I don't like using a leader either, but this year I had to after I discovered that the bottom was littered with blocks of concrete, bricks, tiles etc, and the possibility of long casting. 30lb Amnesia to 15lb mainline!
Basically I was fishing in a reservoir that is over old houses, a road and other such.
The thicker leader meant I was able to fish, even so I still lost a couple of fish, snapped hooklink and one smashed above the leader on a helicopter set-up. I started a thread on that link below.
As I said in that thread, I make sure my lead or rig can be ejected, a large run ring that will pass over any snapped end, or if a helicopter set-up, a rig that can come off the end. You DO NOT want the lead ejected on a helicopter set-up. It is the lead that allows the rig to pull free, so no to Heli-safe for me as I think that is one item that is not safe.