i have to admit i am not to familiar with stratos stuff...so i would be hard pressed to give a thumbs up to one or the other...i have some stuff with fox rear shocks and i have been happy with them. for what it is worth. i would take the following things into consideration:
1) what i intend to do with the bike. if you want to do cross country, then i would not worry aobut long travel and go for light. downhill or big hit stuff, then travel is a bigger issue.
2) if you do not know much about bikes and setting them up, you will need one (or both) of two things. either a shock that does not have a pile of adjustments or a bike shop that will take the time to help you dial in an adjustable shock. one reason i have one of my parts bikes is that i could never dial it in well and finally just bailed on it. it was a cool bike, but i never rode it because it never felt right. if you are doing simple cross country or have not pushed your limits, then you might (and i say this as a person that has no idea as to your goals, abilities or desires) like a shock that is simple to adjust. i love being able to just get on the bike and ride without having to check pressures in the compression and rebound tubes and the dampining settings and blablabla. sure it is cool to have adjustments...but it is cool to just ride too...the white bro's is a simple and light cross country fork that allows you to just go...
for what it is worth...
best of luck. you are doing the best thing you can, ask ask ask...
m