On location lighting options

Kevin: What will you be shooting? Table top products in controlled indoor settings? Full-length outdoor fashion work, with the strobe needing to fill shadows in bright sunlight? Wedding receptions? Sports? Environmental portraits?

How portable does this need to be? Are you planning on carrying stands/booms, softboxes, sandbags ... or, are we talking about something that has to go in your shoulder bag or pack?

This could go a lot of different ways, but there's no point running down all of them without just a little more input from you about your shooting style, expected circumstances, budget, and a sense of what equipment you're already using (for example, are you using a Nikon camera that already has CLS command abilities, and you expect your light to be a meter or two away ... or are you shooting large format film on architectural interiors, and you'll need to scale up to lighting large interior spaces, all with completely manual metering ... you get the idea).

Shooting what?

I suppose things to consider overall: define "portable". Battery powered or really long extension cord? How much power do you need? Some battery packs clip an a belt. Others you haul with a cart! Are you trying to modify the light? If so, you will need the modifiers you want for whatever lights you decide on. As an example, Paul Buff lights are decent lights but don't have all the light modifiers that say Elinchrom would.

I`m looking at weddings and portraiture. Looking to knock out the sun, and make my subjects pop. Currently I am looking at a quantum system (I love it`s portatbility as far as having a bettery pack on my waist and holding the modifier on the flash with a monopod), but open to all suggestions

Ok Matt, let me be more specific. I would like to shoot full length wedding receptions (as well as location shots) and portraiture, using the strobe to fill, as well as overpowering sunlight. Portability? Able to carry a battery pack on my waist. Sandbags is a viable option, though the light can be held comfortably via monopod.
Looking to spend around $1000.00-$1500.00 max

Ok Matt, let me be more specific. I would like to shoot full length wedding receptions (as well as location shots) and portraiture, using the strobe to fill, as well as overpowering sunlight. Portability? Able to carry a battery pack on my waist. Sandbags is a viable option, though the light can be held comfortably via monopod.
Looking to spend around $1000.00-$1500.00 max

Looking to knock out the sun

Well, that's a problem. Quantum only has one flash that will come close: the X5DR for $807 (B&H) and then the battery needed is another $700. Any other Quantum flash will be 150w/s or less. Useful for fill, but certainly not for overpowering.

You have the Elinchrom Quadra, but a single head and battery are $1480. Nice set. Whole range of modifiers to go with it (more money). Still only 400w/s, which is OK unless you want to start using brollies or softboxes outside in the sun. Battery a little larger.

And then there is the Paul Buff lights. Probably the least expensive options and the most power. Battery somewhere between the Quadro and the Quantum Turbo. Drawback is that the flash is a somewhat larger monolight (comparatively speaking). Of course if you are slapping a 22" beauty dish on the head or other modifier on it, then that doesn't matter (Elinchrom reflectors are well made, but heavy pieces!).

Each system has their own way of triggering the flash. The Quantum will have a TTL module. The Elinchrom will use their own system, but you can at least still control the power of the flash from the camera position. And the Buff lights have either their own system, the Cyber Commander (near useless in bright light) or you could go with a somewhat pricey Pocket Wizard system.

I just use on camera canon flash, works fine for me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76499795@N06/6863460855/

For what you are doing, I would say stick with the Quantums. To over power the sun you might also think about the Norman 400B/200c wedding packages, which are a bit above your limit, but there are plenty of used ones on eBay.

Looking to knock out the sun

I agree with the previous post, if you want to overpower the sun AND carry a battery pack on your waist/belt then its going to be pretty tough. Normally I would just say use speedlights and be done. But you are trying to overpower the sun so I am not sure you can have both.

If you dont mind NOT having the battery pack on your waist/belt you have several choices for DC battery/generator pack and head systems above 1000 watts: Profoto, Speedotron, Hensel, Bowens, Elinchrome for portable DC powered lights. There is Lumedyne, Dyanlite and Norman as well but they offer much less wattage under 1000 watts.

I shoot with the Bowens Explorer 1500 strobe pack it has 1500 watts and you can add two additional monolights for 1500 watts for a total of 3000 watts... more than enough to overpower the sun. The Speedotron Digital Explorer 1500 is pretty much the same as the Bowens Explorer 1500 but without the the 2 X DC port connections for 2 extra monolights.

More info on some of the lights mentioned above 1000w/s and above .
http://www.timothyarmes.com/blog/2009/05/choosing-a-battery-pack-flash-system/