A high-quality front bumper can come with a boatload of benefits. Some buy them for visual appeal, some buy for off-road ruggedness, and some just need a beefy winch mount. ExtremeTerrain’s (XT) massive catalog of Jeep Wrangler bumpers can be a little intimidating, but their own Meredith Evasew clearly knows them front to back. “In this video, I picked out four front bumper options to represent a specific style and show you the differences in their coverage, utility, and even how they can help out your performance whether you’re out there on the trail or just keeping it to the street,” Meredith says.

A stubby bumper is “going to be for that Jeep owner who’s concerned about their off-road performance while also wanting a very aggressive look to make their Jeep stand out.” Since it’ll be roughly the width of the grille, it won’t protect tires or fenders, but does help keep foreign objects away from the radiator and A/C condenser. The narrow width allows plenty of room for articulation. A full width bumper is pretty much the opposite of the stubby version. While it can be the heaviest of bumper options, this style does add full front end protection and can usually accommodate factory fog lights or accessories.

Right in the middle is a mid width bumper that mixes the best of the full width and stubby attributes. Angled ends can provide some extra clearance for tires and articulation while not quite achieving the all-out protection of a full width. Last but not least, the tubular bumper is the simplest of all. With a light weight and vintage feel, it doesn’t quite have the protection level that comes with a solid steel plate construction, but provides useful simplicity.