hvae to keep in mind also, harder does not mean better, as the harder they get the more brittle they become. its finding a perfect balance of hard enough, and flexible enough so they dont break easily when it comes a time they need to flex. which can be attributed to a slipper to help save them...
weight savings is a factor, price, and design.
yes the cheaper ones might have metal driveshafts, but i can tell you now that doesn't mean they are better. case in point, within a few battery packs of bashing on a brushless Exceed infinitive with metal dogbones, every shaft was bent, and that was...