I would use a clear or UV protective filter if the lens is exposed to dusty, sandy or salty conditions, or heavy pollen which could damage the front element. Otherwise use a hood to protect the front element from fingers, bumps etc. Normally I don't use a filter as the extra glass-air surfaces are always going to increase the chance of flare and reflections, and could cause minor loss in micro contrast etc, plus it slows me down if I need to swap it out for a polariser or other filter.
UV filters can be of some help in landscape pictures by removing UV light which can cause haze or a blue cast, but in these cases often a polariser is more effective. I'm not sure if you shoot landscapes, so that not be relevant for you.
If you are going to use one of these filters, choose one with the highest transmission. Depending on where the UV cut-off is, it may introduce a color cast but white balance can take care of that. If you want it simply for a protective filter, then one with high transmission into the violet/UV spectrum might be a better choice. Also consider the mount, a good quality mount is not going to bind or get stuck. I'd say any of the high quality filters from Nikon, B&W etc are fine.
