RIMS and a stainless braid -- is channeling an issue?

Sorry if this has been answered somewhere else, but I couldn't find a conclusive post anywhere.

So far I've been using a (relatively ghetto) Coleman cooler with a stainless braid and batch sparging, and I've had good luck -- excellent conversion, not stuck sparges, etc. I'm looking to add a RIMS kit to the mix, and I've got a little voice in the back of my head saying "Channeling will be an issue! Beware the channeling!"

Now, is this actually an issue, or am I imagining it? Will I have better results by converting to a manifold for use with the RIMS, even if I continue to batch sparge?

No doubt someone will chime in with a claim of stress-free recirculation using a braid, but to me the risk of ending up with a high "pita factor" would definitely steer me towards a manifold or false bottom...

Cheers!