Another one to look at is the Specialized Crosstrail. Those hybrids you mention plus the Crosstrail all have pretty MTB-like tires so I think any of them would serve you well. Just stay away from hybrids that have road tires and solid forks if you plan on going off the road. The hybrids will probably give you a little less resistance on the road than the full-on MTBs, but ultimately I'd just make a decision based on what feels better (assuming you can test ride these).