Kaila or Aliikai?

[Blackpearlll]

Bonjour! I first read about Aliikai in Sports Diver Magazine and was convinced that it is the BDC for me since I do most of the diving travelling abroad. However, during a recent trip I met someone who was just crazy about her Kaila.

Furthermore, I had a bad experience not feeling comfortable with a "club" BCD from a competitor because I did not feel "secure" enough in my BCD because it was so "minimalistic".

Now, I will likely buy my BCD over internet. Would you be able to do a comparison of both for me and tell me if you think that Aliikai can still be used on a regular basis if I decide to dive in cold water here in Canada in addition to a few trips abroad each year or should I simply go to Kaila and forget about trying to be lightweight for airlines?

Thanks for any advice.

Blackpearlll

 

[Monica Sullender]

Buon Giorno!
Well you bring up some different aspects that we can explore and decide which one will be right for you. With Kaila you would probably feel a bit more security because you have the dragon bladder which is wrapping around you, you'll receive that comfortable surface floatation characteristic of full jacket style bcds, where kaila is also wonderful is that it is not cummbersome even though it is a full jacket because you have some of the bladder which is wrapping around the tank area providing ample lift in a variety of conditions.

Aliikai is more minimalistic because you have the bladder completely back mounted so there is no air wrapping around you. The front is a simple clip around your waist, where as kaila incorporates a traditional cummberbund not to say one is better than the other it just depends on your preference. Both have well designed comfortable shoulder straps with a chest strap that keep the bc well in place. Aliikai will be wonderful for traveling because it will pack down smaller and is very light weight. Lift capacity, as with Kaila, is also good so will be condusive to warm or cold water.
So if you like the feeling of having some of the bladder wrapping around you, giving you a more secure feel, Kaila will be a good choice.
If the bladder is not so much a factor and having something that is lightweight for traveling then Aliikai will be a good choice.
Let me know if this helps or if you have any other questions to help narrow your choice, I'll be glad help further!
Thanks!
Monica

 

[Blackpearlll]

Bonjour! I first read about Aliikai in Sports Diver Magazine and was convinced that it is the BDC for me since I do most of the diving travelling abroad. However, during a recent trip I met someone who was just crazy about her Kaila.

Furthermore, I had a bad experience not feeling comfortable with a "club" BCD from a competitor because I did not feel "secure" enough in my BCD because it was so "minimalistic".

Now, I will likely buy my BCD over internet. Would you be able to do a comparison of both for me and tell me if you think that Aliikai can still be used on a regular basis if I decide to dive in cold water here in Canada in addition to a few trips abroad each year or should I simply go to Kaila and forget about trying to be lightweight for airlines?

Thanks for any advice.

Blackpearlll

Hi and thanks for your reply. Do you know what the difference in weight between the two is? From a size perspective my diving bag is huge already (100 L) so I am not worried about that. Do you feel like the BCDs that don't wrap around you are for more experienced divers or do you still think that in the event of having to stay afloat a long time, for example, if in an emergency, I would still find it easy to stay vertical waiting to be rescued? That is a drastic scenario but my only concern with BCDs of the non-wrapping king...

 

[Blackpearlll]

Buon Giorno!
Well you bring up some different aspects that we can explore and decide which one will be right for you. With Kaila you would probably feel a bit more security because you have the dragon bladder which is wrapping around you, you'll receive that comfortable surface floatation characteristic of full jacket style bcds, where kaila is also wonderful is that it is not cummbersome even though it is a full jacket because you have some of the bladder which is wrapping around the tank area providing ample lift in a variety of conditions.

Aliikai is more minimalistic because you have the bladder completely back mounted so there is no air wrapping around you. The front is a simple clip around your waist, where as kaila incorporates a traditional cummberbund not to say one is better than the other it just depends on your preference. Both have well designed comfortable shoulder straps with a chest strap that keep the bc well in place. Aliikai will be wonderful for traveling because it will pack down smaller and is very light weight. Lift capacity, as with Kaila, is also good so will be condusive to warm or cold water.
So if you like the feeling of having some of the bladder wrapping around you, giving you a more secure feel, Kaila will be a good choice.
If the bladder is not so much a factor and having something that is lightweight for traveling then Aliikai will be a good choice.
Let me know if this helps or if you have any other questions to help narrow your choice, I'll be glad help further!
Thanks!
Monica

Sorry... I also forgot to ask you; I HATE wearing my tuba. Wondering if both BCDs have enough room in the pocket to carry a foldable scubapro tuba or not?

Thanks for letting me know.

Blackpearlll

 

[Zak OHara]

Sorry... I also forgot to ask you; I HATE wearing my tuba. Wondering if both BCDs have enough room in the pocket to carry a foldable scubapro tuba or not?

Thanks for letting me know.

Blackpearlll

Hi,

I believe you are referring to a foldable snorkel. If this is so, then both bcds should accomodate the snorkel in the pockets. Note the Kaila has two full size pockets, and the Aliikai has 1 roll up pocket.

Best,

 

[Monica Sullender]

Hi and thanks for your reply. Do you know what the difference in weight between the two is? From a size perspective my diving bag is huge already (100 L) so I am not worried about that. Do you feel like the BCDs that don't wrap around you are for more experienced divers or do you still think that in the event of having to stay afloat a long time, for example, if in an emergency, I would still find it easy to stay vertical waiting to be rescued? That is a drastic scenario but my only concern with BCDs of the non-wrapping king...

Hello, Aliikai is about a 1/2 lb less than kaila... Well i know inexperianced divers that have chose backmounted styles and are compfortable, but in terms of surface floatation you will be more comfortable in Kaila. Aliikai you can stay pretty vertical because of the trim weights in the back that help keep you more up right on the surface, but I would say kaila better comparativly. If your concern is more towords the drastic scenario I would say to go with Kaila.
Hope that helps,
Thanks,
Monica

 

[Blackpearlll]

Merci beaucoup for the information; given only half a kilo less I would DEFINITELY go with Kaila since I totally have the room, I was just trying to avoid the weight. I also like 2 pockets better than one...

 

[KateAus]

It has been about a year since this thread started and I am now trying to make the same decision. I was wondering if users of either had any more to add. E.g. do you miss the cummberbund on the Aliikai? There are some really good posts on Back Mount versus Jacket, but I'm wondering if anyone has any comments about these two BCDs?

I'm a rescue diver with about 30 dives done pretty close together so I'm very comfortable in the water. Most of my diving is tropical, nothing below 15 degrees celsius. I was wondering how either jacket performs on surface swims as I swim face down and find I have a lot of drag with rental jackets.

Thanks for any help you can offer

 

[shoturtle]

Bonjour! I first read about Aliikai in Sports Diver Magazine and was convinced that it is the BDC for me since I do most of the diving travelling abroad. However, during a recent trip I met someone who was just crazy about her Kaila.

Furthermore, I had a bad experience not feeling comfortable with a "club" BCD from a competitor because I did not feel "secure" enough in my BCD because it was so "minimalistic".

Now, I will likely buy my BCD over internet. Would you be able to do a comparison of both for me and tell me if you think that Aliikai can still be used on a regular basis if I decide to dive in cold water here in Canada in addition to a few trips abroad each year or should I simply go to Kaila and forget about trying to be lightweight for airlines?

Thanks for any advice.

Blackpearlll

If you like back inflate, the Aliikai is a good bcd. My wife like the light squeeze that the a jacket bcd gives. So we got her the Kaila. It packs down just find in our travel bags. The the weight difference between the two is not that great, I think it is about 200ml difference. And the dragon bladder that the Kaila uses is really good in keeping you horizontal underwater.

If you are going to buy online, LP has both model and they are an authorized dealer according to the mares website.

 

[KateAus]

Thanks Shoturtle,

How does your wife find the surface drag of the Kaila? is it better or worse than other BCDs she has tried?

For me this is the deciding factor between the two BCD's as this is my pet hate (surface swims). Don't know why as I am a strong swimmer - could also be because I have been in bad fitting rentals. Unfortunately Back Inflates aren't too popular in Sydney so I am unable to try one out