All of the bikes you've listed as possibilities are drop-bar bikes but you say you also have a hardtail, which I'm assuming is a flat-bar bike. Are you committed to drop bars or is the drop bar vs flat bar question still open for you? That is going to be a huge factor in looking at possible bikes. Bike frames are generally designed for one or the other, while some, like the Long Haul Trucker, try to split the difference.
If you aren't set on drop bars, try to find a bike with a Jones bar or something similar to a Jones bar. They are a game changer for a lot of people, having as many (or more) hand positions as a drop bar, while providing the excellent slow speed control of a flat bar. The Jones bar has a 45 degree sweep and there are a lot of other bikes out there with similar bars.
Wheels really are the number one priority for big guys. I've test ridden several Salsas and all had spokes pinging when I rode them. I've test ridden even more Surlys and never heard a sound from the wheels, all at a weight over 350. My own bike has custom built wheels and they have been almost flawless. The one exception was one spoke that came just slightly loose after I accidently rode off a curb in the dark.
I've said this in a few other threads, but knowing how I like to ride (mostly pavement and packed dirt/grass but sometimes gravel/looser dirt), my first choice would be the 650b version (fatter tires) of the Surly Bridge Club.
Being a big guy, I also prefer a steel frame and especially a steel fork.
My bike was designed as an off-road touring bike and it's basically a 29'er version of a late 80's/early 90's mountain bike:
Attached File