[PTC Bernie]

Actually, if you look at the load across the cross section of the bridge, the difference in the moment between a pinned bridge and a pinless bridge aren't as different as you might think. The major component is the one pulling the whole assembly in the direction of the head, as you would expect.

The amount of energy that translates "upward" against the underside of the soundboard is small compared to the pull toward the head of the guitar.

My Breedlove SJ25W has a pinless bridge. To my way of looking at it a pinless bridge yields better transfer of energy to the soundboard. The less you have poking through the soundboard the cleaner the sound.

As far as "dinging" the top is concerned, I shaped a piece of cardboard to fit flush against the bridge so that the ball end of the string impacts cardboard, not the guitar surface. End of problem.

All of this is just my less than humble opinion of course.