Bartact Seat Cover Question

[StimpsonJCatt]

Wanted to put a bow on the thread and what my final decision was between Bartact & Katzkin.

After all the fantastic feedback and a number of DM's to various team members, I decided to go with the Bartact's. Reasons why are below.

- Universal positive feedback regarding fit, finish, longevity and overall quality
- Bartact willing to customize my order (getting the covers made w/o the seat back cutouts so I can cut the holes smaller to tuck underneath the seat back latches for more of an OEM look along with a few other things)
- Personal struggle with putting leather in a TJ (I just don't think it fits for that era of vehicle)
- Cost is over 3 times less then Katzkin

Only negative I can see is the crazy lead time. They just quoted me 6-12 weeks. Since we are in the dead of winter now in Michigan and I am not driving the Jeep anyways, I am not that frustrated but I do have a heated garage and like most of us, when we buy something, you want it now....(LOL!!!)

Thank you all for the help and I really appreciate the feedback from all of you and this is just another example of what makes this forum so special.

Scott

 

[mrblaine]

- Personal struggle with putting leather in a TJ (I just don't think it fits for that era of vehicle)

Not sure I agree with that one.

 

[RangerTJ]

Not sure I agree with that one.
View attachment 587580View attachment 587581

Those look great, but any time I've had leather in a convertible vehicle the seats would turn into butt-skillets in the sun.

I had a 2001 Camaro SS with black leather and T-tops.

Leaving the tops off in the sun made for a BBQ when you hopped back inside.

 

[mrblaine]

Those look great, but any time I've had leather in a convertible vehicle the seats would turn into butt-skillets in the sun.

I had a 2001 Camaro SS with black leather and T-tops.

Leaving the tops off in the sun made for a BBQ when you hopped back inside.

None of which has anything to do with the vehicle's era.

 

[RangerTJ]

None of which has anything to do with the vehicle's era.

So those don't get hot?

 

[AndyG]

Wanted to put a bow on the thread and what my final decision was between Bartact & Katzkin.

After all the fantastic feedback and a number of DM's to various team members, I decided to go with the Bartact's. Reasons why are below.

- Universal positive feedback regarding fit, finish, longevity and overall quality
- Bartact willing to customize my order (getting the covers made w/o the seat back cutouts so I can cut the holes smaller to tuck underneath the seat back latches for more of an OEM look along with a few other things)
- Personal struggle with putting leather in a TJ (I just don't think it fits for that era of vehicle)
- Cost is over 3 times less then Katzkin

Only negative I can see is the crazy lead time. They just quoted me 6-12 weeks. Since we are in the dead of winter now in Michigan and I am not driving the Jeep anyways, I am not that frustrated but I do have a heated garage and like most of us, when we buy something, you want it now....(LOL!!!)

Thank you all for the help and I really appreciate the feedback from all of you and this is just another example of what makes this forum so special.

Scott

Sometimes you can find some resellers that have the more common colors at the same price- And they will ship immediately

I can’t understand having a product that is a universal fit and not having deep inventory when the demand is so consistent

 

[MikekiM]

Wanted to put a bow on the thread and what my final decision was between Bartact & Katzkin.

After all the fantastic feedback and a number of DM's to various team members, I decided to go with the Bartact's. Reasons why are below.

- Universal positive feedback regarding fit, finish, longevity and overall quality
- Bartact willing to customize my order (getting the covers made w/o the seat back cutouts so I can cut the holes smaller to tuck underneath the seat back latches for more of an OEM look along with a few other things)
- Personal struggle with putting leather in a TJ (I just don't think it fits for that era of vehicle)
- Cost is over 3 times less then Katzkin

Only negative I can see is the crazy lead time. They just quoted me 6-12 weeks. Since we are in the dead of winter now in Michigan and I am not driving the Jeep anyways, I am not that frustrated but I do have a heated garage and like most of us, when we buy something, you want it now....(LOL!!!)

Thank you all for the help and I really appreciate the feedback from all of you and this is just another example of what makes this forum so special.

Scott

You won't be disappointed.

I was deciding between a set of Corbeau Trail Cats and keeping the stock seats with the Bartact covers. Price difference was about $500 more for the Trail Cats.

I really didn't want the MOLLE grid and wanted a contrasting white Bartact logo. Both of these options would have put me in the abyss waiting for the custom order. Turned out Bartact had a set of black on black with the MOLLE grid, on the shelf ready to go.. I had them in a week.

About a year later one of the seams on the drivers side seat bottom started to pull open. I suspect I had something to do with it by leaning on that seam with my right hand every time I climb in. Called Bartact, sent one picture and they approved a replacement seat bottom while I was on hold. Got it in two weeks. Still haven't installed it, the seam is still holding strong and I still lean on it multiple times a day. That said, their customer service is great.

 

[HBomber8]

I ordered Bartact all-black front and rear seat covers for my new-to-me 05 LJR on 1/22/25. The entire order also included a black flashlight holder, the lumbar support bladder, and heated seat kits. The order was “being prepared” for a month. I called customer service on 2/25/25 for an update and was told that the delay was because they were making the front and rear covers and that it would be another 3 weeks before everything shipped. I was a bit surprised, as I had figured that they would have had the common colours in stock, and there was nothing custom about my order, but I didn’t make a fuss. I have a front and rear set in my 99 TJ, and I knew they were worth the wait. They finally shipped on 3/5/25, and I got them yesterday. I installed everything today, and so far so good! I still need to test out the heated seats, but having seen what Blaine said about them I might just buy the Dorman kit and switch them out.

 

[HBomber8]

That reminds me, I gotta ask @AndyG about an application for the Rubi club

 

[AndyG]

That reminds me, I gotta ask @AndyG about an application for the Rubi club

Man we are wrapping up the first quarter membership drive- It’s gonna take me weeks to process those. We’ll see if we can get you on the list for the summer enrollment.

 

[MFMauceri]

Just came across this thread. I ordered some Basic Bartacts a week ago. Considered the molle versions, but want to keep it simple up front. The ones on their website show no branding ('Bartact') or customization, e.g.,'Rubicon'. I had full set of Rugged Ridge ones, and they faded to white after a summer in the sun with the soft top down; not even heavy duty Procion dye could bring them back. Good to hear folks are happy (mostly) with the Bartact producet.

 

[psrivats]

I ordered Bartact all-black front and rear seat covers for my new-to-me 05 LJR on 1/22/25. The entire order also included a black flashlight holder, the lumbar support bladder, and heated seat kits. The order was “being prepared” for a month. I called customer service on 2/25/25 for an update and was told that the delay was because they were making the front and rear covers and that it would be another 3 weeks before everything shipped. I was a bit surprised, as I had figured that they would have had the common colours in stock, and there was nothing custom about my order, but I didn’t make a fuss. I have a front and rear set in my 99 TJ, and I knew they were worth the wait. They finally shipped on 3/5/25, and I got them yesterday. I installed everything today, and so far so good! I still need to test out the heated seats, but having seen what Blaine said about them I might just buy the Dorman kit and switch them out.

This is just how Bartact operates today. They are entering the "sucks balls" territory with the BS reasons they are giving out.

 

[HBomber8]

This is just how Bartact operates today. They are entering the "sucks balls" territory with the BS reasons they are giving out.

Yeah, it's a shame, it seems like they're going through small business struggles. The seat covers I bought 4 years ago for my TJ were amazing and still are holding up today (and they shipped super fast back then lol!). I had to finesse these covers on a bit, because the 05 seats have the plastic insert in the back of them that the early TJs didn't have and the covers were a bit tight, but I finally got everything squared away. I installed both the heater pads and the seat covers a couple of days ago, and finished up the wiring today. I'm not super impressed, tbh. Mr. Blaine was right, they are a bit lacking. I installed them under the OEM fabric, so maybe it's because they're under both the OEM fabric and the bartact covers, but they weren't super warm on high, and not noticeable on low. I'm probably gonna invest in the Dorman kit. Hate to have wasted the money on the bartact kit, but worse come to worse I'll install these ones in my TJ once it's fixed.

 

[MikekiM]

Yeah, it's a shame, it seems like they're going through small business struggles. The seat covers I bought 4 years ago for my TJ were amazing and still are holding up today (and they shipped super fast back then lol!). I had to finesse these covers on a bit, because the 05 seats have the plastic insert in the back of them that the early TJs didn't have and the covers were a bit tight, but I finally got everything squared away. I installed both the heater pads and the seat covers a couple of days ago, and finished up the wiring today. I'm not super impressed, tbh. Mr. Blaine was right, they are a bit lacking. I installed them under the OEM fabric, so maybe it's because they're under both the OEM fabric and the bartact covers, but they weren't super warm on high, and not noticeable on low. I'm probably gonna invest in the Dorman kit. Hate to have wasted the money on the bartact kit, but worse come to worse I'll install these ones in my TJ once it's fixed.

I don't know why, but my experience with the Bartact seat warmers is not as you describe.
I typically put them on high for just a few minutes. Can't bear them on high for too long. Switch them to low and keep them on for a bit. Even there they are too warm to leave on all the time. I have them adhered to the back of the Bartact seat covers.

 

[John Cooper]

Maybe @tr21triton can give us some input on this also, since one of his cronies has seat warmers in Alabama of all places.

 

[tr21triton]

Maybe @tr21triton can give us some input on this also, since one of his cronies has seat warmers in Alabama of all places.

If you live south of the Mason Dixon line and are a male you don't need no stinking seat warmer, unless you only identify as a male !!!! The next thing you'll need is a hanger for your man purse and don't forget a place to store your manpons too

 

[chili_pepper]

If you live south of the Mason Dixon line and are a male you don't need no stinking seat warmer, unless you only identify as a male !!!! The next thing you'll need is a hanger for your man purse and don't forget a place to store your manpons too

They make a great mobile heating pad if ya got a jacked up back (assumes back and seat heat). I've used them on long trips to great relief.

 

[RangerTJ]

If you live south of the Mason Dixon line and are a male you don't need no stinking seat warmer, unless you only identify as a male !!!! The next thing you'll need is a hanger for your man purse and don't forget a place to store your manpons too

How do you really feel?

 

[mrblaine]

I don't know why, but my experience with the Bartact seat warmers is not as you describe.
I typically put them on high for just a few minutes. Can't bear them on high for too long. Switch them to low and keep them on for a bit. Even there they are too warm to leave on all the time. I have them adhered to the back of the Bartact seat covers.

Our tests were in open air, then a single layer of terry cloth towel over them. IR thermometer backed up the results felt with our hands on the towels and bare heaters. I wish ours were like yours.

 

[MikekiM]

Our tests were in open air, then a single layer of terry cloth towel over them. IR thermometer backed up the results felt with our hands on the towels and bare heaters. I wish ours were like yours.

Far more scientific than I did it... I am just going by how hot my ass gets.