Are soft shackles safer than steel D-rings?

Specialist subreddits including r/overlanding consistently recommend soft shackles for kinetic recoveries because they're lighter, won't gouge bumpers, and pose less risk if something breaks under load. Steel D-rings still have a place for static pulls and winch rigging, but reviewers note they should be properly rated and attached only to frame-mounted recovery points, never to ball hitches or tow eyes screwed into a bumper cover.