Appears that the short bed/long bed discussion was really driven by a concern of overall length. Have you thought about a SuperCab long bed? For a F250, the SuperCab long bed is only 4" longer than the SuperCrew short bed. The SuperCrew long bed is 16" longer. I just ordered the 2017 F-350 DRW Diesel SuperCab because didn't want the extra length from the crew cab, but still have the back seat.
I didn't order the tailgate ladder as I've added the Amp Research folding step to both of my F-150s. These attach and fold under at the corner of the bumper without any frame modification. I have bad knees and these work great. There is another brand out there which is cheaper and issues with breakage. Amp Research also makes a folding side step which would be great for the 5'er.
http://www.amp-research.com/products...ories/bedstep/