I felt likewise re: recoil pads up until the last Mauser I built. On a whim (and with a casual nod to my arthritic shoulder) I stuck a 1/2" thick solid red rubber pad on it (about half of the thickness being taken up by the black spacer/backer). Lo and behold- not bad to the eye after all. All-in-all, for sheer elegance, I thing the Niedner-style plate looks best though.