Best Defense Off-Road Armor Bumpers, Skid Plates, and More

It’s a great big world out there, with thousands of trails, rock quarries, mud bogs, and more. We, as off-roaders, will encounter all types of terrain, and not all of them wish us well. That’s why it’s important to armor up with bumpers, skid plates, and fenders, which give our vehicles the best defense.

Let’s start off by looking at bumpers. We carry the most trusted brands in the business —- ICON Impact Armor , ARB , Warn , Fab Fours , Body Armor 4x4 , and others have proven themselves as leaders in this space. What you choose for your bumper mainly depends on your application, whether it’s an overlander, prerunner, rock-crawler, or mixed-use daily driver. Some bumpers are also tailored specifically for make and model, such as the Jeep Wranglers.

Jeeps enjoy a variety of bumper choices, like Warn’s full-width Elite with stinger (left) or stubby Crawler (right)

There’s a wide variety of choices when it comes to bumpers : stubby, stinger, prerunner, and so on. A stubby bumper means the overall width matches that of the grille, leaving open space in front of the tires and fenders. These bumpers are ideal for dedicated rock-crawlers that need high articulation for getting up and over rocky obstacles. We see these most commonly on Jeeps.

Stinger bumpers feature a “stinger,” essentially a metal arch that spans the middle of the bumper. Many will argue they’re purely for looks, but they do serve a purpose! In the event of a tipping or rollover, the stinger should keep the vehicle from ending up upside down, as well as protect the front of the vehicle (hood, grille, winch, etc.). Again, stinger bumpers are commonly associated with Jeeps, but we’ve also seen examples of them on 4Runners, Tacomas, and other vehicles.

For prerunners, something like Fab Fours’ Aero front bumper is a fine choice. Its skinny profile offers good approach angle, along with a lighter weight than other bumpers to emphasize speed.

Prerunners are on the flipside of Jeeps, meant for going fast over relatively smooth terrain like sand washes and dunes. Naturally, tubular bumpers tend to be the main choice. As the name implies, these bumpers are typically made from tubular steel or chromoly and come powder-coated for enhanced lifespan. They’re favored for their light weight and high approach angle, making them ideal for vehicles like Ford Raptors and Ram TRXs. One thing to note is their geometry may require cutting the frame or front fascia. We always make sure to let our customers know this ahead of time, in case they have concerns about things like their vehicle’s factory warranty, adaptive cruise control, and parking sensors.

Overlanding enthusiasts will enjoy ARB’s Summit bumper. It offers mounting locations for lighting, a winch tray, and recovery points.

Last but not least, overlanders and mixed-use daily drivers enjoy bumpers that are versatile, tough, and customizable. Besides mounting a winch , these kinds of bumpers also feature places for lighting—-light bars, pod lights, fog lights, etc—-as well as recovery points. A great exam4a33ple is the ARB Summit bumper for Ford Broncos. This bumper features a space for a 10,000-pound winch, mounting points for lighting, and full-width protection from fender to fender.

Rear bumpers like this swing arm bumper from CBI Offroad are ideal for overlanding, offering mounting areas for the spare tire, fuel, tools, and more.

Rear bumpers protect the vehicle’s backside, but we find that customers love to customize this part of their vehicle, too. Many manufacturers offer units that include swing tire carriers, which mount the spare tire to a pivoting arm installed into the bumper. These are ideal for offering access to the rear cargo area, while also freeing up space underneath the vehicle for greater departure angle. Other ways to customize the bumper include step holes for ease of access, as well as rock lights or pod lights for increased rear visibility.

Rock sliders (left) and skid plates (right) protect areas of the vehicle that may come in contact in overlanding or rock-crawling situations.

Armoring up your vehicle is more than just bumpers, however. Skid plates are another way to keep it protected. These are typically quarter-inch or 3/16-inch thick aluminum or steel and fit between the front bumper and front axle, with some kits spanning the length of the underside for added protection to the transfer case and fuel tank. Similarly, rock sliders run along the lower side of the body on either side. These protect the edges that may come in contact with the ground when scaling obstacles such as rocks, hence the name.

Now that we’ve covered all the ways you can armor up your vehicle, the next step is to come to Off Road Warehouse and see these upgrades firsthand! We carry armor products in all of our stores nationwide, and are always happy to help guide you toward the right choice for your vehicle. Check out our store locations to find your nearest ORW, and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook .