I only do squats with a safety squat bar and elevated heels. The SSB helps prevent injuries and the elevated heels allows me to sink very low into the squat. Because of the reduced risk of injury, I could squat confidently far more often with more weight and see much better gains in strength and size. After a certain age, learning to do exercises while minimizing risk of injuries becomes a much higher priority if you plan to continue working out for a long time. Seen too many people mess up their backs with barbell squats.