When we bought our first combine, it came with the 22' flex. Then a couple years later we ran into a 8 row crop head and used it exclusively. When we bought the second combine, the flex went back into service.

• easy to open fields
• can do wheat and barley
• 4.5 to 5 mph
• some header loss
• easy to maintain
  

• not easy to open fields
• dedicated to beans
• 5-6 mph
• virtually no header loss
• more fatiguing
  
• more maintenance
• heavier
• hugs rows better in uneven fields
• less likely to pick up rocks
• 2 days for parts ( we keep a spare head for parts )

We keep both heads. Sometime I wish we had two flex heads and sometimes I wish we had two row crop heads. This is a good compromise.

We plant 30" because we use the corn planter and traffic is also controlled better. Makes it easier to spray in late season. Better airation to keep diseases at bay. It also allows us to keep the beans out of the water when it rains heavily  using ridges. We also save a bunch of money by band spraying and cultivating. I definately wouldn't see these yields if I was to notill drill my beans.