Don't have any experience to compare it to, but I too have the Bike Island Vuelta XRP set. The only other stuff I've ridden is '80s mid level stuff.

I did NOT use the cog and lock ring supplied with the Vueltas. I bought Surly stuff. I'm not a crazy skidder, or weigh much, but I've skip stopped plenty of times without stripping the hub. I am still using the cheapy Kenda tires, and crappy rim tape. I don't remember much about it, I just remember it seeming really cheap. No flats though.