Though I'm a Large- seeker always-- Irelease most Bass (as I hope/ believe 95% of us here do), & fish crushed barbs always! (Excepting eels as mentioned-- a barb needed to keep the eel on the hook of course!)
For 10+ years now I'm using & field- testing "mostly crimped" barbs successfully! Of the last 10 Cows I lost-- none were to hooks/ plugs being thrown! (As I'm a stubborn 20 lb. mono guy, too many broken lines in craggy areas!)
On the 4x & 6x VMC trebles that I use on most of my plugs, the barbs are of modest size to begin with, so I crimp the barb down only slightly-- maybe 40% from original. On Mustads & other Trebles featuring large/ excessive barbs-- I crush these down maybe 75% or more. Singles used for plastics or chunking, etc.-- same, as the hook dictates.
I believe that beyond being release- friendly-- the lesser barb gets me MORE Large! To me-- 85% of the game there is penetration!... only 15% holding on during the fight! I'm much more worried about a hook opening/ bending (thus the 4x VMC's), OR the head plug swivel popping! (hear that Gibbs?
).. than I am my nearly- barbless hook falling out during the battle!