I neglected to mention that the dive shop had a Halcyon and Transpac 2 on display side-by-side. Obviously I tried them both on and examined them pretty closely. The TP2 was also a nice setup and seemed to be sort of midway between a traditional BC and the minimalist Halcyon rig - padded back, fastex buckles, more cordura, padded straps. it was really quite nice and felt pretty comfy - I did not see anything wrong with it and if the Halcyon hadn't been beside it I would have thought that it was the ultimate in freedom. However, the Halcyon *did* feel noticeably more "open" when I A-B'ed the two rigs. And, it was significantly cheaper. Before any flames start coming in my direction, I want to be clear this was all based on observation 'out of the water' and I acknowledge that I am a newcomer to this sport.