(This post was last modified: 06-04-2016, 12:01 AM by CHSeifert.)
I always said Vie Long is the sleeper brand among badger brushes.
I did get rid of all mine, because I just felt there was too little variety in specifications in the Vie Long and Epsilon line up.
My preference is for 25-26 mm knots and up to 29 mm. So only Epsilon brushes live up to that, and they only come in 4 different specs, and all are bulb knots, which is why I sold my 6 Epsilons. They perform great, but not better than my Shavemacs, Simpsons and Thäters - and all 3 brands have a better variety in knot shapes, knot sizes, handles and lofts.
This is why I have focussed on these 3 brands in my Prime high end badger collection.
But should I pick a 4.th brand, Vie Long would probably be my choice, if they made a fan shaped knot and perhaps a 29 mm and 25 mm knot size in some different handle variants. Then I would be all over them 110% surely.
Cheers, Claus from Denmark