I also only use them once and have been doing that for the past 10 years or so ever since they became relatively inexpensive. Easy raw backup and I've not had any SDHC failures since doing that. I did have some failures prior to doing that, which I associated with times I deleted unwanted files off the card to make room. After implementing a policy of never deleting files off a card unless I was going to immediately reformat it after transferring all files off of it, those failures went away.
I admit to not actually using the Full Format option on the recorder myself. The Sandisk Ultra 32GB cards I've order off A-zon have been 100% reliable for me in single-use mode (or reformatting after file transfer) so I usually just do on a quick format on a new card in the interest of saving time and battery in prep for a show. Not best practice, but practical and efficient.
Back when I was reusing the cards I'd typically format it on a Windows 7 computer, then insert into the recorder upon which it prompts to write the necessary system file. Way back when I'd also insert the card into my DR-680, R-44, and camera, letting each write whatever system files they required. That allowed me to use the card in any of those devices and allowed for moving the card between devices without first having to transfer files off of it and reformat, which was very helpful in flexibly managing SDHC card space and card redundancy at a show or fest. Can't remember which, but one of those devices could only initialize the card along with doing a quick reformat, so it had to go into that one first.