The facts.
Stock wheels aren't forged.
Most, if not all, aftermarket truck wheels you see in this very forum are made in China so let's not throw stones in a glass house.
My opinion.
Stock wheels are cool (my mint set sit in storage), but the typically conservative OEM offsets and widths leave a lot of food on table for aftermarket companies to offer more appealing specs/designs.
If you buy from a reputable wheel brand, whether made in China/Thailand/Taiwan/Japan/USA/XYZ, you're going to be well served for many tens of thousands of miles of motoring.
I love my Black Rhino wheels by TSW. 37lbs each, but true and load rated up the wazoo. China made. Just like the carbon fiber bits in a Porsche Carrera GT.
Gl in your search!
I said "maybe" they are forged. The stock wheels on my Excursion are forged.
Im aware that most aftermarket wheels are made in China. Thats what I said. So I don't know what you mean about "throwing stones"? The fact is the stock wheels are better QUALITY than any of the cast aftermarket stuff, and Id say the only aftermarket wheel that is better than the stock wheel is one that is fully forged. Aftermarket stuff may give you many miles of happy motoring on I-20, but when you hit a rock on Trail 21 at Windrock, and it does this to a steel rim.....
...an aftermarket Chinese made cast wheel would have become a piece of scrap. I submit that the factory aluminum wheels would have survived these hits, but that the much of the cast aftermarket stuff wouldn't.
Im not saying I would never run an aftermarket wheel on my truck. Im a certified wheel whore and love all sorts of different brands. Ive been eyeing the Black Rhino "Rotary Forged" Stadium wheel. And any of them will work fine if your just cruising around the coffee shop. But when wheeling, I want something strong, like really strong. Because I just don't want to be changing a tire on the side of a mountain at 2 in the morning in the snow and mud because my wheel cracked when it hit a rock.