Originally Posted by JJG

I wouldn't be terribly disappointed if they made the red 601 a tad more full bodied, as long as the flavor remains the same. Not everyone likes them, but those who do like the reds, LOVE them, myself included.

The new band is ugly sure, but I assume they're probably cheaper too which is fine by me, since as both Rocky and Eddie mentioned, they're passing the cost savings along to the consumer and lowering the price per stick by several dollars.