Deus:
Doesn't that metal backplate on the Halycon feel uncomforatble?
Well, BP/W (meaning backplate and wing) tend to be metal plates. They do look uncomfortable, but if you do some reading here, you'll find few complaints about how they feel, especially underwater.
I honestly think you would do yourself a favor to do a bit more homework. Putting a padded cover on a backplate, in the eyes of many people, eliminates one of the beautiful things about BP/W systems: that they are trim, minimalist pieces of gear without a lot of extra padding, pockets, etc. Your suprise at the look of a BP/W tells me you haven't read much about them, and scubaboard has a LOT to read about BP/W systems.
Do some searches here for some of the threads comparing back-inflate BCDs to BP/w units and you'll start to get a feel for it. A BP/W is generally always a metal plate with a bladder attached and a very simple harness. That's it. A back-inflate BC is like the ones you probably got certified in, except all the inflation is on the back, like a BP/W. Still, you can get back-inflate BCDs that have pockets, integrated weight, and all the frills. The other option is a "traditional" vest BCD with inflation around the front of the BC too. The majority of divers who try it seem to be moving toward back-inflation because of its better trim and less cluttered feel.
The back-inflate BCD is far more popular with recreational divers than is the BP/W. For divers who will be diving doubles and technical diving, a BP/W is more often a good choice.
Do some reading and you'll be able to more clearly determine which suits you.
Cheers!
Gregg
PS - if your next question goes something like "Won't a back-inflate tend to push me forward at the surface?" then you REALLY need to do a bit more research before trying to decide on a rig for you. Good luck!
