When you are trying to maintain the resale value of your car, one thing that you might overlook is the state of the foot wells.
This is where a lot of trash can accumulate, which will certainly wear down the carpet under your feet and make the vehicle a lot less sellable later on.
So what is the best method of dealing with this issue? Well, one way of doing this is with a floor mat.
These handy accessories are made from many materials including leather, carpet and vinyl and protect the floor from ash, stains and even burns.
Two major floor mat manufacturers are Weathertech and Husky. But when we compare the two, how do they fare? Well, we’re going to do a deep dive into both of these floor mats to see which ones are the best for your needs.
WeatherTech Vs. Husky – What Are The Main Differences?
One of the main differences is what the floor mats are actually made from. WeatherTech is made from far more durable materials, mainly ridged tri-extruded material.
Husky, on the other hand, are slightly more flexible, as they are made from an elastomeric compound. Elastomeric is a kind of compound that is made from rubber and will display rubber-like properties.
WeatherTech also makes custom-fit floor mats that you’ll need to give specific measurements for before you buy them.
Husky floor mats need to be cut to the shape of your car. This makes for a more one-size fits all policy.
This is great if you do not have the time or the inclination to get your floor mat cut, especially for the purpose.
Husky is also very affordable, which is why they are very popular amongst car owners.
However, if you want that extra care and attention paid to your floor mats before purchase, then we would recommend WeatherTech.
Now that we’ve given you a brief glance at some of the differences between these two brands, let’s have a look at each one in-depth to see how they stand up.
WeatherTech
This first brand of floor mat is probably among the most popular on the car accessory market. This is favored by car owners because you can custom-fit them to your car.
A lot of car owners are slightly obsessed with the way that their car looks. This is why it is important to them to have that integrated design.
This way the interior of your car will look a lot more neat and symmetrical.
These mats are also some of the easiest to install in your car and will require no additional cutting tools.
They are very lightweight, which is also what makes them so easy to install in your vehicle.
These floor mats are made with laser precision, which is why car owners value them so highly.
If you are going to be getting a standard floor mat off the rack, then you might find that dirt and other grime will fall down the sides and even get pressed into the fabric of your foot well.
If you buy 4 floor mats for your vehicle, then you can be sure that you’ll have mats that will be able to fit in the back as well as the front of your car.
One amazing feature of the WeatherTech floor mat is that it comes with ridged channels on the top that will catch and hold any fluid that spills into them.
This way you won’t damage the fabric of your carpet underneath the flooring.
With this floor mat, all you have to do is dump the fluid that has gathered in the center outside your car.
This floor mat is also very resilient, so you won’t have to worry about it soaking through the mat itself and into the fabric. This also goes if you are going to be spilling boiling hot liquids.
If you are looking for something that you can satin with any temperature of the fluid, then WeatherTech is a great floor mat to have.
You’ll want a floor mat that will not warp when you subject it even to the worst stains.
Another reason to buy WeatherTech, if you are worried about the state of American jobs, is the fact that this company operates in America.
This means that workers are from America and all their equipment is made in America.
So let’s have a look at some of the features one more time:
- Multi-channel surface – this helps you to get rid of spillages, which is very important if you are not wanting your floor mats to become warped or soiled over time.
- Protective – this will definitely protect the surface underneath your car. This is great if you want to keep it clean so that hopefully you can resell it for a profit.
- Simple installation – this can be installed in your car very easily, you won’t need any additional tools and it will not need to be trimmed with special equipment.
- Manufactured in America – buying these mats will contribute to the overall growth of the American economy.
- Affordable – these floor mats are great if you want to make a saving, although if you want to get the reduced price, then we would recommend the Husky model.
Let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons of buying a WeatherTech floor mat:
Pros
- Premium materials – if you are looking for flexible rubber materials that are also durable, then you can’t go wrong with this brand of floor mat.
- Custom made – if you are looking for something that will perfectly fit with the bottom of your foot well, then you should definitely opt for WeatherTech.
- Easy to clean – you can quickly and easily give this floor mat the once over. It also comes with anti-spill features.
- Weather-proof – this will not be susceptible to rain, snow or even intense sunshine. You can expect this mat to look pristine even after months of use.
- Laser-made – this is designed with laser precision, giving you a seamless fit for your foot well.
Cons
- You might find it easy to get a mat that will fit in the front foot well of your car, but it might not be so easy to find one that will fit in the back.
- This brand might be cheap, but the Husky models are unfortunately far cheaper.
What Do Reviewers Have To Say About WeatherTech?
A lot of reviewers have stated what they love about the Weathertech floor mat is the ability to fit in almost any vehicle.
This will go the same if it is a truck, a car or even the foot well of a driver’s seat in a bus.
Users are also impressed by how well you can clean these floor mats. One reviewer said that all they had to do was take the hoover and all of the dust and grime could be removed in a single suction.
One reviewer claimed that: “This floor mat fit in so well with my car that it was almost as if it grew there!”
This floor mat will also not get caught up with your gas pedal. This is very important, as getting your gas pedal snagged could be the cause of some serious car accidents and injuries.
On average, WeatherTech products get around 4 out of 5 stars, which is a pretty amazing mean score to have. You can often find most WeatherTech products are very highly rated.
Now that we’ve taken a look at the WeatherTech brand, let’s have a look at its rival, the mighty Husky floor mat.
Husky
Now we have something a little different. Husky has a more universal approach to their floor mats, coming in larger sizes that can then be cut to fit the bottom of your foot well.
These types of floor mats can be placed in almost any vehicle, from a truck to a modest car. The genius of this design is the fact that you tailor it to your needs after you have bought it.
These come with cleats on the bottom that will help your floor mats to stick to their surface without sliding or shifting as some other liners do. This will also prevent your floor liners from tearing over time.
This is made from an elastomeric material that will replicate the look and feel of durable rubber.
Elastomeric will also be highly resistant to oils and chemical spills, which can sometimes happen if you are doing DIY to the inside of your car.
You can also be sure that this material will help to protect your floor mat from the harsher outside elements such as rain, sleet, snow and even intense UV light. If you track dirt into your car, then you won’t see any scrapes or scratches.
These floor mats are also very easy to clean, all you have to do is blast it with a hose and you’ll get rid of all the nasty grime and dirt that can often stain your floor mat for months to come.
Due to the laser precision design, you can also be sure that your floor mat will conform to the floorboards of your truck or SUV.
Another great feature of these floor mats is the design. You can get them in some very stylish colors like black, tan or grey. Most of these colors will fit in with the decor of the inside of your car.
You might not even need to cut these floor mats when they have been laid down. This versatility is what makes Husky a firm favorite with long-haul truck drivers.
These floor mats also come with a lifetime warranty, so you won’t have to worry about them becoming damaged or warped over time.
You’ll need to make sure that you don’t use corrosive chemicals when you are cleaning these mats. If you damage the mat yourself, then you will void the warranty.
Now let’s have a recap of some of the best features of the Husky floor mat brand:
The first is that they can be easily installed. If you are looking for mats that can be easily cut and trimmed to fit the floor space of your car floor exactly, then we would certainly recommend these.
These mats will also give you plenty of protection over the foot area of your floor. With its laser molding, you can be sure no grit or dirt will get stuck down the sides or trampled underneath.
Husky also makes their floor mats Available in lots of colors. You can get this in grey, tan or black, all of which will definitely blend in with the decor of many different brands of car.
Resistant to most chemicals. If you are going to be making frequent repairs to your car, then you might want something that can resist corrosive solvents.
This floor mat is made with a diamond tread. This will stop your feet from treading in the dirt, which is very important for reducing the overall mess on the fabric of your car.
The best part of the Husky floor mat is quite frankly the price. This is even cheaper than the WeatherTech brand, which is great if you want to buy more than one and are cutting down on costs.
Now that we’ve had a summary of the features, let’s have a look at some of the main pros and cons:
Pros
- Great rubberized elastomeric materials – this is made from some of the most durable materials that you can find on the market. This is great for reducing wear and tear and surviving the elements.
- Laser precision fit – you can be sure that this one will fit within an inch of the outer edge of your car foot well.
- Lifetime warranty – this comes with a lifetime warranty, which means that if it gets damaged for reasons beyond your control, then you can take it back and have it replaced.
- Lightweight – this is one of the lighter floor mats you can get. This also makes it very easy to install on the inside of your car.
- Dustproof – these come with high ridges around the edge, which will stop the dirt and grime from escaping out of the edges and into the weave of your carpet.
- Extremely cheap – this stuff is very inexpensive, which is great if you are going to be buying one for each seat in your car.
- Very flexible – this will be very important if you are going to be taking them out to give the interior of your car that extra-special clean.
Cons
- One of the downsides of having a Husky floor mat is the fact that they only really fit the flooring of a lot of older model cars. If you have a newer car model, then you might have to go floor mat hunting elsewhere.
What Do Reviewers Have To Say About Husky?
A lot of reviewers really like this product, mainly praising it for its flexibility and how you can use these mats to get the most coverage possible on the floor of your car’s interior.
The fact that these floor mats can also hold sand and dust in place has also been praised by a lot of reviewers. You can be sure that it will hold a few day’s worth of grime before you get the vacuum out.
At first, there were some users that were not sure how this floor mat was going to fit. However, once they bought it, they found that it could be amended easily to fit whatever floor shape you had in your car.
Cleaning – Husky Vs WeatherTech Floor Mats
Cleaning your floor mats will be important for not only preserving the integrity of your car’s interior carpet but also for keeping the floor mats themselves in very decent condition.
But how do these two brands compare when it comes to cleaning? Well, let’s have a look…
Husky
You should try and clean these ones with soap and hot water, especially if there is dirt and grime caked onto your floor mat.
If it is oil that you’ve spilled on your mat, then we would recommend that you use a natural solvent, like the ones that contain citrus.
If you are going to want to restore the natural sheen of your Husky floor mats, you can always use Windex.
If you use cleaners like Armor All, then you can be sure that your floor mats will remain very slippery.
If you have black floor mats, then you should bear in mind that they will show far more dirt than other types of floor mat.
They will also show wear that you’ll get from naturally cuffing your feet. This will take the form of white streaks.
If you are going to want to give your Husky floor mats a complete clean, then the manufacturers themselves suggest that you wipe the mudguards down with soap and water first.
Once you have done this, then you should leave them to air dry.
WeatherTech
If you have WeatherTech floor mats and you want to give them a clean, then we would suggest that you buy WeatherTech’s own patented biodegradable cleaner.
This is designed specifically to clean their floor mats, so you won’t have to worry about any degrading.
This is completely free of any phosphates, so you can get rid of them in any ordinary trash can.
You should use a softer brush to clean these floor mats. If you are not using this cleaner, then you can still use hot soap and water.
You should once again avoid using the harsher chemicals on these floor mats, as they will start to break down the actual rubber in the mats.
You should take a power washer and use this to get rid of all the excess dirt as well as the suds.
You can also condition your mats with the WeatherTech patented protector.
Once you applied this strong and resilient coating, then you can be sure that your floor mat will not experience any stains or scuffs.
To apply this protector, soak a sponge in it and then apply it liberally over the surface of your floor mat. Once that is done, you should air dry it until there is absolutely no moisture left on the surface.
If you use this protector on your floor mat regularly, then you can be sure of extending its life by a few months.
All-Weather Floor Mats – What Exactly Are They?
You might be able to guess from the title what function these floor mats perform. They are simply designed to withstand all the dirt, grime, rain and ice that the outside world can throw at them.
They are made from a resilient rubber material that will not rip or fold. It comes with a high friction underside that will prevent the mat from moving while you are driving.
Some of the key features of the all-weather floor mat include:
- They are very easy to clean – You can very easily and simply wash away all the dirt and grime that builds up on your mat. All you need is a bowl of hot, soapy water that you can rinse off afterward.
- Aesthetically appealing – these mats are very appealing, giving you everything that you need for perfect symmetry across the entire interior of your car. You can get these in black, tan or grey.
- Protects the fabric of your car – if you are looking for something that will completely cover the underneath of your car from dirt and harmful grime.
- Durable – these mats are some of the strongest that you can find on the market. They are very flexible, which makes them easy to mold to the inside of your car and easy to wash.
- Waterproof surface – this will help you to trap many different types of water and dirt on the surface, allowing you to dump it out of the car when you leave.
You’ll be happy to know that both Husky and WeatherTech do versions of all-weather floor mats that you’ll be able to put in the front and back of your car.
Some of these floor mats come in sets, with a larger mat that you can use to spread across the foot wells in the back seats of your cars.
The great thing about these mats is that they won’t slip or slide under your feet, which is often one of the most tricky things about having a mat on top of your flooring.
The WeatherTceh models of all-weather floor mats actually come with cushioning underneath that will elevate your feet off the floor.
This will help you gain firmer traction on the floor as well as allow you to maintain circulation, which is great if you are going on long-haul journeys.
So Which Is Better: Husky Or WeatherTech Floor Mats?
If you are looking for something that is very lightweight but also durable, then we would recommend that you get the Husky.
These floor mats are known for their ease of installation, which is great if you don’t fancy doing that much DIY.
Husky will also provide you with a lifetime warranty on your mats.
So long as you don’t damage them yourself with chemical spillages, then you can be sure of getting replacements if your mats break down.
Husky mats also have teeth on the underside which means they will not move or slip around. This is great if you are wearing heavy boots that can often rake up whatever surface is under them.
For our money, overall the best product here is the Husky brand. It is very affordable, as well as being sturdy and will deliver you everything that you’ll want for your floor mat.
However, if that perfect fit is what you want, then we would suggest that you get the WeatherTech.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Floor Mats Slip Easily?
This will all depend on the weather conditions as well as how long you’ve had your floor mats.
For the first few months of use, your mats might be a little more slippery, as the gel is being released from them.
However, as you continue to use them, they will become drier and develop a rougher surface.
If the weather is wet, then obviously you can expect your mats to slip around a lot more. If you are getting a new mat, we would recommend getting one with teeth.
Can You Fit Floor Mats In Any Model Of Car?
The WeatherTech brand is most customizable, so you should be able to find a mat that you can fit in your car much easier. However, if you have bought husky floor mats, then you might be struggling to find a set that will fit newer models of cars.
Conclusion
We hope that our article has helped you to understand the exact differences between WeatherTech and Husky floor mats and which one will be more suitable for your car and your needs.
Make sure that you look at the design and material before you buy.
