if you are worried about looks, but want the added safety, just get the pins anodized black at a paintball shop. I would recomend hood pins regardless of whether they look stupid or not. You have to realize that your stock latch system was designed for a hood that weighs damn near 60-70lbs. And, depending on the material of the subframe of the hood, for instance mine is fiberglass, it may not withstand as much pressure as the stock hood would seeing as how it's made of metal. I don't know...it's food for thought.

IMO, get em. Don't take the risk. Hoods and windshields are too damn expensive to replace.