blue and is available in several different colors. It is made from 100% cotton and terry velor, which is essentially a heavy-duty towel as the name suggests. This is secured around the headrest with a clip that will help keep it from moving and falling onto your seat. But that won’t have any other attachment points on the sides or underneath so it will sit very loosely. That being said, the coverage of your entire seat will be enough when you use it.

Compared to other full seat covers, which are made from a stronger material, this type of cover is not the most durable or tear-resistant. This will do a good job of creating a good barrier for your factory fabric from things you don’t want to get onto your fabric, but this won’t be the most tear-resistant like some other heavy-duty fabrics. Obviously, this type of cover is easy to remove for storage when not in use and when it is time to clean.

So, when it comes time to clean them and they get dirty, all you have to do is toss them in the wash like any other towel. Well, this one will soak up water particularly well because it’s made from this towel material, but if you let it sit or apply pressure, that water will transfer straight to your factory seat. Again, this is as easy and affordable as it gets for covers. So, if you’re not ready to pull the trigger on a more fitted or heavy-duty seat cover and are just looking for something for those here and there situations, this is a great choice.

This next type is an evolution of this style of towel as it covers the entire seat. With a full seat cover like this, you can expect it to be more figure-hugging than the towel option, as it covers the entire seat front and back. The seat covers are available in different materials that differ in terms of durability, fit and even protection. The cover is like an entry seat cover for the full seat cover options, and this will be the Alterum Jeep logo embroidered seat cover that comes in a pair. And this is a great choice for those of you who want a more durable, form-fitting option for the seat cover and still have a budget in mind.

Since this is a complete seat cover, it fits over the entire seat with hooks and straps at the bottom to secure it, and this fit also makes it a bit more comfortable to sit on. This Alterum cover covers several generations, so it is more of a one size fits all and may not be as form-fitting as some other seat covers developed for a specific generation. This consists of a polyester material that is more durable than a softer cotton material and lasts longer. Even so, it is still prone to cracks and runs compared to other stronger types of full covers. For small spill protection and water resistance, you can expect this to do a better job than the towel option, and liquid will soak up a lot better than soaking it directly in the towel and even going through it, especially if you put pressure on it.

While doing the water test, the mesh material on the outside gets soaked just like the towel and the seat underneath, but in the main part of the seat where most of that polyester material, the water, starts off to bead off the top, and it lays on the surface for a long time without slipping through to the factory headquarters. Not to mention the dense polyester material also makes it dry much faster and is fully machine washable for cleaning. Overall, this type of cover is a great choice if you are looking for an affordable seat cover that provides basic seat protection while also covering the entire seat.

The next seat cover also completely covers the seat but has a more durable fabric compared to the previous two options. They also offer a more custom fit with a 3-piece design that covers the headrest, backrest and the bottom of the seats. Not to mention, this will also be the first set that includes some extra storage. The special set of covers are the Barricade Custom Trailproof seat covers. These consist of a commercially available poly-cotton blend, which is a combination of the two fabrics that we discussed earlier. This type of material will have the stretch that comes with polyester, making it fit tighter over the edges of the seat and giving it a more customized fit, but it will have some of that durability and much of the comfort that comes with this cotton material.

They also have multi-directional trimmings and double-stitched seams that prevent the seat cover from fraying or splitting over time. Not to mention that they contain UV protection that protects against sun damage and keeps the seat covers from fading over a longer period of time. As I mentioned earlier, these will also have some storage pockets on the front and back of the seat that are good for stowing smaller items like maps or children’s books. As for water resistance, it will come back to the type of material that it is. Since this includes polyester in the design, it will drain water off pretty well, but I’d keep in mind that this is still a poly-cotton fabric so it won’t be as dense and it will take up a little more liquid than a pure one Polyester material. In the water test it’s clear that the water is transported away very well by this material. And due to the special liner on the back of the seat covers, the water does not get through the seat cover to the factory headquarters or even leave a trail of water on the paper towel underneath. It sits on the surface, however, and over a long period of time the water soaks a bit into the top of the fabric, but you can wipe that off very lightly and it will dry very quickly. So, this has a little more water resistance compared to the last two. Since this style is a 3-piece cover, it may take a little more work to take off compared to the last two covers, but just like the last ones we discussed, this is very easy to clean.

You’ll pay a little more for such covers compared to the first two options, but you get more durable seat covers to protect your factory seats. The next set of covers will dramatically increase the protection for your seats. This type of cover will adopt the same 3-piece design we discussed before which gives it a great fit, but when it comes to the material this is a huge step up from some of the other softer fabrics. That option is the Rugged Ridge Ballistic seat covers front and back. And as the name suggests, these are made from a more resilient 840 denier ballistic nylon material. So, denier is the fiber thickness and it will be much higher or heavier than the Alterum option, making it incredibly more durable. Other nylon seat covers like this one may not be the same denier, but they are still very resistant to tearing, scuffing, or tearing or fraying like other softer materials would go through if used over an extended period of time. A firmer fabric usually means it has some weight and is a little thicker, which can affect the cover’s stretch or flex compared to other options. So, this one may not have the form-fitting design on the sides of the seats or on the back, but it makes up for it with its protective properties.

This material dissipates water much better than a lightweight polyester because it is denser and more water-repellent. The nasty water can be removed very well. And even when you put pressure on where you poured the water, none of that water will be transferred through the cover to the paper towel underneath. So, if you soak the seat cover because it doesn’t absorb as quickly or as strongly as a cotton material, it dries much faster, and that’s another benefit of this material.

Another benefit of this material is cleaning. Given that these are quite hydrophobic, dirt or water won’t penetrate the fabric like other softer materials would. So, these can be wiped off very easily. Not to mention that these have a matching rear seat cover. Not only do you protect the front seats, but you don’t have to worry about the rear seats either.

Comfort and refreshment of your interior is what this next type of seat cover is all about. This type of cover is made of neoprene, which makes it hug your seat and conforms to the curves of your seats, making it look a little less noticeable compared to our other seat cover options. While it does provide you with protection for your seats, these are really good for those of you whose Jeep seats have taken a knock over time and you don’t want to spend all the extra cash to fix the existing seat. The seat covers are the Smittybilt neoprene front and back seat covers. This includes covers for the front and back, which consist of three parts for the headrest, the back and the bottom of the seat. Again, these are made of a neoprene material that has a lot of stretch, and these will also have a foam backing. This foam back will add a level of comfort that we haven’t had with other options. All of this makes for a little more custom look.

When it comes to the durability of neoprene, this is a softer fabric than the previous high-performance polyester. So, these are not as abrasion-resistant, but not as soft or thin as the material as we had with the Alterum cover. These covers are thick and can withstand many stresses over time, withstanding any fading and higher temperatures, and remaining very comfortable. Not to mention that neoprene material is known for its water resistance. So, this is not the exact material of a pure neoprene wetsuit that can enter the water without water, but it has properties similar to how it drains water. Moreover, this water drains off very well, and it does not get through the seat cover at all, so the paper towel underneath stays completely dry. Not to mention, when you dab on some of that water and wipe it off the top of the cover, it feels dry almost immediately, which is a better result than some of the other materials.

This will do a polyester better, but keep in mind that this has a foam backing that could absorb water that sits in place for an extended period of time, which is why it’s not completely waterproof. Regardless, it will do a great job of preventing splash and mud from getting on your seats, and these are machine washable too. Again, these are great for those who want to freshen up the interior with a seat cover that fits and looks almost like the factory, offering a little more comfort and good protection against water, splashes and dirt.

The final option is the extreme seat covers that combine durability and protection with plenty of storage space. As with some of the previous models, seat covers in the front or even in the back may have some sort of easier storage, but if you’re looking for a cover that offers plenty of storage then this option is what you would be looking for in your Wrangler. That particular one is this Smittybilt G.E.A.R front seat cover, and the big story with it will be all of these storage options. This seat cover has a fastening system with multiple pockets and storage pockets for all different uses. Everything can be attached to the back or even to the side in front of the seat cover with a canteen, for example. This makes this type of seat cover fully customizable and the options for attachment are basically endless.

Unlike many of our other options, this doesn’t cover the entire bottom seat as well as the headrest. This seat cover focuses more on utility than a full cover. That’s not to say that it doesn’t protect your seats from scuffing or even dirt or mud, but the great thing about it is the storage. Some customers have even combined this with a full seat cover as this is a universal fit and is strapped around the side of your seat. In terms of fit, this is still pretty figure-hugging, with the large straps on the side and hooks on the bottom that make sure this stays in place for extreme rides, off-road, and even daily use to get in your Wrangler on and off. In terms of durability, this particular shell will be made from a 600-denier polyester material which is slightly lighter than the Rugged Ridge ballistic option. These types of covers are usually made of a very similar nylon or polyester material. Although a bit lighter than a polyester, it has a PVC liner on the back that helps with its durability and water resistance. This will do a really good job of water resistance due to the moisture wicking properties of the polyester, as well as the lining on the back, to ensure that little to no water can transfer through the seat cover to your factory seats. Also, the water runs off directly from the top layer of material, and due to the liner on the back, no water is transferred through the seat cover to the paper towel underneath. As with the previous options, this soaked a little into the top layer of fabric, but when you dab the water with the paper towel it dries out pretty quickly and it feels pretty dry. Since these combine a ton of storage with durable construction ready to take it on the trails or even a zombie apocalypse, you can expect those to be higher in terms of cost.

The Smittybilt G.E.A.R seat covers are sold individually, unlike most of the other options we’ve looked through which are sold as a pair or even come with the back seat covers. These are definitely a premium option with all the memory compatibility and the ruggedness of the seat covers.

Well, as I said earlier, choosing a set of seat covers can be a little confusing when it comes to all of the different styles and types that are out there. Hopefully this breakdown has made it a little easier to narrow down which ones are best for you and your Wrangler.