Question & answer

Are Running Boards Worth It on a Truck? Benefits, Downsides and Who Can Skip Them

Yes, if the climb into your truck is a daily chore for you or your riders, or you keep reaching into the bed from the side. No, if you climb in fine and you care more about what sits under the doors on rough ground. We found no independent test or measured figures, so this comes down to your truck and how you use it.

by the editorial team updated November 2, 2026 4 min read

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The straight answer

Worth it if you or your riders climb in often, or you want a platform for reaching the bed. Skip them if the climb does not bother you and you care more about what hangs under the doors on rough trails. We found no independent durability test and no published mpg figure, so weigh fit, install work and warranty terms.

What's on this page

What you actually get
The downsides listings skip
Who should buy, who can skip
If the answer is yes

A running board is a step mounted below a truck's doors that makes it easier to climb in and out. That is the whole job, so the honest question is how often that climb matters on your truck. If you are still sorting out the terms, what running boards are covers them. Below is what you get, what it costs you in work and risk, and who can walk away.

What you actually get

An easier climb. ARIES says cab-length boards typically give easier access to the cab, especially for front-seat passengers, and make it convenient to step in and out at either door.
More reach. ARIES describes wheel-to-wheel boards as a platform for reaching the bed as well. Bed and cab fitment explains why those parts add a bed-length question.
A choice of foot area. Titles range from a 3.5-inch rail to a 6-inch board on the same truck.
A step that gets out of the way, if you pay for it. RealTruck's guide says the AMP PowerStep extends down and out when the doors open and stows after a 2-second delay when they close.

The downsides listings skip

Downside	What the source states	Our read
Install work	Tyger's TG-SS2C35068 sheet uses 8 brackets, has no drilling step and recommends assistance. TG-SS2D35318 prints "DRILLING MAY BE REQUIRED". The AMP 76255-01A guide states 3-5 hours and recommends professional installation	Read the sheet before you order
Fit risk	Parts are cut by year and cab. One Tyger title says "Not fit 19-24 Classic"	A wrong order is a return
Warranty	Ram's 2024 booklet says aftermarket side steps or running boards do not, by themselves, void its warranties. It also says repairs caused by installing non-factory parts are not covered	The line is damage, not the part
Clearance	The part sits below the doors. We found no measured figures	See ground clearance
Fuel use	We found no published mpg test. A 2013 report has GM's aero team saying round tube boards can help smooth airflow and rating flush-mounted boards better	See gas mileage
Corrosion	We found no corrosion measurements for these parts	See rust
Load	No shared rating exists. Westin states 300 lbs. per side for the Pro-e, and the Tyger sheets state none	See weight ratings
Cost	Budget through premium, with power steps at the premium end	Decide on the step first, then the price class

Warranty questions have their own page, do running boards void your warranty, and it is not legal advice.

Who should buy, who can skip

Buy them if the truck is tall for the people riding in it, someone climbs in and out many times a day, or you want a platform along the side.

Skip them if nobody in the truck wants a step, you crawl rocks and want nothing extra below the doors, or you would rather keep the install and the fit check off your list. Sliders are a separate product, not a board by another name.

Power steps are their own decision, with more work and a premium price class. Are power running boards worth it goes through that one.

If the answer is yes

Buy by your truck first. Here is where each one starts, with the fit as the listing states it. All of them come with this rule: check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.

Fit sheetOur pick: Silverado and Sierra crewAd

Tyger Auto

Tyger Rider 3.5" (2019+ GM)

A 3.5-inch rail whose title names the Silverado and Sierra years, the HD split and the cab.

Why here: It shows what to look for: the title separates the years and the cab, and the part number leads to a maker sheet we could read.

Fits, according to the listing: 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab (as of November 2, 2026)
Style: Rail / nerf bar (as titled)
Material: Not stated in the title
Weight rating: Not stated in the title
Install: Bolt-on with 8 brackets; no drilling step in the sheet; assistance recommended
Price class: Mid-range

Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.

Why it makes the list

The part number in the title (TG-SS2C35068) ties the listing to Tyger's own instruction sheet
That sheet bolts 8 brackets to threaded holes behind plugs in the rocker area and has no drilling step
Title separates the 1500 years from the 2500/3500HD years

Watch out for

3.5 inches wide per the title, narrower than the 6-inch boards
No weight rating in the title, so none is printed here
The title does not mention the 2019 LD/Limited; a sister Tyger listing groups that truck with the older body, so check before ordering

Best for: Crew cab owners on the 2019-up GM full-size who want a rail with a readable install sheet.

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Silverado 1500 at the budget end: the COMNOVA 6-inch^*, whose title names the Sierra only for 2500HD and 3500HD.
New-body Ram 1500 crew: the Tyger Rider^*. Older Ram or Classic crew: the aluminum crew board^*.
F-150 SuperCrew: the Tyger LanderX^*.
2024-up Tacoma Double Cab: the Tyger Access^*.
Colorado or Canyon crew: the COMNOVA 6-inch^*.
2007-2021 Tundra CrewMax: the aluminum 6-inch^*.
2019 Silverado or Sierra 1500 crew, power: the AMP PowerStep^*.

The two Tyger Riders have maker sheets behind them here. The rest are listing data. For the full comparison go to best running boards. Start over from the home page if your truck is not on this list, and see how we verify fitment for how we treat every line above.

Tailgate questions

What are the disadvantages of running boards?

Install work, fit risk and a part hanging below the doors. Some kits call for drilling, and RealTruck's guide for the AMP PowerStep 76255-01A states 3-5 hours with professional installation recommended. A wrong year or cab means a return. Damage the part causes is not covered by the truck's warranty, per Ford and Ram. We found no measured clearance or mpg figures.

Should you put running boards on a truck?

Put them on if someone in your truck will use them most days, or if you want a platform along the side. Leave them off if nobody needs the step. That is our assessment from what makers publish, since we found no independent study. Then buy by your exact year and cab, because no single board is listed for every truck.

Do trucks look better without running boards?

That is an opinion, and no source settles it. Style varies a lot: a slim 3.5-inch tube, a 6-inch flat board and a power step that tucks away when the doors close all look different on the same truck. If looks are the only reason you hesitate, compare the shapes on our best running boards page.

Where this comes from

Keep reading

Who writes this

runningboardsfortrucks.com Editorial Team

Fitment, buying advice and explainers

We are the editorial team at runningboardsfortrucks.com. We read listing titles, maker pages and instruction sheets, then write down which truck, year and cab each one states and where we read it. We do not run lab tests and we do not own a test fleet, and we say so openly.

Fit quoted from the listing or maker
Sources and dates on every page
No lab tests, stated openly
Publisher details in the imprint

About us How we verify fit