let me rephrase. I have studied tae kwon do, hapkido, judo, jujitsu, and now want something else. My friends from work did competition and they know kempo. That art is pretty effective but im just debating.
For the millionth time...... It is not about the style. It is about how good the instructor is, how much he knows. how much he teaches. how much you learn. and how well you develop your skills and knowledge.
No art is intrinsically superior to any other- it depends on the person. However, kenpo schools tend to offer quite bit in terms of situational defenses- knife, stick, club, attempted punches, lapel grabs,
defense while seated, etc. I am not sure if this sort of training is done from day one in Shorin Ryu.
Of course, the superiority of one dojo vs. another is dependent on many things, the least of which is the contrast of styles.