[mbell]

A big reason most hobby boards use LDO regulators is that buck-boost topologies are comparatively complex. PCB layout is critical and protections are more complicated.

You'll have a really bad time if you try to build a buck-boost switcher in a breadboard and won't have a clue why its not working. On the other hand you can throw an LDO into a breadboard with a couple caps and be pretty confident it'll just work.