I guess it also depends on your budget and bang for buck factor! I had a limited budget, I would have liked maybe an Orange 5 or Spesh but my heart has always been in Marin country! Having had a few over the years my first of their full suspension bikes was a 1997 Marin Quake....It sold full suss to me the first time I rode it and converted a few of my mates also! Looking back now it was a bit of a tank! But it gave me the confidence to go faster over rough terrain and once I had a "feel" for the suspension, how it flexed and moved, I learned to use it to my advantage. Going into a tight banked turn is great! Compress the bike just before the apex and it gives you amazing traction and grip. The same steep descents just feels like the wheels stay in contact with the ground much more than a hardtail or rigid frame.
I'm now riding a 2008 Marin Rift Zone with an upgraded wheelset and full XT (and other tweaks) Love it! Best bike for your buck in my opinion. The frame design is a bit of a marmite love it or hate it...personally I love it! Ok yeah you have to sacrifice a bit to weight and yes definately harder on the uphills... But its the downhills and trail riding where it comes alive! I do mainly XC riding woodland trails rooty and rutty but no big drops! (way too old for that!) and find it performs exactly as i want it to... I guess you get used to a bike like a car and when you find a brand and ride/drive style you like, thats just what feels right.
Basically do the full suss thing I love it and find it real hard to ride rigid frame bikes on anything but gravel pathways! (Cue abuse from rigid frame lovers! Maybe my joints can't take the bone rattling anymore!) If you have ever surfed or snowboarded the feeling to me is the same....just fluid!
My two full sussers:
Wook