Best Jeep Rock Sliders

There’s some misconception around both rock sliders and side steps. Not all side steps are rock sliders, but rock sliders can be side steps. Side steps, while durable, are not designed for impacts. They tend to be more plastic than steel, whereas rock sliders are all steel. Side steps are also flat and designed to be only as intrusive as they need to be to help you up into a lifted Wrangler. Rock sliders tend to have a 45 degree angle out from the side of your Jeep to deflect thicker branches and slip off boulders. While you can use a rock slider as a step, keep in mind you won’t have as solid of a purchase as if you had a textured step.

The main two differences in construction are board type sliders and tube style sliders. Similar to full width steel bumpers and tubular bumpers, the differences are largely around utility. Tubular style sliders are regarding as some of the best Jeep rock sliders because of their levels in safety. Unlike a flat board, a tubular skeleton has designed failure points in the event you encounter an obstacle too sturdy to deflect. Rather than waffling into an accordion or potentially damaging the mounting, tube sliders crunch at certain seams to minimize body damage as much as possible. There are also braced tube style sliders for increased rigidity. The rounded nature of tubes also makes it so you can encounter obstacles from many angles without worrying about getting hung up.