depends on how muddy it's going to be. i'd always prefer a FS. Maui is not a technical course.

I rode a 29r hardtail the last 3 years. The downhills are easily navigated. No drops or anything technical. For climbing there are some semi steep sections but all dirt or asphalt at the beginning. Sorry I can't share my Garmin Data since isn't public. But there is about 3.5K feet of climbing and my fastest on the downhill was 27 mph. I'm not a great rider. If it rains hard then it is hike a bike. Two years ago I did more carrying of the bike than riding.

I rode a FS last year (24lbs), if i did it again i'd bring the same bike and not invest in something different.

I'm also just a participant at that level of racing.

Having raced there 3 times, in both very dry and dusty conditions and super wet and muddy conditions, I would say the FS is the best bet. In the dry, it is so dusty, you might as well close your eyes while descending so the FS absorbs things better making unseen rocks or undulations less problematic. On the wet years, the better grip from the efficiency of the suspension seemed to help with traction at times, but as one other said, there is a lot of time hiking with the bike if you get stuck behind less technically proficient riders on the singletrack sections.

Overall, a good HT would be fine, but a good FS would be a bit better, IMO.

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