I think heat tape is far superior to UTHs, though I would avoid both in applicable set ups where other options are available, but I definitely wouldn’t attack anyone over their use of it and don’t pretend that either are actual abuse like so many do. In standalone tubs, tanks, and viv set ups, heat tape and UTH are not my favorite ways to heat since it requires the room to be so much warmer than if the enclosures had ambient heat. In racks, it’s almost good enough to provide a little bit of ambient heat as well. Especially hatchling racks, not as much in my V70 racks.
And like @autumngeckos mentioned, ambient heaters provide both ambient and belly heat, so in set ups where that’s possible I do recommend it, though it’s not required to be successful.
I do notice marginally better digestion rates with RHPs vs heat tape, but not enough it should make much of a difference in general health. For that reason, I set my heat tape a little higher, at 95-96 measured with a temp gun under the bedding. Setting at 90F didn’t seem sufficient for my boas. I don’t have experience breeding on it so idk how that compares to heat panels. But…I get the same level of vitriol from lighting bros when I suggest RHPs and not Tungsten or flood lights. They act like anything short of cooking a snake like a rotisserie chicken is insufficient so far as to make no effect at all.
One plus to a heat bulb (any kind) is you are a lot more likely to be able to use it unregulated vs any other heat source, just by changing the wattage and location, but there’s also fewer options for regulating a bulb than a panel or heat tape/pad since many require dimming and you can’t use pulse or ON/OFF without risking the bulb blowing/exploding or the light turning off and on throughout the day or rapidly and constantly (lowering the life expectancy of the bulb). CHEs can handle ON/OFF better, but pulse is probably pushing it, so dimming is my preferred still. Heat tape/pads can burn if unregulated, and RHPs can overheat an enclosure if unregulated. I would never use either of those unregulated, I firmly believe it’s mandatory for those sources of heat. Bulbs, it can be optional, but beneficial, especially if the reptiles don’t have a dedicated room you can keep at optimal temps, which can make lowering wattage size or increasing distance more difficult to do successfully while trying to maintain a proper thermal gradient.
That’s unfortunate they’re so awful. I don’t frequent the bp subreddit much because bps aren’t my cup of tea, but I guess I should start adding in a caveat of not joining in the discussion if I suggest any of their care guides in the future…the guides seem pretty solid to me but the actual sub seems really toxic.
@sugarhillballpythons Wow they sound like a bunch of winners. lmao While I do enjoy a bit of nitpicking here and there I can’t believe they take it that seriously. 
@deanaii The hate for breeders and racks on Reddit gets me every time. lol The boa subs aren’t too bad, the snakes general has its moments for sure. They’re constantly ripping apart Snake Discovery specifically in there whenever discussion of either/both come up, more than general gripes over either topic. And on that front the debate on those are definitely worse than what I see on FB…and at least you don’t get the racist, antisemitic, or other bigoted language you get on 4chan when discussing differences in care. Haven’t been on there close to a decade, and it’s basically dead now, but at least Reddit and FB have some leg up on that front. I like FB in general because it’s by far the most active place to discuss reptiles, though it has its toxic moments. I take a step back every 5-7 years or so and take a break, though it’s nowhere near as bad now as it was in 2016 and 2017 pre crackdown on animal rules. And yeah Tumblr was ruthless back in the day, I mostly saw it unfold in periphery discussions; the ones I followed generally didn’t get that much heat. My top 5 favorite accounts still breed boas and I followed them to FB. I have tried a couple times to go back but that type of posting just doesn’t interest me anymore.
@armiyana omg yes! Efficiency is sooo important when you own more than a dozen or so snakes. I much prefer my racks over my vivs on that front. Easier to keep some extra tubs on hand, swap out and clean up later vs spending hours on a viv emptying it, scrubbing it, cleaning it, and letting it dry all in one go. And less sq ft to worry about too. But people will villify you for that, and act like you’re a hoarder even if you’re otherwise providing proper care and can maintain your animals. It’s like they have this preconceived notion/stereotype of people who use racks, and that’s all it can ever be.
@mkmtsd I had no idea snakes could survive nido like that. 
Sounds like she’s heat intolerant because of it, and yes even healthy snakes I find don’t generally need to be baked inside and out. Add in health complications that can make it an actual health hazard to do so, and I definitely see the need to change up husbandry.
This. This community is THE place to get information, support, and respect. For most species, there are multiple ways to do it right. Continuing to improve husbandry with the goal of helping the animals? Sure, count me in. Count us all in. But we do keep in mind that successful approaches can vary among people who care very much about their animals.
That reddit sub is welcome to block her for preferring UTH heater