Bushwacker OE or Extended Flares

I am considering fender flares for my 2018 DC. I battle I-70 most weekends during ski season and don't care to have the side of my truck painted with debris especially when the snow gets slushy and dirty. It also does not help that Englewood CO still has dirt alleys. I have SCS Ray 10 18x9 +25mm wheels with 295/70r18 Toyo Open Country ATs and the tire sticks out 1.25 inches from the top of the fender. The tread only sticks out about .25 inches past the top of the fender. I don't care for the rivet style and was planning on getting the OE painted style which would would offer only .75 inches of protection. I see that bushwacker also makes a extended flare which has OE styling which can also be painted and offers 1.5 inches of protection. Obviously, the extended will offer more protection but I am considering the OE's for a few reasons.

- I would like to keep the mud flaps, tow a travel trailer.
- I don't want the tires to look 'tucked in'
- They can be purchased already painted

Considering my tread only sticks out .25 inches, do you all think the OE will offer enough protection or will it not really help? Will the extended offer enough rear protection for my trailer and vehicles behind me?

 

The extended may make it look tucked in. The OEM type are fairly thinner coverage wise if I remember correctly. I have the BW pocket style on mine with a 0 offset wheel.

 

Go with the .75!
I have seen the Extend A Fender in person and they are huge!

 

Very happy with my OE style fender flares, they are just right to me.

 

I bought the Bushwacker knockoffs on Amazon for $91 shipped. They were a PITA to install mostly because of the rubber gasket. Plus some screw holes didn’t line up. Here’s some pics of mine. I have the same tire size as you in Ridge Grapplers though, but have a 12mm offset wheel and 18x9.5s. So I am sticking out about 1.75-2 inches (less in the back). Mine seem to be perfectly matches, but like Tundra234 said, yours might look tucked in.

 

Omohundro, what is your tire/wheel combo? Do your OE flares help with road debris?