Just put in my order for a custom-coloured Brian's Optik 2 chest/arm.
No frills or beef added. I just needed an upgrade from my RBK X-Pulse Pro which has got to be +10 years old (anyone know when they were released?).
Opted for the Optik 2 over the Vaughn VE9 Pro which felt light and nicely broken-in but a little too soft, or "sloppy," for lack of a better word. I also tried the CCM EFlex 5 and while the arms were good, the chest just felt like a straight flat wall that came up to my ears. Sadly I didn't get to try the Bauer Hyperlite.
The Optik 2 was a good overall fit, the silhouette on the shoulders suited me better and the build quality is amazing. I also really liked the adjustable collar/neck. Most people I talked to consider this unit to be more of a blocking chest/arm opposed to the more flexible, game-ready VE9 and EFlex 5 models. IMO the Brian's Optik 2 fell somewhere in the middle.
Equally important - how do you argue with that style???
Despite the fact that there is no hockey right now, it's going to be hard waiting for it to arrive.
Will keep the group updated on ETA if there is interest. From my experience these units are hard to find off the shelf (in the GTA anyway) so custom order might be your best bet if you're on the hunt.