Westin vs Go Rhino Winter Steps for 2011-2016 Ford Explorer

Winter side steps for the 2011-2016 Ford Explorer come down to one real choice at NLP Performance: Westin's round 3-inch E-Series nerf bars or Go Rhino's flat OE Xtreme side steps. Both bolt on with no drilling, both carry a limited lifetime warranty, and both solve the same cold-weather problem — a sure place to plant a snow-packed boot when you climb into a tall, salt-crusted SUV. The difference is the shape of the step, how it sheds slush, and how it survives a Midwest salt season. This comparison breaks down round bar versus flat board for the fifth-generation Explorer, with real fitment, finishes, and prices from $252.60.

Why Winter Changes the Side-Step Decision

A side step is a winter safety item, not just a styling add-on. The fifth-generation Ford Explorer (2011-2016) sits about 7 inches off the ground with a step-in height that forces you to reach up and over a salt-sprayed rocker panel. In snow and slush, a secure first step keeps you from slipping as you load kids, groceries, or gear. The two things that matter most once temperatures drop are the shape of the stepping surface and how the finish handles road salt.

Round nerf bars put a small, curved ribbed pad under your boot — light, inexpensive, and classic-looking, but a narrower target when your soles are packed with snow. Flat side steps give a wide, board-style platform that is easier to find blind in the dark and sheds slush off a larger surface. For corrosion, powder-coated steel resists salt well but can chip at the step pad over seasons, while polished stainless steel shrugs off salt the longest. Those three variables — step shape, width, and finish — are exactly where Westin and Go Rhino split.

Westin vs Go Rhino: The Quick Answer

A nerf bar is a round tubular step bar that bolts under the rocker with a recessed step pad, while a side step (or running board) is a flat, wider board that mounts on the same factory points. For the 2011-2016 Explorer, Westin builds the round 3-inch E-Series bar and Go Rhino builds the flat 4-inch and 5-inch OE Xtreme boards. Choose the Westin if you want the lightest, lowest-cost bolt-on; choose a Go Rhino board if you want a wider winter footing or stainless-steel salt protection. The table below lines up all three by step style, finish, fitment, and price so you can match the kit to your climate.

Westin E-Series 3-Inch Nerf Bars: The Budget Winter Pick

The Westin E-Series is a 3-inch round tubular step bar in a black powder-coat finish, with a recessed, ribbed step pad positioned at each door. At $252.60 it is the lowest-cost way to add a real step to a fifth-gen Explorer, and it is the only kit here that carries fitment all the way through 2018, so it also covers the facelift years. It bolts to the factory body-mount points under the rocker with vehicle-specific brackets — no drilling, no cutting — and most installs take about an hour with hand tools. In our Tampa shop, round nerf bars are still the most common step we mount because they are light, easy to live with, and they do not change the Explorer's factory silhouette.

Go Rhino OE Xtreme Boards: Wider Footing and Stainless Salt Protection

Go Rhino's OE Xtreme line trades the round tube for a flat, cab-length board that gives a bigger, flatter place to put a boot — the kind of wide step that is easier to find in the dark and simpler for kids and shorter passengers to use. Each kit is a complete bolt-on package: a 75-inch step plus Explorer-specific mounting brackets, with no drilling required. For the 2011-2016 Explorer you have two choices. The 4-inch OE Xtreme kit (part gor684413675T) is textured-black powder-coated steel at $329.98 — the value board. The 5-inch OE Xtreme Low Profile kit (part gor685413675PS) is polished stainless steel at $574.99, the finish that resists road salt the longest, making it the pick for anyone who parks outside through a salt-belt winter.

Round Nerf Bars vs Flat Side Steps: Which Grips Better in Snow?

Flat side steps grip better in snow because they give a wider, more predictable platform than a round tube. When your boots are packed with snow, you want the biggest flat target you can plant blind in the dark — that is the Go Rhino board's advantage, especially the 5-inch low-profile step. The round Westin E-Series still works well; its ribbed step pad channels water and its narrower profile tucks tighter to the body, but you place a smaller contact patch each time. For a family Explorer where kids and shorter passengers climb in, the wider flat board wins on sure-footedness. For an owner who values the lightest, cleanest bolt-on and parks in a garage, the round bar is plenty. Either way, clear packed snow and ice off the step before the first use of the day — no step material grips a glazed surface.

Salt and Corrosion: Powder-Coat vs Stainless Steel

Polished stainless steel resists road salt longer than powder-coated steel, which is why the Go Rhino 5-inch low-profile kit is the pick for salt-belt winters. Road salt and calcium chloride brine are brutal on anything under the rocker. Powder-coated steel — the Westin E-Series and the Go Rhino 4-inch board — holds up well for years, but the step pad and mounting edges are where chips start, and a chip is where surface rust begins. If you drive through salted roads all winter and park outdoors, the stainless 5-inch kit is the longest-lasting choice. If you garage the Explorer or rinse the undercarriage regularly, a powder-coated bar or board will serve fine; just rinse the steps when you wash off winter grime and touch up any chips before they spread.

Fitment: Which Fifth-Gen Explorer Years Are Covered?

All three kits fit the 2011-2016 Ford Explorer, and the Westin E-Series extends through 2018. The fifth-generation Explorer (chassis U502) ran 2011-2019, with a styling refresh in 2016. Go Rhino validates the OE Xtreme 4-inch and 5-inch kits and their brackets for 2011-2016, so those are the years to confirm before you buy either board. The Westin E-Series bar is tagged for 2011-2018, which also covers the post-refresh trucks. For a 2017, 2018, or 2019 Explorer, the Westin bar is the direct fit here; for 2011-2016 you can run any of the three. Always match the year on the product page to your Explorer, since the brackets are vehicle- and year-specific.

Installation: No-Drill Bolt-On for Both Brands

Both the Westin and Go Rhino kits install with no drilling, bolting to the Explorer's factory body-mount points under the rocker panel. Plan on roughly an hour per vehicle with basic hand tools and a floor jack or a second set of hands to hold the bar or board while you start the bracket bolts. The Go Rhino kits ship as complete packages — the 75-inch step plus the Explorer-specific brackets — so there are no separate parts to source. Snug all fasteners to spec, then re-check them after the first week of driving; cold-weather flex and the first few hard steps can settle the hardware. Doing this install before the first snowfall means you are not lying on a frozen driveway in January.