What are your experiences with them?  Worth it or not?  Faster wear?

I have used Buffertech recoil buffers in all of my AK variants, including Galils. With 5.45/5.56 weapons, the recoil reduction is less apparent, however I felt that it made rapid fire more controllable, especially through a PSO. With 7.62x39 recoil reduction is more noticable. It makes shooting more comfortable and increases your ability to fire rapidly while maintaining a degree of accuracy. For underfolders, I feel that they should be mandatory. They reduce wear and tear on your weapon and soften the violent action of the heavy bolt and lessen felt recoil and the "jostle" of the weapon during cycling. I have no experience with any buffers other than those made by Buffertech, but I can reccomend thier product as I have had excellent luck with them. They are relatively inexpensive, and if you are shooting a 7.62 AK, especially an underfolder its certainly worth the small investment.

In my not so humble opinion they are a waste of time and money.  If you look at a video of an AK firing in slow motion with the top cover removed you can see that most of the time the bolt carrier won't even touch the rear tang so i don't see the benefit.  On the other hand if you have used them and you like them then by all means continue using them.  I am not here trying to tell you what you may and may not use in YOUR AK.  I am just saying that I will not bother putting one in my AK.

In my 3 Norinco SKS's I use BOTH the buffer technology buffers that go into the back of the reciever top cover and the "H" shaped buffer that goes into the reciever itself together.

I feel a recoil difference without them and since the buffers are relatively cheap why not?

RW3