>>1031096i'm not sure why you care, but it doesn't come down to looks, just safety. i'm not sure why one would care about the looks of it?
boulder problems with a flat landing area that go straight up are just fine to do by yourself without a spotter and 1 pad.
but what about something that traverses, or is overhanging, or is especially high?
without somebody to move the pad for you as you go, and to direct you on to the pad as you fall, or without a large number of pads, especially if the landing is uneven/rocky... you're far more likely to injure yourself bouldering than roped climbing. ankles man. ankles.
