i asked a similar question (or responded to one) a while back. i had many people tell me the s hooks can bend under stress... i said i have never seen that and i have used mine for years...

Guess what.. they were right.. when i upgraded to an 8-1 i bend the hook. BUT there was a larger hook that i was using and it never bent.

I used a snap on the bottom blocks and the s-hook to the boom. I have removed it and now just use a shackle (i spliced a pigtail)