It may be out of the question due to budget, but I have found a hydro much less stressful when I work on slopes. Because they brake on their own when you ease back on the gas, you can concentrate on other things. It is also alot easier to feather small moves, which can be a big plus when you've got a good case of pucker going. In some of the spots I have found myself in, a wrong move with the gas, clutch or both on a gear tractor would have made for a bad day. Finally, I don't know how much loader work you plan to do, but it can be tough on a clutch (you have to slip the thing often in the process). I love my gear tractor for mowing, tilling, discing, harrowing, and similar ground engaging work, but for construction type stuff (e.g., loading, grading, hauling, etc.), I much prefer the HST. And one more thing, in terms of reliability, folks alot more experienced than me say that there is no difference.
In terms of dimension, power and set up, my HST is a TC45DA with filled R4s, a 16A loader and 858C BH. It has done everything I have asked it to on my 45 acre place, including the slopes. For a CUT, it is relatively heavy and plenty stable. That said, I am glad I didn't go any smaller, and definitely wouldn't have regretted going even bigger.
Also, I have found that the limitations of the loader and BH impact the work far more often than any limitations presented by the HP of the tractor. In other words, if tractor A has less HP but a more robust loader (and BH) capability than tractor B, I'd opt for tractor A in a heart beat. Of course, hydraulic capability in utility tractors, especially CUTs, is all too often tied directly to HP, so the choice doesn't often present itself.
Just my two cents, FWIW.
