For a dedicated off-road vehicle to be truly effective, every component in its makeup must be suitable for the task at hand and capable of enduring the unique strains and travails off-road driving can bring. This principle applies to the covers of your seats just as much as it does to your tyres, engine and suspension, and seats or seat covers made from unsuitable materials can quickly become ragged, soiled and unsightly.
Leather might be the material of choice for the seats of most conventional cars and trucks, but it has advantages and disadvantages just like any other seating material, and these pros and cons are often magnified by off-road conditions. Whether your vehicle is a ute, a 4x4 or even a tractor, you should bear the following advantages in mind before deciding whether leather seats or seat covers are right for your needs.
What are the advantages of installing leather seats in off-road vehicles?
Water resistant
Keeping your off-road vehicle's seats dry can be challenging if you frequently take on routes through swamps, wetlands and other moisture-heavy areas, especially if your vehicle if open-topped, or if you prefer to keep your windows down during driving to maximise visibility. This task is generally a lot easier if you choose leather seats over fabric, as the vast majority of leather seats and seat covers are water resistant if not outright waterproof. They can suffer water stains, but only if moisture is left to settle on the surface of your seats for extended periods.
Easy to clean
Mud and dirt are also perennial problems for the committed off-road driver, and keeping fabric seats free of stains when exposed to mud can be difficult without frequent cleaning and preventative surface treatments. Most leather seats, on the other hand, can be thoroughly cleaned of mud and dirt using nothing but a damp rag and, in severe cases of soiling a mild leather cleaning compound.
Durable
It's a fair bet that the seats of an off-road vehicle take far more physical punishment than those of conventional vehicles, and fabric seats can easily become damaged and torn by the equipment you use and the zips and buckles found on many pieces of all-terrain clothing and footwear. Leather seats, particularly high-quality ones made with thick leather, are less likely to suffer permanent physical damage.
What are the disadvantages of installing leather seats in off-road vehicles?
Expensive
Leather's desirability and the cost of manufacturing it means that leather seats and seat covers are more expensive than all but the most sophisticated fabric seats, and they may not be suitable for your needs if you are off-roading on a tight budget. However, their increased durability can make them a sound long-term investment in some circumstances.
Uncomfortable in extreme temperatures
While leather seats are generally considered more comfortable than fabric seats under normal conditions, they can become uncomfortably hot and sticky on sunny days, and take a while to heat up to a comfortable temperature on particularly chilly days. Fabric may, therefore, be a better choice if you frequently take your vehicle off-roading in deserts, humid swamps and forests or cold mountainous areas.
For more information on upholstery, contact a professional.
Share14 February 2018
Hi, my name is Scott and I’m an amateur mechanic. I don’t have a lot of spare cash so I recently bought a used car, which I’m fixing up myself with some help from a friend. I know that it’ll take some time to get things just the way I like them; I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I want my car to run well and look good. A few weeks ago, I started looking at car seat covers. I thought that this would be one of the easier jobs I had on my car but I hadn’t realised how many options there were to choose from! It took a bit of research, but I’ve now chosen some custom covers that I should be fitting soon. I started this site to hopefully help other car lovers who are looking for auto accessories.