Best Aftermarket Bumpers for the GMC Sierra 1500

Updated on Oct 19, 2023

Are you looking to bolster your half-ton GMC Sierra’s exterior aesthetic and impact resistance? Then consider installing premium aftermarket bumpers from RealTruck! We offer a wide selection of aftermarket bumpers for the GMC Sierra, including various styles, constructions, and accessory provisions, but which is right for your truck?

In this guide, our experts cover aftermarket bumpers for the GMC Sierra 1500. We’re tackling everything from the available bumper styles to some of our top offerings on the market, providing an in-depth guide to help direct you toward a particular style or product. By the end of this read, you’ll be well on your way to ordering a new bumper for your Sierra; now, let’s get started!

Bumper Styles

Bumpers aren’t a one-size-fits-all product; quite the contrary. Every individual uses their Sierra for a different purpose, so manufacturers offer several bumper styles to suit any driving style. Whether your pickup spends most of its time on the street, the ranch, or the trail, we have a bumper for you! Let’s get into some of the top bumper styles and our leading products in each category.

Base

Are you looking for a simple, streamlined bumper offering a rugged aesthetic and superior durability without too many fancy bells and whistles? Then, a base bumper is likely the right choice for you!

Base bumpers typically feature a sleek, one-piece steel body, offering exceptional strength and impact resistance. Most also feature various accessory provisions, including D-Ring recovery shackle lugs, LED light mounting tabs, and winch plates.

Expert’s Choice: Steelcraft Fortis HD Front Bumper

The Steelcraft Fortis HD Front Bumper is a rugged, heavy-duty base bumper compatible with your GMC Sierra 1500. This simple, streamlined front bumper features a heavy-duty 6-gauge plate steel construction for superior strength and durability. Coating the bare steel is a premium textured matte black powder coat finish, guarding against rust and corrosion.

This bumper features several accessory mounts for added functionality, including provisions for a 20-inch LED light bar and two pairs of LED pods. Additionally, the Fortis HD includes integrated D-Ring shackle mounts and parking sensor cutouts.

The Steelcraft Fortis HD Front Bumper is backed by the confidence of a 1-year warranty.

Features:

Non-winch, base front bumper
6-gauge steel construction
Textured matte-black powder coat finish
Houses optional 20" double-row LED light bar & 2 pairs of LED pods (sold separately)
Includes vehicle-specific mounting brackets & hardware
Simple bolt-on installation
Integrated D-Ring mounts & sensor cutouts (if applicable)
Sleek, low-profile design
1-year warranty

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Bullnose

Bullnose bumpers are similar to base bumpers because they utilize the same overall body design. Often, a company’s bullnose bumper is just the base bumper with a welded-on guard.

Like base bumpers, bullnose bumpers typically feature mounting provisions for various accessories, including winches, recovery shackles, and auxiliary lighting, bolstering functionality as well as aesthetics and impact resistance!

Expert’s Choice: Ranch Hand Summit Series Bullnose Front Bumper

We can’t discuss aftermarket pickup bumpers without touching on the leaders in ranch-style front-end protection; of course, we’re talking about Ranch Hand. Ranch Hand bumpers are known for their classic diamond plate styling and unrivaled quality, and the Summit Series Bullnose Front Bumper is no exception.

This bumper features a durable diamond plate steel construction, providing more strength and rigidity than a conventional flat plate. Protruding from the top of the bumper is a rugged 12-gauge tubular steel bullnose, providing additional impact protection to an already durable bumper.

The Ranch Hand Summit Series Bullnose Front Bumper features various accessory mounting provisions, including pre-drilled mounts for auxiliary lighting and compatibility with your Sierra’s factory tow hooks and OEM fog lights.

This product is manufactured right here in the USA, ensuring top-tier manufacturing. Ranch Hand backs the Summit Series Bullnose Front Bumper with a limited 1-year warranty.

Features:

Constructed from diamond plate steel
Standard bullnose constructed from 12-gauge steel tubing
Features pre-drilled light mounts for easy off-road light installation
Retain use of OEM fog light and tow hooks on most applications
Black powder-coat finish
USA-made
Limited 1-year warranty

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Grille Guard

Like Bullnose bumpers, grille guard bumpers are essentially base bumpers with a guard welded to the body. These bumpers offer exceptional front-end protection with the addition of a full grille guard, offering comprehensive coverage of the entire front end, including the bumper, headlights, grille, and even the hood. Like the previous styles, grille guard bumpers typically include provisions for accessories like auxiliary lights, recovery shackles, and winches.

Expert’s Choice: Fab Fours Black Steel Full Guard Front Bumper

The Fab Fours Black Steel Full Guard Front Bumper offers a modern spin on classic ranch styling, featuring an aggressive design with an integrated steel grille guard for comprehensive front-end protection. This bumper is constructed from heavy-duty alloy steel, including schedule-40 pipe for the bumper’s base structure and 14-gauge diamond plate steel to fill out the remainder of the body.

For added corrosion protection, Fab Fours applies a sleek, glossy-black powder coat finish to every Full Guard Front Bumper. Not only does this coating encapsulate the steel to prevent rust, but it’s also highly durable, resisting chips, abrasions, oil, chemicals, and UV exposure!

This bumper significantly increases functionality with its assorted accessory mounts, including integrated tow hooks and provisions for LED pods of factory fog lights. It also features a simple bolt-on installation; all hardware is included.

The USA-made Fab Fours Black Steel Full Guard Front Bumper is backed by a limited lifetime structural warranty; the finish is covered for 1-year.

Features:

Non-winch, grille guard front bumper
14-gauge diamond-plate steel construction
Heavy-duty schedule-40 pipe main support
Glossy black powder coat finish
Accepts OE fog lights or a pair of 3” x 3” LED pods (sold separately)
Includes vehicle-specific mounting kit
Simple no-drill installation
Integrated tow hooks
USA-made
Limited lifetime structural / 1-year finish warranty

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Prerunner

Prerunner bumpers are yet another style derived from the “base” bumper, featuring a nearly identical design, save for the integrated prerunner bar. These bumpers are inspired by the high-speed desert racers of Southern California, featuring an iconic prerunner guard for superior impact resistance compared to base bumpers.

Expert’s Choice: Paramount Automotive LED Winch Front Bumper

The Paramount Automotive LED Winch Front Bumper is a versatile and durable front bumper, compatible with the GMC Sierra 1500. This bumper features a heavy-duty, 4mm-thick plate steel construction, equipped with a plate steel prerunner bar for superior impact resistance. This bumper is treated with a premium textured black powder coat finish to fend off rust and corrosion, ensuring years of reliable service, no matter the climate.

This bumper offers several accessory mounts, significantly bolstering functionality. Pre-installed into the bumper are two LED pods and dual LED light bars, improving visibility in even the darkest conditions. Each bumper also includes all necessary wiring, switches, and connectors. If you’re an avid off-roader, this bumper also has you covered with a heavy-duty winch mount, accepting most 15,000-pound winches.

Other features include 4.75-inch shackles and isolators, and additional mounts for a 30-inch LED light bar.

The Paramount Automotive LED Winch Front Bumper is backed by a limited lifetime structural warranty; the powder coat finish is covered for 5 years.

Features:

Winch-compatible prerunner front bumper
4mm-thick plate steel construction
Textured black powder coat finish
Accommodates up to 15,000 lb. winch (sold separately)
Pre-installed LED cube lights & LED light bars
Brackets included for optional 30" LED light bar (sold separately)
Vehicle-specific mount kit included
Includes 4.75-ton shackles with isolators
Wiring harness & switch for LED lights included
Improves tire clearance impact protection
Limited lifetime structural / 5-year finish warranty

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Tube

Tubular bumpers are manufactured from heavy-duty tubular steel, offering exceptional strength without drastically increasing weight. These bumpers are also high-clearance and low-profile, increasing ground and tire clearances for superior performance off-road.

Expert’s Choice: N-Fab RBS Gloss Black Rear Bumper

If you’re on the hunt for a high-quality rear bumper, consider the N-Fab RBS, which features a stylish and durable tubular design that significantly improves overall durability, aesthetics, and ground clearance! This bumper is manufactured from high-strength .095-wall steel tubing, resisting wear and tear on the trail. A 3/16-inch aluminum skid plate provides additional protection, allowing your Sierra’s rear end to slide across obstacles with ease.

This bumper features a heavy-duty powder coat finish for superior durability. All tubing is treated with a sleek black coating, while the skid plate receives a lustrous silver coating for added contrast.

The USA-made N-Fab RBS Gloss Black Rear Bumper is covered by a limited lifetime structural warranty and a 5-year finish warranty.

Features: