In 1997, Northwest Seat Covers established its manufacturing facility in the city of Vancouver, BC. It was also the year that Ford celebrated the launch of the All-New, 10th generation, Ford F-150 pickup truck. To help celebrate our 25th Anniversary we did a deep dive into customer data to discover and share information on the Best Selling Fabrics for F-150 Seat Covers.
This was a difficult challenge because each truck owner uses their vehicle differently. Some trucks are used as a daily driver with very little work use and others are out in the field every day and in different environments.
The research started to reveal distinct purchasing patterns when we examined data from individuals, companies, geographical locations as well as the model and trim levels and the specific materials within each series of fabrics.
We then looked at 25 Years of Seat Cover Sales for the F-150 in the U.S. and Canada.
We’ve sold our covers in every single state, province and territory in North America. We’ve got customers in Alaska, Montana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, all the way down the Atlantic Coast to Florida, up and across the great state of Texas, up through California and all across Canada.
The research was divided into 4 Fabric Categories; OEM™ Series, Camo Series, Neoprene Series and the WorkPro™ Series. Each Series highlights different characteristics
1st Place = OEM – This is the Most Popular Fabric for F-150 Seat Covers. It offers something for everyone; Solid Protection, Looks Great, 2x Waterproof, Fits Well, High Quality Fabric with a Nice Design, Very Durable and Easy to Maintain.
2nd Place = Vinyl – The 2nd most popular fabric because of its versatility. This is a work truck classic that has proven itself for more than 100 years as an exceptional barrier against all kinds of dangers that can affect a seat and it’s highly waterproof.
3rd Place (Tie) = Ballistic – The 1680 Denier yarns are tough and it features a sharp unique look with an easy slide-in and slide-out feature that clients have connected with. This is a modern version of “Ballistic” from WW2; it features 2x2 Weave Pattern using Bright Yarns – Looks Great, 2x Waterproof, Very Durable, foam comfort backing and Easy to Clean.
3rd Place (Tie) = Atomic – This is the humble underdog because it’s unassuming, but packs a punch with bite. The Atomic fabric is like a tough little bulldog; it’s a no-frills performer. To offset the lighter 600 Denier weight of the yarn, the fabric (600 x 600) is very tightly woven together for High Abrasion Resistance and features 2x Waterproof, foam comfort backing and Easy to Clean.
5th Place = Neo-Ultra™ – This non-toxic version of Neoprene provides a Unique 2x Waterproof Guard which includes the DWR top-coating and a Special waterproof Membrane. It is very comfortable, looks great and a Snag-Proof seating surface.
* Honorable Mention = Saddle Blanket – This Western Style heavy woven fabric is a reminder of what Grandpa used to have in his truck many years ago. A Classic that Takes a Licking but Keeps on Ticking! (Includes a Soft Dust Trap and Buffs leather seats)
The first F. Series truck was introduced back in 1948, but it only received the F-150 designation in 1975 along with the Famous Slogan "Built Ford Tough". Since then, sales of the F-150 have eclipsed all other Full-Size Trucks to become America's Favorite Pickup! This is the reason why Seat Covers for F-150 Trucks have become the Best Selling Seat Covers in the Full-Size Light Duty Segment of the market. Total U.S. sales of the F150 from 2000 to 2020 was 16,071,320 units with an average of 765,301 units per year. (91
5th Generation (1967 - 1972), 6th Generation (1973 – 1979), 7th Generation (1980 – 1986), 8th Generation (1987 – 1991), 9th Generation (1992 – 1996),
10th Generation (1997 – 2003), 11th Generation (2004 – 2008), 12th Generation (2009 – 2014), 13th Generation (2015 – 2020) 14th Generation (2021 – 2025)
For Heavy Duty Use: your truck seats could get wet or really dirty from mud, drywall dust or grease. If you tend to track a lot of dirt into your truck then we recommend that you Select Vinyl as your 1st Choice; especially if you need to wipe the seat covers clean quickly. The Atomic, Ballistic or OEM following closely behind.
For Medium Use: where you use your truck to carry tools and materials to a job site, we’d recommend the OEM or Atomic simply because they foot the bill for all medium duty tasks and provide lasting value for how you use your pickup.
For Light Use: we would recommend the Neo-Ultra™ with its 3X Waterproof Rating or the OEM with 2X Waterproofing, simply because they Save you Money, but tick all of the boxes for Solid Protection and Comfort.
Summary
At this point, these four fabrics can all get the job done, it’s just a matter of preference and how you feel about the look of the F-150 seat covers or how
important an easy wipe-up is. Be mindful of temperature as vinyl can get pretty warm and quite cool in fall and winter. However, they all feature at least a
2X Waterproof Rating from us and the fabrics all surpass 250,000 for the double rub test; they should last for years!
