Seat Covers

Welding Goats

Welding Goats

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Reeger
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Looking for seat cover options for my 1998 Toyota 4Runner.

My seats are in good shape for being 20+ years old, but I am noticing the "wear marks" more and more every day. Plus, I'd like to offer a little protection, especially to the back seat, when my adventure partner (Labrador Retriever) travels with me.

I know that Wet Okole is an option. Just wanted to ask the fine folks of the forum if they had anything else that they might suggest I consider.
 
@Welding Goats
Welding Goats said:
Looking for seat cover options for my 1998 Toyota 4Runner.

My seats are in good shape for being 20+ years old, but I am noticing the "wear marks" more and more every day. Plus, I'd like to offer a little protection, especially to the back seat, when my adventure partner (Labrador Retriever) travels with me.
I know that Wet Okole is an option. Just wanted to ask the fine folks of the forum if they had anything else that they might suggest I consider.
Click to expand...

I asked the same question a year or so ago. See thread at: https://www.overlandbound.com/forum...d-quality-cloth-seat-covers.6879/#post-106459

I ended up going with the "Coverking Tactical Seat Covers" from Costco for both my 4runner and Tacoma. overall I like them. After a year of wear and tear they still look good and are doing their job of protecting the seats. They can be a bit hot in the summer on long rides as they don't permit much air to move. The molle on the back seamed like a good idea but for me is nearly useless in the 4runner since I often switch between the back seat up and down. The bags just get in the way. Ordering via Costco was different to say the least and I did run into some issues with one of the 2 sets which while it took some time Costco did everything they could to make it right. They succeeded in the end. I'm considering getting another cover for the back seat of the 4runner but they don't get much use so holding off for now.



Boort
 
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I can also vouch for coverking. I didn’t get them from
Costco. I got them right from their website. I too got the tactical ones with the molle strips on the back. Same deal for me. They’re basically useless. If I have the back seats up, the bags take up all the knee room. And if I have the seats down, the bags are inaccessible. So they’re useless to me. I have a seat belt cutter behind both seats and a small pouch with a multi tool, nail clipper, a pen and marker and a small flashlight. They can be a little pricy but they are custom made to fit and they have a nice solid fit and finish. After about a year the butt area on the driver seat has some signs of wear with some little strings sticking up. I’m short and my Jeep is a little too tall for my short legs so I usually tend to slide out of the seat which I’m guessing is the cause of that wear. Overall I would deffinately buy them again.

mine came with cut out flaps for the side airbags which to me shows an attention to detail and a company that puts thought into making a decent product.
 
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I've had Wet Okole covers for about 8 months on my Land Cruiser and they still fit and look great. I started looking for seat covers because the original leather seats had cracked and peeled after nearly 300k miles of use. Coverking was on my short list of seat covers after doing some research, but I didn't feel the sample fabrics they sent me would conform to the seat shape very well.

The covers feel great, but 8 months after the install I am still getting random whiffs of neoprene. I love that the seats are warmer in the winter. The seat heaters still work on 'high' but not quite as intense as they did through straight leather. They are warmer in the summer, but I feel the breathability is about the same the leather (not wonderful). They clean real easy when installed with the shampoo kit from Wet Okole. I like the Wet Okole because they are not leather. The downside is cost.
 
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I went down this exact rabbit hole for my 1st gen 4Runner about a year ago. Wet Okole was on my shortlist too but I didn't love the neoprene. Feels great for the first summer and then it holds sweat and dog hair like a sponge. Ended up with a set from a South African company called Escape Gear. Polycotton canvas (they call it PolyEnduro), charcoal or grey, custom-cut to the year and trim level. The thing I liked: it's actually tailored for the 1st gen, so the cutouts for the headrest posts and the 60/40 split are right, not baggy. They also do a separate pattern for trucks with side airbags so the airbag seam isn't compromised.
Two seasons in with the Lab in the back every weekend. I pull the rear covers off every few months and hose them down, hang them over the fence to dry, and put them back. They look new. The original 26-year-old upholstery underneath has stopped cracking entirely, which was the whole point.
If you do go this route, also grab their moulded floor mats at the same time, same fitment, same company, and they'll save the carpets from the dog.
They're SA-based and ship to the US, took ~10 days to Texas. Bit more than the Amazon universal sets but less than Wet Okole.
 
KonzaLander said:
I've had Wet Okole covers for about 8 months on my Land Cruiser and they still fit and look great. I started looking for seat covers because the original leather seats had cracked and peeled after nearly 300k miles of use. Coverking was on my short list of seat covers after doing some research, but I didn't feel the sample fabrics they sent me would conform to the seat shape very well.

The covers feel great, but 8 months after the install I am still getting random whiffs of neoprene. I love that the seats are warmer in the winter. The seat heaters still work on 'high' but not quite as intense as they did through straight leather. They are warmer in the summer, but I feel the breathability is about the same the leather (not wonderful). They clean real easy when installed with the shampoo kit from Wet Okole. I like the Wet Okole because they are not leather. The downside is cost.
Click to expand...
UPDATE: After 4 years the Wet Okole covers in my Land Cruiser disintegrated. Foam chunks every where, the stitching was coming undone and the material on the piping had wore off on the driver seat. In 2023 I replaced them with a set of Shear Comfort cloth seat covers. The fit isn't quite a snug as the Wet Okoles, but they do fit nicely. The thinner cloth material is wearing great, allows the seat heater to work better in the winter, and is cooler in the summer heat.
 
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