I used both the R3 Rage and the Hybrid at the race this past weekend, and I liked them both.
The concern about difficulty in putting either one of them on is kind of bogus...they're both just like putting on backpacks, and if you feel that putting a backpack on is a complicated and lengthy procedure, you probably shouldn't be driving a car in the first place. The difference in time between putting one of these on and putting a HANS on is probably less than the difference between using shoes with velcro and using shoes with shoelaces. And shoelaces aren't that much of a hassle.
I would estimate it took somewhere around 3 or 4 seconds to put the device on and buckle it, and then another 10 seconds or so to attach the clips to the helmet. I'm sure I'd get faster at attaching the buckles with a little practice, which could potentially free up a whopping 5 additional seconds for racing!
As for comfort, I liked the Hybrid more than the R3 Rage. The R3 Rage only comes in the straight model (the non-rage R3 is the nicer model, and it comes either straight or contoured). The R3 Rage wasn't uncomfortable at all, but I definitely noticed it in the seat more than I noticed the Hybrid, even with the U-shaped seat pad.
I could definitely tell that the Hybrid held my head more securely when laying my head sideways down toward my shoulder (like it would move in an accident). This would be expected seeing as the Hybrid has side tethers. I liked this.
I had fixed tethers on the Hybrid, and it didn't restrict my head from rotating to any noticeable degree while I was driving. I could tell that my head couldn't spin very far when I was in the pits, but once I was racing, I never noticed them at all. I also never noticed the buckles clacking against my helmet, so that wasn't an issue either.
So, conclusion: I'm not sure which one I want to keep. I initially thought I'd go with the R3 Rage, but now I'm leaning toward the Hybrid because it's a little more comfortable and because it felt like it secured my head a little better. On the flip side, the R3 can be used in passenger cars. A lot of people have said that you don't need a head and neck device with three point belts because your whole body can move under three point belts, and I don't buy this for two reasons:
1. All of the videos I've seen with 5 point belts show the dummy moving significantly, and to be honest, the amount of motion looks pretty similar to the videos I've seen of 3 point harnesses.
2. People still get whiplash and neck injuries when wearing three point belts, so I would have to think that a head and neck restraint would help in those instances.
Yes, you can probably move more with a three point belt, but the idea that you're locked in place with 5 point belts isn't supported by any of the videos I've seen.
I think I'm going to go with the Hybrid...but I'm still not sure. I need to mail them both back today, and I might mail them back and buy one later once I've thought about it some more.