Thanks all for your inputs. I'm leaning towards the speedplay simply because they are two sided. I swerve around enough just drinking water. Looking down to clip in could be even more hazardous.

One of my biggest concerns is being able to get out fast enough... I am used to my SPDs, and learning how to get in & out of them was a painful process. Let's just say that I don't recommend first time clip-in pedal users do their trial runs on an unknown mountain trail far away from home for a group event. It wasn't pretty.