Mountain Biking - which bike? help please

I'm pretty new to MTB - started riding in the spring on an older rigid bike. I'm riding mainly XC trails, once or twice a week on average. The old bike isn't cutting it any longer, so it's time for something new. I figure I'll get a XC bike now, and if I keep going and end up doing some serious DH, then I'll get another bike in a year or two.

I was hoping to spend around $1000 CAD - I want 4" front suspension & hydraulic disc brakes. But with the season coming to an end, I'm not finding a lot of bikes in that range left in the stores. There seem to be more options in the $1200-1400 range (sale price). I'm looking at these 3:

Kona Caldera (http://www.konaworld.com/shopping_cart/FrontEnd/Products/product_detail.aspx?productid=91&parentid=182) $1149
Devinci Phantom (http://www.devinci.com/english/phan.html) $1399
Rocky Mountain Vertex 30 (http://www.bikes.com/bikes/2005/vertex/vertex-30.aspx) $1425

I'm also considering some cheaper options:
Kona Cinder Cone (http://www.konaworld.com/shopping_cart/FrontEnd/Products/product_detail.aspx?productid=90&parentid=182) $899
Brodie Omega (http://brodiebikes.com/2005/burly/hardass/omega/index.php) $571 - with this one, I would upgrade the brakes to hydraulic disc and maybe upgrade the crankset, too. that would put the total around $1000.

I haven't tested the Caldera or the Vertex, but obviously will before I buy. All bikes are 14" frame except the Vertex which is 16". Sat on the 16" Vertex today (okay, I'm a wimp & didn't want to test it in the pouring rain since I didn't bring any rain gear) - it felt fine & LBS guy said it fit, but I haven't ridden it yet to really know. I'm a 5'3" woman.

Looking for any advice. I've searched this forum & others for any info I can get on these models, but I haven't found that much. Thanks everyone!!! Can't wait to get a new bike and break it in over the wet, muddy Vancouver winter.

demo the bikes and buy what you like.. opinions vary from person to person.. so dont trust them.. just buy what you like..

well it is better to ride it and buy it but since you asked if i were you i would get me the devinci. i like that company. but there are more informed people here to get help from, hopefully they will get back to you. have fun with the new bike!

Yeah, I know I need to ride them all and see what I like best. But out of the ones I have ridden, I don't have a clear favorite at this point, which is why I'm asking if anyone has opinions. Obviously everyone is different and I won't consider any one opinion to be the gospel.

I have ridden 3 of the 5 I listed. I've also ridden a Specialized Rockhopper & a Gary Fisher Tassajara and have ruled them out for various reasons. Cannondale is out simply due to the price point.

Thanks again!

Rocky Mountain is made in Vancouver, so you will be supporting your local economy.

At a quick glance, the first three all have similar specs so it should come down to fit and what you really want to spend. If you have ridden all three and don't have a favorite, I'd suggest that since the Caldera is the cheapest, compare the other two to it...is the Devinci worth $250 more and is the Rocky Mountain worth $275 more?

Take a look at Norco's Shore Hardtails.

konas are well made bikes. then again, some people will swear by rocky mountain. i would go with the kona becasue of what never said.

If you're 5'3, its very, very unlikely a 16" bike fit you ok. I like the Caldera the most out of the choices, but depending on your useage, Konas tend to be somewhat lousy climbers because of the geometry.

Cove peeler dh!