internal vs external tiedowns

We went with the HJ, as stated because of price, and had previous experience with them that was good. The ears don't bother us nor the bumper buttons, but we do have an older truck with heavy duty bumper and factory dual struts. As for bolting to the bed only, hmmmm, maybe I missed something but the one we installed bolts down thru the bed to the frame and the upper part bolts to that heavy duty ell and does go thru the front of the bed. So far no problems but different strokes for different folks. I didn't relish having to flush dirt and debris from the TL bar under the truck to prevent rust, etc. or the need for more clutter under the back of the truck. But then again, we've never actually used them or even seen them on a truck so those who have are more qualified to give input on those. Just personal situation and experiences.