I feel your struggle. I have the OEM round tube ones that kill about 4" of clearance and everyone could use an additional 4" here in Colorado in the snow and mud. Still can't decide what to get and the rocks up here are eating the supports in airstream.
This is such a personal decision. It all depends on what you do with your truck and what will work best for you.
Amp Research and retractables: Super convenient, functional and cool. They are not for off road use IMHO. They can not take a hit if you come down on them. Being an expensive mechanical step with moving parts one rock drop and it's over.
Round tubes, often called Nerf Bars: A big step more durable than retractables. They also provide easy access into the truck. The loss of ground clearance is not the only con. They are mounted with "L brackets". Those brackets are a rock snagging magnets perpendicular to forward travel. Body damage can occur if you really clip a rock with the bracket. They should not be confused for rock sliders.
Rocker panel mounted side steps that sit up high and tight. There is a lot to choose from. Most Go Rhino steps are in this class. If you want to keep your clearance, don't need a rock slider, and the wife can still get in comfortably these can be a perfect solution for a lot of uses. How well they protect your rocker panels from damage depends on the model and mounting style. Most are not considered sliders.
Go Rhino D6 Dominator: Side step and rock slider. These have saved my truck from severe body damage on several occasions. The inside rail on these completly covers and protects your rocker panels even with the weight of the truck resting on it. Unfortunately I destroyed the D6 on my passenger side and replaced it. It did its job well and saved me from thousands of dollars in body damage. I swear by them. The con is some guys complain they are hard to clean and the hard coating may not stay pretty for a long time. They flat out work for me.
The bow in it is not supposed to be there.
Kind Regards,
Steve
