Hardtail Advice (new to mtb)

Scott scale 980 (better value with a quality 1x drivetrain)

Rocky Mountain Fusion 40

Slacker head angle= more stability at speed
Steeper = more nimble at low speed. Don't confuse this with better cornering. Slacker is better in any sweeping, fast or banked corners whereas steep is only really good for really tight switchbacks.
Slacker also gives more confidence because when combined with a short stem it places the wheel further out in front of you + less chance of going over the bars.
Sentier looks like a great bike.
i suggest getting a 29er as well

Hi Reagan,
I love riding hardtails as well as road bikes (and full suspensions). Contrary to what a lot of people will tell you, I think you can cover alot of ground and have a lot of fun with a hardtail. Between the Chisel and the Sentier, I would pick the Sentier for two reasons:

1) The Sentier can more easily take a dropper post due to the larger seatpost diameter
2) The Sentier is cheaper $1200 vs 1600

And yes, you should definitely have a dropper post. You will have so much more fun and control with a dropper. The major downsides to the sentier is that it only has room for one water bottle, and that it is out of stock. This is why I would recommend trying to find a Marin Nail Trail. It has room for two bottles, aggressive geometry as well as a dropper post. https://www.marinbikes.com/bikes/family/nail-trail

Regarding your original question about geometry, the slacker head angle does make a difference, It can hold it's line better when charging through chunk, and it corners better at speed. But the geometry is only a small part of the equation. A trail hardtail like a sentier or a nail trail will have wide knobby tires, more travel, wider rims, a dropper post, wider handlebars, shorter stems, everything to make riding trails more fun. Its the sum of all these parts that make a bike what it is.

If you are beginner, I highly recommend going with a trail hardtail. It will give you more confidence to ride faster, rid e more trails, and have way more fun. After all, you will have a gravel bike or a road bike if you want to go fast and race. I have seen many roadies drop $3k on XC race bikes and never to pick up mountain biking. XC bikes are great for racing, but require much more skill to ride fast, and are less fun on daily trail rides with friends.

I have a 2017 Sentier and love it. Sized up to a 19" where 17" was my recommended size (5' 10"). They might have lengthened the reach since then. If shopping online and looking at CRC, check out the new Ragley line too. I probably like my 2017 Ragley Marley just a hair more than my Sentier.

I was in your situation a few years ago despite mountain biking for years. Had older XC bikes and was curious about the new geometry and other trends. In short, I agree with everything natzoo and spoon said above. You'll be able to mile munch away with a modern hardtail trail bike, and be able to get something light enough at that price point. But again, to natzoo's point, you'll also have real trail bike (which is more versatile than an XC bike) to build your skills around. My skills improved a lot after getting newer trail bikes. Having control at speed is a big part of that, and the slacker head angle (68-65 degrees) indeed is a welcome evolution. Want to hit a little jump or a small drop? Helps with that too. 130-140mm fork travel is sweet spot imo to cover most conditions. 27.5 wheels for me despite really enjoying my 29ers over the years.

Having said all that, I have not ridden a higher end modern XC bike like the Chisel. I would imagine there's a certain upside to the bike on certain rides and terrain, and if you know your riding needs and goals, a bike like that probably is perfect. But there are built in limits IMO compared to a more versatile trail bike.

glad you like the "better" form of cycling