View Full Version : Smittybilt G.E.A.R. Front Seat covers Review.
Please bear with me as this will be a review which is written over a few days.
I ordered the smittybilt G.E.A.R. front seat covers from 4Wd.com on 01 January, 2008. Due to the high demand for this item, and Smittybilt's failure to be able to keep up with the demand, these were backordered.
A call to Quadratec, 4WD and an email to Smittybilt confirmed that they were backordered since at least November, 2007 for those that ordered them earlier. I was considering cancelling my order, but toughed it out and waited.
On 08 Feb, 2008 I received some packages from 4Wd.com. One of the boxes contained the two Smittybilt GEAR front seat covers. Luckily I am in the military and have experience with assembling my LBA and other gear which uses similar style connections, so I was not really intimidated when I opened the package. It basically looked like someone took the plates out of the IBA and threw it in the box with some bags and packs to attach to it.
At first I thought that I could arrange the bags on the back of the seat cover any way I wanted, but that does not appear to be totally possible because one bag has a connector that forces it to be placed near the bottom of the seat back.
I was impressed by the locations where you can stick the bags. You can stick a bag on the side of the seat bottom facing the door, in the front of the seat between your legs or the standard locations on the back of the seat.
I hurried out to my jeep with the pieces and figured it would only take a few minutes to throw on the drivers side seat.
I first laid the front of the seat cover over the seat and positioned it where I thought it would sit properly. Then I held the back of the seat cover up and started to connect it with velcro straps to the front of the seat cover. This GEAR seat cover does not work nicely with an 06 stock seat. The seat cover is not long enough to use all the straps to attach the back to the front, so I had to leave the top strap off that would go over the top of the head rest. This also allowed it to slide the seat cover down far enough that any of the velcro straps would not interfere with the latch that is used to fold the seat forward.
After loosely connecting the back to the front, I started to connect the bottom (the part you sit on) of the seat cover to the seat. In my eyes, they have a major design flaw here and I would like to see the option of having velcro straps similar to that which are used to connect the back piece to the front. Instead, they use some cheezy bungee cord (like the cord used in the bottom of a gortex jacket) and some cheap plastic hooks to connect to spots underneath the seat which "do not interfere with the operation of the seat" as they say in the instructions.
Due to the seat cover not fitting perfect over my stock seat, I have found that the bungee cords do not pull the seat cover down tight enough to keep it from sliding. I will probably add some velcro and use straps, but it would be nice to see this in the future added to this product .
Other than that, the seat cover is great. Being a Soldier that likes to have my stuff stowed somehow, this gives me a lot of spaces to put stuff so it is not tucked around the jeep. The bags are big enough to fit ligt jacket, gps, tools, pogie bait and some other stuff. I ordered two, one for the pasenger seat and one for the driver seat, but I probably could have got away with just one. I may snag some bags from the passenger seat and stick them on the front and side of the drivers side GEAR seat cover so that I have easy access to stuff without having to pull over, fold the seat up and get to the other stuff.
If you are looking for a nice way to store stuff using space which is otherwise wasted (the back of the seat), then these would be perfect for you.
If you are a civilian trying to figure out how the straps work, find a troop to ask. I am sure they have done plenty of this kind of stuff.
I will add photos tomorrow now that I know what to focus the picture taking on. You already know what the seat covers look like, but I will show you the parts that I talked about above.
#1 shows the recommended configuration for the seat. The bungee cords that hold the front portion of the seat cover down are not very strong and the seat cover slides a bit as you get in and out. The straps to connect gear in the front are also lifted up to between your legs as soon as you sit in the seat.
#2 shows my modification to the seat cover. I just neatly folded the front bottom portion, tucked it through the fold in the seat and stuck it behind the gear on the back of the seat cover. Unless smittybilt sends me seat covers for free to replace these, mine will stay this way. I did buy them to hold stuff, not to protect my seats, so I am not really upset having to have the seat cover tis way.
#3 shows the front of my seat after the mod I did. Notice how the top strap on the seat cover is not used. Ths is because the seat cover front is not long enough and even if it was, one of the velcro straps would cover the lever used to fold the seat forward. This would probably not be a problem if you don't get into your backseat much, but I have a kid we are constantly putting back there and need the fold down seat feature.
#4 shows how if the seat cover was raised anymore, it would cover the lever.
The recommendations I sent to smittybilt to improve their product was:
Add the option for velcro straps to be used to attach the front of the seat cover under the seat. They give bungee cords with hooks on the end, but even if I was to use them, there is no place that they hook will fit through on the passenger side seat to get it to run under the seat. If I put it anywhere else that it would fit o the passenger side seat, it would have been cut as the seat folded back.
Increase the length of the top strap so it can be used.
Add multiple attachment points for velcro to be used on the side of the seat cover so that you can move a piece of velcro up or down to get around something such as the lever.
muddyluxury
02-13-2008, 15:12
hey ryan, what did these things cost ya??
99 each. Trust me, one is good enough to hold a lot of stuff. I think the one that goes on the back seat would have been better, but I have a car seat for the kid and would have had to cut it up to be able to mount the car seat.
vajeeper
02-17-2008, 11:16
I like those. I am going to get a set when I decide on what I am doing with my Heep.
Thanks for the write up!!! I've been looking at the back seat one, and this is the first "real" write up I've seen on them....
If I was to do it all over again, knowing that the covers would not fit right with me seats, I would have just got the one for the back seat. I think it would have been much more useful sticking stuff back there that I would like secured, but don't necessarily need on the back of my seat. I have not even put anything in them yet. I will be doing that this weekend to prep for next weekend's ride and the Crozet ride I am hoping to hit in early march.
Chewie422
04-04-2008, 11:53
I noticed in the pics you are running a TJ. Were these tailored more for a JK with of course the option for any vehicle or just a basic design flaw as stated?
If anyone knows otherwise, I'd be interested...but of course, either way won't hinder me from getting them, lol.
Kevin
I noticed in the pics you are running a TJ. Were these tailored more for a JK with of course the option for any vehicle or just a basic design flaw as stated?
If anyone knows otherwise, I'd be interested...but of course, either way won't hinder me from getting them, lol.
Kevin
Not really sure what jeep model they were meant for, but if the seats did not have the headrest on them, they would have fit great.
trailsnail
04-07-2008, 11:06
Sounds to me, that for the price, they should fit right.
korisu56
04-07-2008, 11:09
From the very first picture, it looks like they were designed on the 97-02 seats.
Hitechredneck
04-07-2008, 16:12
I made something like that for my truck over here i will post it up tomorrow or when ever i get a chance. will some one point me in the right direction on how to post pics on this site?
korisu56
04-07-2008, 16:19
When you start a thread or advanced post, scroll under the text box and you'll see an area with a button saying "Manage Attatchments". Click that, and a supplemental window will pop up and you can upload any of your images into there. When you've finished uploading your photos, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click "Close Window". Post your thread and view pictures. Drink water and repeat as necessary.
I've been eyeballing these for awhile now. I was always interested, but I could never fully decide how I felt about them. Thanks for the write up to help me make up my mind on the front seats, but I still can't wait to see the back, if you ever get it.
Poor Boy
05-06-2008, 07:51
I've been eyeballing these for awhile now. I was always interested, but I could never fully decide how I felt about them. Thanks for the write up to help me make up my mind on the front seats, but I still can't wait to see the back, if you ever get it.
back? what back? you still have a seat to mount these on?
do they have them for the JK yet? last time i checked, they weren't available, but i'd love a set...
I don't see why they would not work on the JK. Hell, they don't even work on my 06 TJ. If I was not in the military and did not have an anal retentive trait instilled into me to have a pocket or place for everything, I would have returned these seat covers after trying to get them to fit the first time.
They are nice, rugged and useful to hold gear, but they don't fit my seats and are just seat backs with pockets for my jeep and not seat covers. I had contacted smittybilt and offered some suggestions for newer models, but have not heard back from them. Hopefully they implement them in the newer models so more people can get full use out of them.
I think the best you can do is order one and try it and if it does not fit, return it or post it up for sale.
back? what back? you still have a seat to mount these on?
Fair point. I've been thinking about looking for a new back seat though. Some of my friends want me to take them out wheeling, and I think it's the final shove they need to buy their own Jeep.
Poor Boy
05-07-2008, 05:59
I don't see why they would not work on the JK. Hell, they don't even work on my 06 TJ. If I was not in the military and did not have an anal retentive trait instilled into me to have a pocket or place for everything, I would have returned these seat covers after trying to get them to fit the first time.
They are nice, rugged and useful to hold gear, but they don't fit my seats and are just seat backs with pockets for my jeep and not seat covers. I had contacted smittybilt and offered some suggestions for newer models, but have not heard back from them. Hopefully they implement them in the newer models so more people can get full use out of them.
I think the best you can do is order one and try it and if it does not fit, return it or post it up for sale.
looking closer at the pics, i think they'd be alright if the seat portion was folded back, like you have there. the JK's have a couple big levers on the side for the seat height and reclining.
one more thing to add to my list...:( i need to make Chief...
Fifthpro
05-07-2008, 22:17
I got these things on my 99 TJ. The verdict is still out but they do fit the seats real good for my form-factor. If you seat anyone in the back you cannot add all the pouches. So far the way I have them set ups works for me and holds all the kit I need them to.
I plan to change out my seats and these things will probably come off......hang around long enough and I will be looking to trade something for them.
Hitechredneck
05-08-2008, 06:31
I forgot about this post and saying i was going to throw up some pics..lol better late then never right. kinda the same idea as the seat covers lol :)
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/hitechredneck81/DSCF0442.jpg
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/hitechredneck81/DSCF0441.jpg
Exactly the same, but different :)
I want an MP5 too.......Wonder if they'd miss this one..:o Sorry...I was looking at the weapon not the mag carrier setup...........
Hitechredneck
05-16-2008, 10:46
Its all good its my up close spray and pray weapon. I like it!!!
Fifthpro
05-16-2008, 19:52
No need to spray and pray..it is a very accurate weapon up to 100 meters. If you do not have time to use the sights you can not afford to miss.
Hitechredneck
05-17-2008, 08:51
I know it is very accurate, But it is used in the turret as more of a couple meter oh shit point and shoot kind of thing. It does a much better job then the m9 when you dont have time to turn the turret.
Poor Boy
05-20-2008, 19:39
i went ahead and picked up a set of these. the seat portion doesn't move at all on the JK seats. it is SNUG. however, because of the seperate head rests, it hangs a little low, putting some of the gear bags right in the rear passenger footwell. not a problem for me, since i haven't had a back seat in it from day 2, but if you carry a lot of people around, they're going to bitch about it.
tons of room for crap. i can finally get my tow strap and jumper cables out of that bathtub in the rear.
4wd is offering the hydration pack free when you buy a set. nice touch, i guess.
Can you post a pic of how they fit?
Poor Boy
05-24-2008, 12:28
Can you post a pic of how they fit?
i sure can.
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/bostondegenerate/Jeep/DPP_0001.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/bostondegenerate/Jeep/DPP_0002.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/bostondegenerate/Jeep/DPP_0003.jpg
Very cool...like them in black. :D
Look great. It is nice that you can run them under the hearest like that.
Poor Boy
05-28-2008, 08:49
Look great. It is nice that you can run them under the hearest like that.
yeah, but as i said, that means all the storage sits a little low on the back. i could have our PR's take the straps in a little, but i hate making work for this team. these guys work enough as it is. i'll just deal with it.
CallmeColt
09-07-2009, 09:22
I have one of these on my XJ and I love it. Same complaint as everyone else..... it does not fit as well as I would like it to, but it is VERY helpful in keeping all your trail gear secure, yet easy and quick to get to when you need it. I hated having to go into my trunk, un-strap the toolbox, open it, dig threw to get stuff, ect. Now I just have a pouch for my winch controler, D-rings, and tree slings, so on. Love it!
Jeffb_79
09-07-2009, 09:58
I don't remember if I put my opinions on the seats here yet, so here it goes...
I've had the front seat covers on for close to a year now.
I'll start by saying that I still like these. I keep a lot of small common tools in the rig all the time, toilet paper, zip ties, a qt of oil, atf, rope, bungies, rags, flash light, maps, ratchet strap, tire plug kit... These covers give me a great way to keep it all organized and out of sight.
Initial fitment wasn't that great. They're a universal type seat cover so you get some interference with the seat levers. After a few months they've worn in and fit pretty well and the interference with the seat levers is minimal. They use little elastic straps with plastic clips to secure the butt portion to your stock seat. After a year, those elastic straps have stretched out and are beginning to look like they're going to break at any time. Since they've stretched, they also don't really stay connected under the seat as well. Simple fix. When they do fail, I'll probably replace them with small nylon straps with adjustable clips so I can snug them up and hold them in place.
The snaps on the gear bags are beginning to show corrosion on them now. This is probably more my fault than the manufacturer's. During the summer months I leave the sides and back off all the time and the doors off quite a bit... so they get wet when it rains and damp from morning condensation. The seat covers are fairly waterproof, but don't cover the entire seat. If they get wet, you'll be able to wipe them off and drive for a while without getting your butt soaked. You'll still need to pull them off to dry out the seats.
Overall I'm pretty happy with them, but I don't think I'd buy them again. At $100 a seat cover, they leave a bit to be desired.
USMCCowboy
10-13-2009, 10:57
if any one was looking at buying these i have found them for 79.95 flat free shipping at 4wheelonline.com here is the sight
http://4wheelonline.com/jeep/Smittybilt_GEAR_Seat_Covers.93545.248754
TheRenegade
10-13-2009, 12:36
hey, Cowboy, the linky says $94.95...?
Jeffb_79
10-13-2009, 13:07
hey, Cowboy, the linky says $94.95...?
That's just for the ACU style.
If you click on the color options and select either tan, od, or black, it's 79.95.
TheRenegade
10-13-2009, 23:34
I knew I had a champagne appetitie on a beer salary...:o
thnx Jeff ;)
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