Regardless of the type of the vehicle, the driving manner or the duration of car travels, convenient seats are crucial for both comfort and health. That’s why every driver is looking for the best car seat cushion for the passengers. The manufacturers, in turn, offer various types of foam for car seats to meet the demand. All of them, as they say, are designed to take the body form, drain moisture, prevent mold, and the increased consumption.
4 Best Types of Foam for Car Seats
So, what kind of foam is used in car seats? Let’s review the most popular materials.
1. Polyurethane Foam
It has an open cellular structure and is able to soak up water when the seats get wet and prevent mildew during their desiccation. The material comes with either high or medium density, but only the latter one is antimicrobial. The material can also absorb sound and dampen vibration. Note that a waterproofing layer is required before inserting it into a cushion cover to save the polyurethane foam’s properties.
2. Open-cell Foam
This foam for car seats is produced with open pores to let air and wetness flow through hassle-free. Its surface is soft and bubbled and it also features an antimicrobial effect to avoid mold. Its bubbles are not connected with each other to provide free air currents between them. Open-cell foam has some varieties.
- Car seat memory foam is a viscoelastic material with increased density and viscosity. Besides, it can take different forms to provide absolute comfort.
- Durable latex rubber is remarkable for its non-allergenic properties.
- Rebond foam boasts extremely high resilience.
- Dryfast foam doesn’t absorb water, it fits seats in boats and other waterways.
3. Closed Cell Foam
This material is buoyant and much firmer than polyurethane. It has no water absorption that’s why it’s compatible with a wide range of cushion covers. It also allows attaching another type of foam to its bottom to provide additional support for the cushion.
4. Evlon (Lux Foam)
A high-quality material can last 6 years. It comes with a wide range of thickness and sheet sizes. It boasts high density and durability, delivers good support without being too hard.
5. Orthopedic Foam
This material is made of supportive gel foam and is developed to help ease back pain and reduce pressure in the area of the coccyx.
How to Choose the Appropriate Car Seat Foam?
When choosing the right foam, think of the level of comfort, material’s durability, and good support for the whole body. Support depends on foams thickness that should be picked on the base of a driver/passengers’ weight. If dealing with durability, choose the material with the highest density. Keep in mind that different manufacturers use various ratings to identify density and firmness. When speaking about prices, they’re usually based on the sheet’s size, density, and weight.
Besides, one should know that each state has its own flammability laws that’s why it’s crucial to consider foam’s flammability while choosing the proper material.