actually that is not true about vbrakes not needing a booster. because of the mechanical advantage created by the brake arms, the frames tend to flex more. i ran v-brakes for a long time, and they worked great. i would say the brake offered equal hold, but slightly less bite.
i ended up changing to hs-33 because of weight. I do prefer a water bled hs-33 over v-brake now.
oh, and the v-brake setup was much more quiet with the avid ultimate brake arms. the sealed bearing setup means the lever arms have no plan, and do not vibrate. i really miss having a silent brake.