For what its worth: I have a Karatoo with a BRS. If I ever get one of my Sonerai in the air, it will have a BRS. Here is my thinking: A BRS will not save my butt if I ground loop at high speed or hit an electric line on short final. Generally, one needs 400' for a full deployment (but even a lower altitude deployment may reduce the impact energy to a survivable level). So, when would it help? NTSB records are full of reports of crashes from losing engines over trees, trying to return to the field after an engine out, inadvertent flight into IMC, control issues, or mid-airs, which are when one would most likely need a BRS. For home-builts (EABs), these issues tend to cluster around first flights of either newly built or newly acquired used EABs where there is no transition training. (
https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SS1201.pdf). (This document has a really good sections on fuel system integrity testing, cert testing, transition training, etc. I think AOPA or EAA also has an article on how to properly do a fuel flow test). It seems that most EU Light Sport come with BRS. I think that they even have BRS for the Cessna 182 now.
Examples of possible saves: I was just last night reading one of those reports of a 10,000 hour pilot who flew a Wittman Tailwind into IMC without any gyros (straight minimum VFR instruments). After a bit, he went inverted in a spiral and died 1,000 feet after emerging from the clouds. BRS would have saved him from himself. Steve Wittman and his wife would not have died in a crash if he'd installed a BRS before his fabric delaminated on the plane he built (construction errors made by him, a long-time builder and expert pilot). Chances of needing a BRS are slim, but, if you do need it and don't have it, you're probably dead or seriously injured. It fills the same role as a life preserver on a sinking boat. Of course, one should always "fly the airplane", but when you can't, it's either BRS, parachute, or die. Getting out of a Sonerai with a parachute on our back is probably a non-starter for most of us in an emergency, especially at low altitude. My life is worth the $5,000 cost of a BRS that I can deploy in about 2 seconds.
As far as installation, it is best to talk to the people who design them because they are the only people who know the design limitations of their products and how to install them. BRS are designed for
gross weight and speed when deployed. The BRS people actually want to talk to you about the installation and product. You can easily put one in the Sonerai turtle. The tube frame lends itself to the harness attachment needs.
