Initial impressions.

the handle is sooo comfy, especially in a hammer grip. I can't wait to go beat the crap out of this thing.
The new reinforced guards are very solid, I can barely get them to move pushing as hard as I can with both thumbs.
Does the rear guard get in the way? Barely. For the most part I don't notice it when actually carving with the knife (it can be handy keeping a 2x4 in your bedroom <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />). If there were no choil the guard might get in the way, as is it fits nicely under my thumb when I press on the spine behind the edge.
The blade spine is very rounded, it almost makes the knife look cuddly till you look further down the business end. It also looks much thinner than it really is. Even in the photos it appears to be only a little thicker than the Tank Buster. The digital caliper reads .331" though, so it's right on the money.
After doing some hard stabs into wood, I can say that I love the knife just the way it is. The soft Res-C and thick guards combine beautifully to instill a sense of security unlike anything I've held before.
The Regulator weighs in at 16.3 ounces. Which makes it 2 ounces lighter than the Tank Buster. That fact combined with the beautiful balance (perfectly centered on the choil) makes the knife feel much smaller than it is.
I love the new choil. The only way to make it any better would be to round it the same as the spine (Dan, if we get any more Regulators, DEFINITELY round out the choil!). The more I hold this thing the more I love it.

Can't wait for the Orange handles.

Also. Magnum Regulator, I need (let's turn it up to 11 with that one <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />).