I'll add my comments, coming from a similar background (bought my gear when I had about 50 dives, and went backplate/wing). I'm strictly warm water for now.
- Currently almost only warm water in 3mm full wetsuit or shorty - all overseas (am a heavy guy, need quite a lot of lead: ~16-18lbs)
- Would like to take up some UK diving in the future (7mm and drysuit)
- No plans for dual tank / sidemount set-ups
You will likely be able to drop some of the lead right off the bat, since most BCs are positively bouyant, and even an aluminium plate BP/W setup is negatively bouyant. I went with aluminium because packing weight (particularly for the two of us travelling) was a consideration. Steel would be a better fit and maybe even let me get away with little more than a trim weight or two, but I'm fine with the aluminium for now.
Advantages I see for the Hydros Pro
+ No set-up / assembly required
+ More familiar than BP/W
+ Potentially more flexible without modifications (not considering tec diving; can be used in warm water with 3mm and cold water with 7mm / drysuit without swapping parts)
+ Overall likely cheaper than a good BP/W
+ Lighter compared to a BP/W with SS BP
+ Integrated weight pockets allow me to get rid of weight belts (which I rather dislike) on warm water dives
- Backplate/wing systems require very minimal setup.
- Once you've put it on, they're easy to use. Inflator is standard, single dump valve. Just no shoulder pull, and no double dump valves. And I actually find getting into my Hog harnass system (with crotch strap) is easier than donning (or doffing) a jacket BC, which needs to be readjusted every time and has all these extra buckles and cummerbunds which don't add any comfort at all, for me.
- BP/W systems are plenty flexible, a 17L (35lb) wing should cover pretty much all your options. I have a 15L wing, and has ample latitude for diving in a 3.5mm or 5mm, and should do fine with a 7mm as well. Drysuit depends on the drysuit, I'd guess.
- So get an aluminum plate if travel weight is a consideration.
- You can get integrated weight pockets (and add trim pockets to the plate or cam band)
Advantages I see for the BP/W (less in quantity but arguably more important in quality)
+ Less clutter, more streamlined / better trim
+ Huge flexibility with swapping parts
Yep. I also find them more comfortable, but that will be similar for the Hydros (back inflate; don't like the constricting feeling of a traditional stab jacket).
Given I need quite a bit of lead, even in a 3mm, I understand that a SS BP would be highly preferable in my case and lead to better weight distribution and less required lead on a belt / pockets. Disadvantage obviously the additional weight as currently all my dives are overseas.
Yes, BUT you can also add trim weights (either to the cam bands, and/or to the plate, depending on brand/design of the plate). So if travel weight is the big difference, you can get a simple aluminium plate. That said, it's not that much more weight. And a BP/Wing breaks down nicely and is easy to pack. In my 3.5mm Waterproof W3 wetsuit, with a 10L steel tank and aluminum plate, I'm already massively overweighted in a pool (I'm 1m84 and 90kg currently). I also take almost 2kg less lead than I had with most rental gear, but there are so many factors at play that it's hard to compare (we bought all of our gear in one go).
Is there a sweet spot that might work in my case for all 3 scenarios (3mm / 7mm / dry) also considering my relatively heavy weights. I.e. could a 30 lbs work for all that or would I have to look at buying 2 wings for that?
Probably a 30 to 35lb wing, but the drysuit is the big question. Others have covered this in more detail, and I don't drysuit dive so I'm guessing at best.
Hog seems the way to go there. Looks relatively uncomfortable (and harder to get into) to me, but I guess that's a wrong impression I might have there. It looks strange to me that per default there's neither:
- a chest strap (having a hard time imagining that just the shoulder straps properly keep it in place but I guess that's just because I'm used to jacket BCDs with loads of straps) nor
- a tank valve strap (always thought that would be important to keep the tank if it was sliding out, but no problem in reality?)
- Hog harnass is actually plenty comfortable. The shoulder straps are quite loose, the key is the crotch strap. Chest strap is wholly unnecessary. You have 2 cam bands holding the tank to the plate (or single tank adapter), so the tank valve strap is completely unnecessary.
There seem to be very different opinions about weight pouches. Some apparently like it and others think nothing should be attached to the BP/W if not absolutely necessary and prefer weight belts.
I hate weight belts. My girlfriend hates weight belts. Those nice rubber ones might be better, with molded weights, but I'm not flying weights to where I dive, which is not near where I live. So integrated pockets and a few trim pockets on the BP/W is fine with me. And works for me.
Short version: I really like my BP/W. It's modular, packs down nicely, tough, and feels like it's not there in the water. Would buy again.
I have a Tecline setup (15L wing, alu plate, with integrated weight pockets) which cost me around 500 euros here in The Netherlands, and I'm sure they can ship it to you. Tough, high quality stuff (I think it's a little nicer than my girlfriend's ScubaPro X-Tek wing, actually), and I have no qualms recommending it. No single tank adapter required. Shop I bought it from:
TecDiveShop, de tech webshop van Scuba Center Amsterdam
Send him an e-mail - he's a small brick and mortar operation in Amsterdam, hardcore dive nerd (rebreather at the moment, but open circuit when appropriate) and pretty pragmatic. DTD is also pretty popular around here and has very similar stuff, also nice. And not too pricey. For example:
Backplate/Wing:
Techduikshop.nl
Trim pockets:
Techduikshop.nl (plate)
Techduikshop.nl (webbing/cam bands)
Integrated weight system:
Techduikshop.nl
Techduikshop.nl