I've always liked the 'idea' of a TBH, but It's all what you like and what works best for you. a TBH here would surely freeze in the winter (Michigan can get -20) and I'm 6-1 and over 200 lbs so have np lifting a 70-100lb honey box really. and you can put viewing windows in your langstroth hive as easily as you can the TBH too really. though no one I know of actually does it. I've thought about it, though. with my langstroths, I seldom have to disturb the actual brood boxes though. I leave the bottom two boxes of my langstroths alone, and let them deal with them as they will, unless I am doing something specific and keep any honey they store there as well.