I've been riding a couple years now, the trails by my house are always getting better and better, and I need to upgrade from my hardtail to a FS.
I'm replacing my 2017 Specialized Pitch with something.....better. I like the pitch, but it's not up to the jumps and abuse I'm putting it through.
So far, in my budget, all I'm finding are Diamondback Atroz. They look decent, but I'm not sure what else is out there that's comparable.
I'm thinking $1200 price range
The trails around here are pretty rocky, windy, and technical. Also a lot of flow trails. And this year they've added a new section with tabletops, drops, and doubles.
Look at the diamondback release/clutch. It uses a vpp style suspension design that is excellent. They retail over $2k but nashbar has them on clearance for much less.