Which is the Ultimate Floor Liner?

Keeping the interior of your vehicle in prime condition is not the easiest task to manage. From tracking mud, dirt, snow, or debris from your shoes to accidental spills of coffee, tea, or your choice of road sodie, sometimes the damage that you are inflicting onto your floorboards is out of your control--especially so if you've got any kids. That’s why floor liners are a necessity if you want to prevent damage to your vehicle’s interior. The two leading manufacturers of floor liners, Husky Liners and WeatherTech, face off in this VS Review. We will break down the many facets of these two product line leaders so that you, and your vehicle's floor, are always covered.
Read more: Where are Husky Liners Made?

Patriot Paramours with Patriot Principles

Thought it best to start here: both WeatherTech and Husky Liners are designed and manufactured right here in the U.S. of A. We feel like this is less and less common these days, so we here at Midwest Aftermarket would like to applaud both companies and their employees. And just as the principles behind buying American are so patriotic and engrained within us, our reward for supporting these companies is justly deserved: as both Husky and WeatherTech are at the top of their game, producing peak performance products that are durable and affordable. Shop 'Murican!

With that, let the VS Showdown begin!

Click here: Husky Liners.

WeatherTech Vs. Husky

Don't care that much about the long article? TL;DR? No worries. If you want to skip out on the research and just dive into the buying, check out our full offerings, including those from WeatherTech and Husky:

Custom Fit & Maximum Protection

With Freakin' Laser Beams!

All three products we will be looking at are top of the line, sharing the following comparable premium features: 

True Custom Fit

Digitally measured to fit your vehicle's floorboard dimensions "like a glove!"

Maximum Spill Protection

Contoured to protect your floorboards from muck & grime and to catch spills and trap liquid within the liner.

Superior Durability

Nigh indestructible material that is "rock hard" while still form fitting, backed by industry leading warranties.
Click Here: Midwest Aftermarket.

Distinguishing Marks

With the similarities out of the way, let's separate the men from the boys or the tough from the toys. Really neither depiction captures this competition as, shown by these sweet memes, these products are all "top-notch," manufactured in the US, and did I mention the laser beams? So what really separates the pack here?

Below we will attempt to thin the herd from 3 down to two.

Our 3 Heavy Weight Contenders: 

Husky: X-ACT Contour®

The softer side of Husky with a more premium look than the WeatherBeater line, while still offering indestructible strength. Of the two Husky offerings, this is the more luxurious option, providing a bit of cushion to go with the durability and protection Husky is known for. If you are looking for something tough with style, look no further.

Husky: WeatherBeater™

X-ACT's sporty cousin, Husky's WeatherBeater line is rugged and durable without the soft exterior. This is a working man's product, made to last, ready to get rowdy, boot proof and muck tough. It is easy to clean and install, just like the X-ACT. Pop it up, spray the gunk off, and snap back into place: a product that truly earns its moniker.

WeatherTech: DigitalFit® FloorLiner

With a rigid core that provides the backbone of the liner, complimented by a textured surface that remains flexible when you want go to install/remove it, the Digital Fit is a versatile liner offering superior protection. Those parallel ridges are designed to channel liquid and grime away from your feet and pedals while driving. A true custom fit liner.

3 Great Floor Liners

But Ultimate means Hardcore!

While all three are certainly top-notch products, this review is supposed to be about finding the ultimate floor liner. And while you may define ultimate in your own personal way, here at Midwest Aftermarket, Ultimate means Hardcore! Therefore, the two true hardcore competitors here are the WeatherBeater and the Digital Fit FloorLiner. Nothing against that X-ACT Contour line. In fact, if you are looking for cushion and/or luxury, that's likely your bag right there. But we are looking for rugged durability right now. So who's the toughest hombre?

Material Design

What's this Liner Really Made of?

Husky's Elasto-whats-it Material?

Husky's WeatherBeater Liners are made using a mix of thermoplastic and elastomeric material, which made us ask the following question: elasto-whats-it material? So we looked it up. Turns out "elastomeric" is just a fancy way of saying rubber-like. These liners are a little stretchy and bendy, but rigid enough to return back to their original shape. This is the perfect kind of material for a liner that you want to conform to the contours of your vehicle's floorboard. It is tough enough to take a beating while flexible enough to take the shape of its container--the floor of your vehicle.

Thermoplastic is a synthetic substance that is pliable and moldable when heated to a high temperature, while rigid and durable when cooled to normal temperatures. And don't worry about these puppies melting in the hot sun. Thermoplastics like the ones used in the Husky's WeatherBeater and WeatherTech's Digital Fit liners don't become molten (liquified) until above 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Now that's cookin' with gasoline temperature, there!

What's all this technical mumbo-jumbo mean exactly? This material is durable yet flexible, rigid when needed, conforming to the shape of your floorboard, and long lasting.

WeatherTech's High-Density Tri-Extruded Stuff?

WeatherTech employs a patent pending material known as High-Density Tri-Extruded material (or HDTE, if you're into the whole brevity thing). While it sounds cool, what exactly is it? Well, there's this patent thingy, so it is hard to know for certain, but it has been described as a little bit of both "rubber and plastic," at least feel wise. Of course, that's not so scientific, so let's dig a bit deeper. High-Density is pretty simple to explain. This stuff is tough for its thickness--in other words, durable as hell! Tri-Extruded, we confess to having to look that one up: basically it means that two or more materials are mixed together through the same heating process until they form a laminar structure (or a material without any disruption between the layers). Thinking we should have stopped with rubber and plastic. Maybe we could have, but here at Midwest Aftermarket we like to be thorough.

So what does it all mean? Basically it is similar at least in durability and pliability to Husky's elastomeric thermoplastic, so much so in fact that in WeatherTech's Rear Digital Fit FloorLiner they blend it with a TPO (or thermopolyolefin), basically a thermoplastic. Bottom line: both products are made of tough material that will flex to fit the contours of your vehicle. Which leads me to the biggest complaints about both products: the back seat! Customers of both Husky and WeatherTech note that the one-piece rear floor liners from both companies are a little hard to remove for cleaning since they are a bit rigid and so large. We'd call it awkward. But this seems to be an issue both products have in common. If you ask us, a little ingenuity should solve that problem: get yourself a shop vac! Done & done!

Winner?

Dealer's Choice...

We told ourselves we'd make a decision here, pick a clear winner, but we never thought we'd have to get down to the molecular level to try to find a strong difference between these two products. Really, you can't go wrong with either. Our recommendation: check out both specifically for your vehicle. If you are looking for a specific color, Husky offers Black, Grey, and Tan, but you are only guaranteed to find a Black style for each make/model combination. While many models do offer all three color options, some, like the 2017 Chevy Colorado (as of the writing of this article) only come in Black. Of course, if you're looking for Black liners, you're all set. WeatherTech on the other hand offers four colors: Black, Tan, Grey, and Cocoa. But likewise, the only color that seems to be available for each make/model is Black. So if you absolutely need your liner to be Cocoa colored, check out WeatherTech first.

Color seems like a pretty aesthetic reason to name one the ultimate floor liner though, especially since it is really up to individual choice then. So here's another consideration:

WeatherTech Digital Fit FloorLiner

The Door Lip:

While again this feature (like the color) seems to vary depending on your make/model of vehicle, WeatherTech sometimes appears to have the wider door lip on their Digital Fit (Grey liner at left/above) than Husky's WeatherBeater (shown right/below). After digging and digging this seems to be one of the only real distinguishing marks between these two top of the line products. So if you are concerned about the lip between your door and the floor getting dirty or scuffed up, check out the WeatherTech Digital Fit line first. If protecting that minimal part of your door frame from damage/dirt is not high on your list (as it really isn't on mine personally) then I'd probably go with Husky Liners. They have two great options to choose from, and honestly, I think their liners are a little bit thicker than WeatherTech. Other than this minute detail, these two are pretty comparable.

Husky WeatherBeater Floor Liner

The Truth About Husky Liners and WeatherTech

All marketing spiels aside, let’s lay all our cards on the table here.

My Chevy Silverado currently has WeatherTech Digital Fit floor liners in it. The previous owner bought and installed them. I don’t hate ‘em. They are solidly constructed and protect my upholstery as advertised. And they don’t look too bad either.

However, should they ever wear out--and a little bird on the Internets tells me they are likely to do so--I plan on picking up some Husky X-Act Contour liners. Why? I like the look and feel of them, really. I’d like to give Husky more of a shot too and be able to tell you after having both products in my personal truck for years which one I really prefer. I can’t honestly say that now cause I’ve only had the one brand. But I want to try both so I can tell you which I prefer and why without just doing the research and looking a brand new product.

That’s the thing about so many of these unboxings and reviews. We are never reviewing product that’s been through the ringer, that’s seen real and honest action for years. My research and review above is based on new product, product that’s barely been out of the box. And it was honest towards that end. But how much does that really tell you?

I’ve had my WeatherTechs for nearly a year now. So far so good. But as they start to breakdown, I’ll update you on them. What I’ve heard is that they may start to deteriorate and slip and slide some over time. I’m yet to experience it, but should I ever, this article will be the first place I update.

And to be completely honest, I’m excited to give Husky Liners a shot because they have some variety in products and I really dig their mascot. What can I say? I’m a dog lover.

So as soon as I’ve tried both out in real world situations over an ample amount of time, I’ll be updating this review. I’ll add on a whole nother section here at the end. And you better bet I’ll be telling you the truth or I ain’t the Parts Professor.

Until then, weigh in on our socials. Tell us what you think. Which brand do you prefer? Are you loyal to one or the other for a particular reason? Or do you just go with the one that looks best? Or the one that is on sale? We’d like to know, so we can better advise our future customers. Cause at the end of the day, it’s really all about you and your truck or Jeep.

Our Promise of Exceptional Service and the Lowest Prices on the Interwebs

When you’re ready to order your new floor mats, we hope you’ll get yours from us here at Midwest Aftermarket. We only promote products we believe in and sell them at the lowest prices, shipping quickly to you for free if you’re in the lower 48 states. We have an excellent return policy and strive to get you the right product in perfect condition the first time.

What are you waiting for? Give us a call or place an order directly through our website. We’ll get your product out to you ASAP so you can enjoy your vehicle and make it your own. If you have a vision of what your truck or Jeep could be, let us help you achieve that image, that goal. We put aftermarket right at the tip of your fingers on your smartphone, web browser, and even via various apps, making ordering the parts you need super easy. Let us help make your aftermarket dream possible. Let us help you build your dream machine. We want you to drive the truck or Jeep of your dreams right now. So when you get it installed and love it, make sure you share us some pics on social media so we can live vicariously through you. Because we too are aftermarket enthusiasts, truck and Jeep owners, who love and own many of the products we sell. In other words, we don’t just work aftermarket--we are aftermarket.

Midwest Aftermarket's collection of air intakes, pickup bed covers, truck running boards, and much more includes all the leading styles and brands. Midwest Aftermarket is the #1 online retailer for aftermarket truck and Jeep accessories, selling products at the lowest prices and providing the best customer service in the industry. With the goal to provide the highest quality product with the fastest shipping at affordable prices, look no further for your vehicle’s aftermarket accessories. From UTV’s to Jeep-fanatics to F150’s or Chevy Silverado’s, Midwest Aftermarket will give you the customer support you deserve. Ask us about our new 2 day shipping options available on many of our fine aftermarket accessories.