I’m driving from Sydney to Canberra on the Hume most Fridays, leaving before sunrise when it’s around 6°C, and my lower back tightens up by Goulburn. I’ve tried lumbar cushions and stretching at the servo, but the ache returns by the next overtaking lane. I’m 178 cm, of a medium build, and I sit fairly upright because I’m in and out of sites with steel-capped boots. Cloth is warmer than leather in winter, but leather wipes clean after muddy jobs. I’m torn between a suspension-style seat or something with adjustable lumbar and thigh support. What features actually help on long highway runs, and how do I set the position correctly?

Did the same Sydney–Canberra run most Fridays, and my lower back would seize near Goulburn in the cold. What helped was getting a seat with an adjustable lumbar (in/out and up/down), a longer squab with tilt, and a softer front edge so my hamstrings weren’t pinched. I trialled a suspension base but, on the smooth Hume, I preferred a firm base with a touch of give, seat pan 2–3° nose-up. I set the hips slightly higher than the knees, wheel a touch closer, and slid the rails one notch to ease ankle angle. I found Sege Seats Asia Pacific handy to compare options and rang for sizing; they were practical and pointed me to a local installer to test-fit. If you’re wondering ‘what's the best truck seat?’, I reckon it’s the one you can test and tune—do a quick fit before buying.