The reason I am switching to BP/wings (just ordered a Halcyon rig yesterday) is that I felt like I had never successfully made the transition to jacket style BC's. When I got my NAUI Sport certification in 1978, we used Dacor backpacks with a single web strap and a horsecollar BC with crotch strap. Power inflators were not widely used. I could hang comfortably on the surface, never had a problem descending, never felt like I needed more "stability" or buoyancy.
As an aside, nothing was clipped to the BC, with the theory being that it was an entanglement hazard. Rather, the weightbelt had a whole load of ab irons, game bags, fish stringer (as a teenager, I really, really wanted to emulate Mike Nelson).
If you get entangled, just dump the weight belt and you're free to rocket to the surface
I tried to keep up with the trends by buying an early Sea-Tec BC. Not too bad. Then AL 80's replaced steel 72's as the predominant tank on the market. Before you know it, I had flotation all around my chest, shoulders, stomach, etc. and I was swimming in my BC, fidgeting with it at depth due to wetsuit compression, and rasslin' to keep it in place at the end of every dive.
Then I lusted after a Ranger, and almost bought one since it was back-to-black and had D rings. I have never tried one though, so I cannot comment on that particular model. The problem I see with most BCs though, is that pushing that much stuff through the water is really, really tiring. Plus, the location of various items such as power inflator button, buckles, etc. changes with the position of the BC and its degree of inflation.
I'm really looking forward to using a buoyancy and tank mounting system that is simple and can fit easily in my dive bag. I'm also looking forward to eliminating a weight belt through the use of a stainless steel backplate and ballast system.
Note: I'm returning to diving after a two year hiatus, and am trying to eliminate the factors that kept me from diving. These include cold (getting a drysuit), excessive gear (getting a BP/wings), lack of confidence in skills (getting more training). I'm no expert, these are just my personal experiences and choices. Your mileage may vary.
p.s., Thanks for all of the great advice and information on this board! I respect the fact that people have varying preferences and experiences, and that nobody should make choices based solely on what they read here. Nevertheless, some of the info really strikes a chord with the issues I have been dealing with in getting back to diving.