Kitfox, Rans, Zenith, or Bearhawk

[Tentoes]

You've come to the wrong place if you want someone to give you an objective review or sway you to the other brands mentioned.
It depends entirely on your mission and budget though. Everyone has an opinion but the data doesn't lie.
You will need to clarify some more if you want an answer beyond everyone's opinion.
Of course.. the KF is the clear winner..

Oh don't get me wrong, I assumed the results to my question would be biased, but I also figured those who had built a Kitfox likely did the research I am currently doing. I'm trying to get some insight on why people chose KF aside from the folding wing.

They're all possible projects for people who have no building experience. There's nothing bad to say about any of them. I find the Bearhawk visually uninspiring and the Zenith outright fugly.
But I spent the summer going to a monthly friendly STOL competition and got to know a Zenith builder. It's got pretty amazing short field performance and he did a great job building it.
I could have gone with any of them. I just liked the kitfox the most.

TBH Zenith is the one company I haven't been super interested in because of the exact reason you said. Bearhawk on the other hand is the one that is my favorite on paper, but the build process would likely be MUCH longer from what I have been researching. Seems to be a much more primitive kit compared to Rans and KF. In reality the contest to me comes down to Rans and KF.

Those are all different airplanes. You should define your mission first. That would eliminate probably 2 of the 4 you listed.

I tried to pick 4 very similar kit airplanes that would fulfill my mission. All companies offer a 2 place, high wing, tailwheel aircraft capable of short field/off field landings.