I've got a courier deluxe currently and love it when it comes time to haul ****. It's a heavy ****ing bag though. Sometimes the weight brings me down. There was no such thing as a split strap when I got either of my 2 R.E.Loads. In fact, this is the first I've heard of it. I think the strap is fine. It breaks in. Or it breaks me in, whatever. I don't find it uncomfortable.

Edit: Just looked at it and looks like crap. I wouldn't trust that plastic buckle to last with the amount of weight I carry around in that thing. In fact, the ONLY gripe I have about either of the bags I've owned is that those plastic strap clippy things (on the main flap and the sternum strap) break waaaaay too often. I probably replace them 2 or 3 times a year and replacements can be hard to get a hold of sometimes.