I was basically just interested replacing my stock manifolds as they are looking pretty lame after 10 years. I have put headers on all kinds of vehicles and really dont see a great big difference from one brand to the other. The coating is the key for long life without rust. The leaks on the gaskets are usually due to the fact that folks don't retighten the bolts after the FIRST two weeks of driving. The heat and huge temp swings mandate that you simply retighten all bolts and that usually fixes the leaks. I just noticed the summit brand used the same 16 ga steel as the rest, granted the painted headers are gonna rust eventually. So I guess it comes down to what you want to pay for the coating and what it is worth to ya.

1998 4x4 Longbox 5.2
79,000 miles

 

Headers do allow the exhaust to exit the engine easier and do not hold as much heat against the block as the manifolds do. They do distribute more of the heat into the engine bay and require periodic checks for bolts coming loose. On most of my cars it is basically a once a year check or less.