So, first off, lift height. I'm thinking 3", mostly because of price and not having to modify everything else along with the suspension.

Second, which is going to be 'better', an AAL or a bastard pack? Better in whatever sense you can think of, really. Ride quality and flex are what i'm thinking.

 

An AAL and bastard pack are essentially the same exact thing. A bastard pack consists of the stock pack with leaves from another pack added into it. An AAL is usually just one extra leaf used to provide a certain amount of lift when the bastard pack can't really be predicted. Either way, they will both eventually sag after a year or so and probably both ride the same. Full packs would be the best way to go, but a full length AAL should last longer than one of the short ones.