Hey Brett,
Good questions there Mate... you certainly have opened Pandora's Box!
This is something Bud and myself have been discussing for a while... there may or may not be a friendly little wager on the outcome of back to back comparison!
I guess it all depends on a few things:
1. Budget
2. Onroad use %
3. Offroad use type of terrain
4. How long you'll keep the truck
The SAS'd and 4 Linked Hilux's Bud is turning out are outstanding. Having driven one of them a fair bit on 35's I can tell you it is the best driving solid axle vehicle I have ever driven. Period. Makes a Patrol seem very ordinary on road that is for sure. No death wobbles and they drive a treat... plus with the addition of the new rear swaybar they will be even better again. Haven't wheeled one offroad as yet, but that shouldn't be far away.
On the other hand Rekon equipped trucks have been embarrassing solid axle trucks all over the country for a little while now, and really making a lot of old hard headed solid axle stalwarts really consider coming across the fence into the green lush pastures of the IFS Hilux. Banger had an awesome trip up to the Cape this year and out drove lifted/locked LandCruisers all the way there and back and really surprised a lot of people. The combination of lockers, extra wheel travel, 33's and good clearance under the front diff really help to keep the truck moving in places where some solid axle vehicles start lifting wheels and dragging diffs. The ability of the driver has a lot to do with it as well.
A Rekon equipped truck with all the sauce will cost roughly a bit under half of a SAS. Both trucks would really benefit form the 4 Link rear so that's and even bet $$$ wise.
Re-gearing will be a bit more expensive on the IFS, but is part of the conversion with the SAS, so this is also a consideration as well. I'll try to put together a direct dollar comparison over the weekend with lockers and re-gear so we can compare apples with apples so to speak.
Over the next few months we will have some good opportunities to compare the two set ups back to back, on the same tracks on the same day and get some really clear comparisons to show the public in the "SAS v Rekon" death match
Toddie will be able to give a first hand owners perspective, having had the Rekon kit for a while, and now upgrading to a SAS and 4 Link.
I think it will be a really good comparison between the 2 trucks, though might be hard to get a level playing field to test on... as the SAS'd trucks will usually run 35's and the Rekon guys will have 33's!
Might need to "handicap"the SAS trucks with 33's for a day of testing.
Anyway hope this info helps and I look forward to this comparison unfolding over the next few months.
Game on Bud
Cheers
Matt