Filter merits

Thanks for all the replies.
A lot of helpful advice on both filters and lens hoods :p

I myself has only ever used protective filters because I'm a bit nervous about scratches.

I think I'll go for it and give it a try.
I find myself outside a lot and it couldn't hurt to try I suppose.

Once I take the plunge, I'll report back on my findings!

Thanks for all the help

The simple answer is not to knock your lens against anything and if you use a polariser get or organise a hood with a cut-out portion so you can operate the CPL .... I am sure it was Manfred who showed us one of them in an earlier discourse on this contentious subject :) I will continue to have a lens hood on most if not all my cameras 7/24 and rarely use a CPL :)
The rubber hood is a convienience gadget* and only shields the lens from light, not very good at that, but neither are the petral hoods, nothing else. * I have one on my 50mm legacy lens and it enabled me to close the flap of my camera case in SLR days :) Though later I got the elephant's trunk version if anybody remembers those? [Pentax]