This is all about what fits you. I have wide, high volume, inflexible feet and Shimano seems to work best for me. If you have narrow feet another brand might work, I can't say.
I wear and like the previous version of the XC7 for mountain biking and gravel riding. These are very comfortable and durable shoes. The XC9 is a really nice pair of shoes, but costs about double the price of the XC7 (and is over your $300 limit).