I love baffles in larger rockets--about BT-60 and up. I do a variation of the old design (one side with central holes, the other with perimeter holes). I like to install the baffle far enough forward to keep the parachute's weight near the nose, for stability. Once installed, I can insert the parachute, shock cord and nosecone, with an added 1-2 inches to spare. With a baffle, I generally go with the traditional Estes paper shock cord mount. Maybe it's me, but they don't fail me. Now, I throw out the shock cord and use one that is 3-5X the kit length, and I often use a heavier elastic than the provided one. Hard to beat a baffle on the field: fold chute and re-insert to fly again.