Personal preference. I grew up learning off roading in a stick shift. Clutch control and crawling helped in some cases, but after doing same trails in automatics and just learning to drive a little different- the automatic is much easier to control wheel slippage and ease of powering out of situations I now prefer autos.
The control system for the 4l80e is annoying that it is expensive, but worth it imo. The auto trans is rock solid for 250-300,000 miles. Compare the cost and maintenance needed for a clutch and to me auto wins.
Let the handshakers come beat me up now...
I have one of the slowest shifting manuals they ever put in a pickup: the NV5600 where all the gears are always spinning. Due to GM's inability or unwillingness to lock the TCC below 45 MPH the 1993, patch, and a 2005 reg cab 3/4 ton Duramax got around 10 MPG in town. The 2003 Dodge with the NV5600 gets 16 MPG in town and without the AC running will get 21 MPG at 75+MPH. I get mid 14's with the 6.x engines and 18 with the Duramax freeway. This is a crew cab long bed 1 ton kicking the krap out of the automatics in MPG. Compared to the Dodge automatics the Manual is more reliable after you solve the rear bearing lube problem, overfill it, and add PTO coolers/string filter kit. (Frankly: Good luck keeping a transmission behind a diesel.)
People run similar miles on the original clutch and change them out more for bearing failures than actual clutch wear.
I can get either the 4L80E or the NV5600 rebuilt for a grand. Does not include removal or clutch on the NV5600. A real TCC for a 4L80E is a grand so the Manual is still more expensive with removal and reinstall. ($400 for that by shopping around.)
In traffic you do have to use all the engine's RPM so if you feel you need an in between gear IMO you are not revving up enough.
Being in the proper gear or downshifting due to high EGT's - there is no question the Manual has better control. It Fing shifts NOW not when the computer damn well feels like it from a manual shift request. The worst part of an auto is the "tight" converters and high warm up or refusal to idle the hell down always wanting to push you through a stop sign or increase your speed. Having had a 1994 454 3/4 ton Suburban that cold idled at 45 MPH without touching the throttle on a flat roadway... Bump the throttle and you all of a sudden have 1200 RPM pushing you through the tight converter till the computer steps it back to 500-650 RPM. A high stall converter is a world of difference getting rid of this constant unintended acceleration. When that constant isn't predictable it's a real PIA and yes GM made some unpredictable vehicles like this aka Trailblazer SS.
STOMP CLUTCH and ALL ACCELERATION STOPS NOW!
Then there is the PacBrake to get some real engine braking. It's useful in heavy stop and go freeway traffic as I can run the throttle alone most of the time. Some situations using all 6 gears for stop and really go traffic with the RV is a workout.
Stepping on the clutch is no worse than walking, but, it doesn't do anything to strengthen your knees (wrong muscles.) From one who busted their left knee in the past I even have a heavier clutch than stock. It just encourages you to not ride the clutch.
Sometimes a MT is the difference between a dog and a peppy ride. S-10's with the 2.5L 4 banger is a good example where the autos were dogs. Too bad the s-10's 5 speed squeaked the throw out bearing so badly and so often from cheap design keeping too much pressure on it. VW Rabbits with their pushrod and trans oil lubed throw out bearings are/were light years ahead of cheap GM MT design.
Given a 4:1 tansfercase low ratio I think you could make a good case for a MT offroad. Otherwise, yes, I would take an auto off road even though I overheat them badly when stuck in sand. (A yellow iron front end loader had to get me out as the tow truck got stuck trying to get to me.)
