Moving on from my Hakka MX to something more… slack? Any recommendations?

Greetings fellow rippers! Obligatory photo of the aforementioned Hakka since it's such a pretty (and fun) ride. But these days I'm found I'm left a little wanting, perhaps from spending a bit too much time on the slack geometry of my mountain bike and not enough time ripping gravel.

In an attempt to re-inspire my love of long days in the saddle up an FSR, I'm thinking about passing off the Ibis to someone who will feel inspired by it's race-like, snappy feel and finding myself something new. While I appreciate how fast I can go on this thing, I've never found the bike to be all that comfortable. I've had a few issues taking it into steep, loose, and chunky terrain, which after a move to the BC Interior seems like the majority of the descents I'll be doing these days. I also wish it had a few more mounting points for bikepacking as well, which is something I've wanted to do more of but this bike just isn't good for sitting in the saddle all day.

So, fellow rippers, I'm looking for some recommendations. Two models that have caught my eye so far are the Salsa Cutthroat and the Evil Chamois Hagar. I like the idea of the gravel rig feeling a little bit more akin to my beloved mountain bike, and my days of weaving through city traffic on the roads are hopefully well behind me. AKA, road performance isn't as important to me as comfort in the saddle, climbing capacity, wider tires, mounting points for gear, and something that can handle the occasional singletrack without too much fuss.

Anyone have experience with either of those for bikepacking or longer days? Or have another recommendation? I know Salsa's reputation but have to admit I'm drawn to the mischievous vibe of the Evil more than I expected. I haven't found a ton of beta on how either of them handle loaded up with gear for long days on the dirt.

Thanks in advance for the knowledge!