Why keep running boards on? unless your a half-person and need help stepping up the mighty one foot to your seat, why bother? i just noticed mine should be removed and wondered why in the last year of owning my x, i didn't take them off? plus no worries of messing them up when rutting, i already bent it a little bit, not to mention it gives it a nicer stance and appearance.

And your point is????

Most everyone who wheels, ditches them!

no point, i just find it humorous that they are still being put on SUVS, especially suvs that are geared toward offroading.

95%+ of Xterra's likely never see more than a dirt or gravel road...

Not just for climbing into the vehicle, how about for getting to the roof?

I use mine for getting my bike on and off my rack. X-Towers mounted to the factory rack of an already tall truck when you're 5'7" (half person) is no easy feat.

But yeah, for wheeling, they come off.

Don't forget about the kids (1/4-persons). Mine couldn't climb in the vehicle without them. The rear seat is almost 4ft. off the ground...Probably over 4ft with the boosters. That's high when you're only 3 and 4ft tall.

And short people, after I busted the rails and before the sliders, they would complain all the time "HOW DO I GET IN".

That's what I used to think, but since I removed them, I just find it a lot easier and practical to step up on the rear tire... should have done it a long time ago!

My stock step rails have saved the side, lower quarter panel on mine but my extent of 4WD is on the beach or driving in HEAVY TEXAS Rains. I ran over a limb on the beach that ended up whacking the heck out of one of my step rails...Surely would have dented a body part if it weren't there and cheaper to replace versus body work/painting. For some people they are the thing to have, I don't have any rock crawling areas like some of you do....Don't even have any rocks.

Bones, Did the branch damage the step rail? It sounds to me like you benefit from keeping the step rails since you don't 4X4 like some of us.

I don't think it was damaged at all. It was a big "bang" sound, I felt stupid for not seeing it but often big limbs on the beach are hard to discern from sand / mud. The step rail did save me a body dent I'm sure.

My 4x4 needs are quite different than what a lot of you guys do. I typicaly drive on a desolate beach for family fun spots on the beach and/or fishing. There are few beach spots like this in America left, we have one right down the street from our home.

Also, I've been on plenty of boat ramps that required 4x4 to get the boat out do to slime on the ramp or even boat launches with just coliche rocks to drive on.