IMO, the Trek Marlin series is the best "bang for your buck" hardtail, although there may be some (who sell other brands) that will nitpick the grips or some other minor component. That said, considering your past injuries, the Giant makes sense to me. It is a nicely priced, superb bike, and Giant (to me) is a premium brand. I'm speaking as the owner of a 2022 Stance after 17 years on a Santa Cruz Superlite.