We currently use 3850 exclusively for all of our digital print translucent, but the Solvex pricing is hard to ignore. And as much of a tightwad as I am, I'm a little apprehensive to go down that road. I certainly wouldn't use it for outdoor applications. I assume you use it mostly for indoor jobs?
not one yet... all my backlit stuff winds up being outdoors.
I'm also still an arlon man myself, for most of my printables, but for anything with a retainer I have been using solvex without question or issue (yet). figured I can at least trust it enough to, at worst, curl back a bit from the edges inside of the retainer and never be noticeable anyways.
Out of paranoia, I still don't poke a single bubble in fear of vinyl shrink/tear from spots I've pierced in the face... BUT I rarely have bubbles anyways, so there's that
anything I have exposed edges, I still use the premium stuff. I still pay more sometimes, when I'd rather not worry about our high-end stuff ever failing.
trim capped letters, push-thru plexi lettering, etc. Pay-up and use the good stuff.
light boxes, save your client some $$$ and use solvex all-day-long.