Finally pulled the trigger on a 2023 Frontier and man I am so hyped to get this thing out in the dirt. Im based out in Phoenix so I'm looking at a lot of desert running and some rocky trails up near Sedona. Ive been scouring the forums and I keep seeing people recommend the Bilstein 5100s for a budget lift but then other guys say the stock Bilsteins on the Pro-4x are basically the same thing and it is a waste of money? Its super confusing because the heights seem different but the ride quality is what I'm worried about. I'm also torn on sliders because I saw the Nismo ones look cool but they are like double the price of some other brands I found online like Z1 and I cant tell if they are actually better or if you're just paying for the name.

I've got about 2500 bucks saved up right now and I really want to get it sorted before my trip to the rim next month. I dont want to go overboard and ruin the daily drive since I still gotta commute to work but I definitely need more ground clearance and some protection for the rocker panels. What are the absolute must-have accessories for these trucks that actually hold up in the heat and rocks? Is it better to spend the bulk of the cash on a real suspension kit or should I focus on armor first so I dont beat up the frame?...