I have been driving my wife insane spending hours on the computer trying to select some bumpers. I have looked at the Rampage, Rugged Ridge Aluminum ($1000 more than Smitty) and the Warn.

I am not a rock crawler by any means but this won't be a mall cruiser either. Plan on hitting some trails on the weekends but not getting into too much trouble.

My tire carrier will be the Teraflex HD Hinge because I like the sock look of it as opposed to a bumper mounted tire carrier.

As for the bumpers (try not to fall of your chair) it's between:

Poison Spyder Brawler Lite Front/Rear and Smittybuilt Gen2 Front and SRC Rear Bumper w/hitch

• After line-x is done PS is $450 more expensive
• I really like the light option for the PS rear bumper
• I really like the integrated hitch in the Smitty rear
• $450 can by spent on other stuff
• Amazing reviews on the poison spyder
• Shitty reviews for Smitty but mostely on install and tire carrier that dosen't apply to me.

One last thing...

I am running a Zeon 8-S winch.

Thanks for your input, i truly appreciate it.

 

Look into the Crawler Conceptz rear bumper if you like the PS rear but wanna save some cash.

Great looking and very cheap compared to other options especially if you plan on not using a bumper mounted tire carrier.

 

I recently went thru the bumper debacle myself.
After much reading, talking to a reputable shop that sells both, talking to guys who have had both, and laying eyes on installed versions of both ... I went with Poison Spyder.
From everything I was told, Smittybuilt will be just fine if they are more for aesthetics and light/incidental use. If you plan on getting serious and the bumpers will be "used", Poison is a better option. From past wheeling experience, I knew I was buying bumpers that would be used not as a whoops item, but rather, something I intended to rely on with full intent on using them.
I do not have experience with Smitty, but I have already "used/needed" my bumpers (and rock rails and under belly) out in the AZ rocks and while powder coat is now missing (rocks tend to do that) where heavy contact was made, the bumpers have not moved from the installed locations, and are not bent, dented, creased etc. No structural damage.
Tire carrier, last weekend I backed into a tree (hard to admit) up in the mtns (so, a real tree not the wimpy desert sort) and of course my tire hit. It was a decent collision, and I figured the tire carrier was likely damaged, warped and maybe body damage as well. Not so. Literally no damage, still operates as if nothing had happened) I'm not sure a body mount tire carrier would have faired as well.
Something you may want to think about is the actual (PS) bumper with tire carrier.

Happy shopping.

 

Thanks for the response. I think I'm going to go with the poison spider bumpers. I think it's worth the extra money for something so well reviewed and I really like this lights in the rear bumper. I don't plan on using my bumpers at all but if I ever need to... I will glad I have them.

 

Are there any integrated hitches that are actually made for pulling a trailor ?
I would like integrated too, but most I read say not for towing.

 

The only decent one that I saw was the Smittybuilt and even with that, I'm not sure where the wiring harness goes.

A couple other companies have the receiver but they are not tow rated.