lol just kidding, but really which do you prefer? I've never preferred taking it easy, so I sucked up the immense pain the first few times and now I can squat 205 with cold hard iron on the back of my neck with minimum discomfort. Back in H.S I used padding because I had to.

If I was given the choice I'd use padding but I'm not.

In the same vein, do you use gloves/straps when you deadlifts?

Back when I was into powerlifting I used a pad and then two between the backs of my knees(with the surgery and all I played it safe). But yeah, I used a neck pad, it's way better.
And I used gloves during most of the workouts, I didn't want to drop that shit on my or my head or something.

I haven't deadlifted yet, but I plan not to when I do. I might use rosin for deadlifts and cleans, I'll get into them next week

Until now my neck has stayed in a perpetually bruised state, now the skin is starting to come off as well, calluses here we come.