Backpack Blowers?

[JohnHL]

Time for a seasonally appropriate question for the greatest and most civil brain trust on the net, if I may?

I have a large property with a LOT of trees.

Consequently, every year at this time I have a LOT of leaves on the ground.

I also have lots of woodland on my property on which to blow said leaves.

That's where I drop them when I rake, tarp, and drag.

But that's a week's worth of work.

So who here uses a backpack blower?

Pros, cons, and recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

John

 

[NYlakesider]

Time for a seasonally appropriate question for the greatest and most civil brain trust on the net, if I may?

I have a large property with a LOT of trees.

Consequently, every year at this time I have a LOT of leaves on the ground.

I also have lots of woodland on my property on which to blow said leaves.

That's where I drop them when I rake, tarp, and drag.

But that's a week's worth of work.

So who here uses a backpack blower?

Pros, cons, and recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

John

I use a rather old (20 years at least) Echo back pack. The way my property is I live on a plateau on the side of a couple steep hills. I blow the leaves till I can shoot them over the edge. Once done like that the wind does not blow them back.

I have about a acre to take care of. The rest of my property is wild so needs no attention.

This Echo has been good, its a two stroke, starts easy, is very easy on gas/oil and has a lot of power when throttle opened wide. I normally do most work at 3/4 throttle but its nice to have more power in reserve.

 

[Maddog 521]

I have a long extension cord and a 20 year electric blower that is near the end of its life. I'm sticking with the electric ones so I don't have to feed another gasoline tool.

 

[Grayfox]

When I was a mechanic for my city, one of my jobs was maintaining the various small engine equipment we had. Lawn mowers, weed eaters and yes, blowers.
Echo is decent. Should last the average homeowner several years. But if it breaks down, just throw it away and get another. Its not worth fixing.
If you want the best, go Stihl. Hard working, long lasting, easy to get parts for and well worth repairing.
Pretty much everything in between is a poop shoot. Might be good and might not. Quality within the same brand name can vary greatly.
Also consider parts availability. The best blower in the world is useless if you need a new air filter or strap and can't get it.

 

[Eric300]

Echo makes good stuff and would be my 2nd choice behind Red Max. My personal older Red Max back-pack blower still runs like champ after all these years. Always start after a couple of pulls and blows leaves like a hurricane. Red Max weed whips are on the top of my list as well. I have Echo, Stihl, and Red Max back-pack blowers (as well as weed whips) where I supervise the grounds crew at a local municipal Park so I deal with them everyday. These guys aren't easy on equipment. I gotta give the over-all better performance/durability edge to the Red Max equipment over the others.

 

[arjay]

I use a recharable blower for my 1/3 acre and it works well,but I think you’re on the right track for acreage

 

[lkabug]

I too have an Echo. Mine was purchased in 1983, still going strong. Heavy by today's standards and a bit louder. Large wooded lot puts its to the test every fall.
I'm too cheap to buy a new lightweight one, but my age tells me it's time to do so.

 

[Kinman]

Commercially its tough to beat a backpack blower for uneven wooded terrain. If I had a wood lot and the energy to maintain it I would be getting a backpack blower. We don't usually deal with leaves in this area as its mostly evergreens, needles work like mulch and keep the weeds down. Folks on the southside have maples, etc. brought in decades ago to deal with, blowers rule. Commercially you can blow, mulch and bag that stuff and use the mulch where you will to build up soil or used as mulch to keep the weeds down. If you go for the super clean look, plan on doing some weeding, just like after a big fire...the brush takes over. Around here folks go for bark and shrubs, bark mulch to keep the weeds down and shrubs for greenery...I like that look over grass and if it were my choice I would remove the lawn and bark and shrub it.

 

[NYlakesider]

I too have an Echo. Mine was purchased in 1983, still going strong. Heavy by today's standards and a bit louder. Large wooded lot puts its to the test every fall.
I'm too cheap to buy a new lightweight one, but my age tells me it's time to do so.

Wow yours is at least 10 years older than mine! Yes its heavy and noisy, but then again so am I.. I have plenty of ear protection available. I'm a bit old myself (76) but until that blower is either outlawed or dies I will use it.

My only complaint and for sure not a big one is the strap system must have been designed for a very small person. No way could I hook the straps together in front to keep it comfortable. Easy cheap/quick fix I use a piece of rope to hold the straps together.

 

[kraynky]

I use an older Stihl 650 backpack blower I got at a yard sale years ago. That darn thing blows 200 mph, and is heavy and loud. But with ear muffs on, it gets the job done fast! I use it after trimming the shrubs around the house, drying off the truck after washing it, and for leaves, both in the gutters and in the yard.

I have to buy ethanol free gas, for my small engines, or replace the brittle fuel lines every couple of years.

But that subject is for another thread, at some other time. Stihl weed eaters, blowers, hedge trimmer cultivator and chainsaws, I am sold on them.

 

[yanici]

Echo makes good stuff and would be my 2nd choice behind Red Max. My personal older Red Max back-pack blower still runs like champ after all these years. Always start after a couple of pulls and blows leaves like a hurricane. Red Max weed whips are on the top of my list as well. I have Echo, Stihl, and Red Max back-pack blowers (as well as weed whips) where I supervise the grounds crew at a local municipal Park so I deal with them everyday. These guys aren't easy on equipment. I gotta give the over-all better performance/durability edge to the Red Max equipment over the others.

I'll Echo, pun intended, Eric300. You can't go wrong with the Redmax. I have their most powerful one, model EBZ8500. I think the new ones are EBZ8550. Worth every penny and more.

 

[BillBond]

I like Echo stuff.
There is a local mom and pop store that sells them lower than Home Depot.
Plus they have all the parts in stock and have mechanics that can fix them.

 

[Jeff423]

I use an Echo and it's great. It sit's unused for 10 months and starts on the 2nd pull. I bought it used and had to replace the carb. Only about $15 on ebay as opposed to the electronic Stihl's that are well over $100.

 

[sureshotbob]

Wow yours is at least 10 years older than mine! Yes its heavy and noisy, but then again so am I.. I have plenty of ear protection available. I'm a bit old myself (76) but until that blower is either outlawed or dies I will use it.

My only complaint and for sure not a big one is the strap system must have been designed for a very small person. No way could I hook the straps together in front to keep it comfortable. Easy cheap/quick fix I use a piece of rope to hold the straps together.

I have a Echo also and use a rope also so the straps don't slip down.

 

[PeterJ]

I have a newer Stihl 600 backpack and am very pleased with the results. Moves anything that isn’t nailed down and used it three times last year to clear the driveway of snow. Awesome machine and even though it is a 4 stroke you still mix oil with the gas.

 

[Aggie1906]

I used to borrow one for my tree lined, woods surrounded yard. Now I have my own, a larger Husqvarna. Life is a lot better and yours will be too, I promise. The old days of electric blower with cords and tarps of leaves to haul are gone. I have a little battery model for dusting off the drive, deck and porch. Not suitable for yards. I know they keep getting better.
Old guy here, and I have no problem hauling the back pack model. Maybe a bit getting it up and on.

 

[doublesharp]

Get 700cc echo, stihl, or husqvarna and you'll be set. I've got a 15 year old Kawasaki (Marayuma) that runs great and will blow a brick. I use a Stihl handheld for close work. Blow leaves to the yard and mulch with zero turn using Oregon G6 Gator Blades. Turns em to dust

 

[doublesharp]

Husqvarna owns Redmax among several other brands

Husqvarna owns several brands:[8]

Husqvarna
Gardena
McCulloch
PoulanPro
Weed Eater
Flymo
Jonsered
Klippo
Diamant Boart
RedMax
HTC
Blastrac
Over the years, Husqvarna has manufactured products for retailers, including Sears. Most of these products have a model number that begins with "917".

 

[Golddollar]

The leaves become the fertilizer for my lawn.

 

[JohnHL]

Husqvarna owns Redmax among several other brands

Husqvarna owns several brands:[8]

Husqvarna
Gardena
McCulloch
PoulanPro
Weed Eater
Flymo
Jonsered
Klippo
Diamant Boart
RedMax
HTC
Blastrac
Over the years, Husqvarna has manufactured products for retailers, including Sears. Most of these products have a model number that begins with "917".

I didn't know Husqvarna owned all those brands.

Are they all just Husqvarna products with different name tags, or are they unique?

John?

 

[Jon651]

Time for a seasonally appropriate question for the greatest and most civil brain trust on the net, if I may?

I have a large property with a LOT of trees.

Consequently, every year at this time I have a LOT of leaves on the ground.

I also have lots of woodland on my property on which to blow said leaves.

That's where I drop them when I rake, tarp, and drag.

But that's a week's worth of work.

So who here uses a backpack blower?

Pros, cons, and recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

John

This is just my two cents worth, so take it with all the salt you can manage! If you have a large piece of property and go to all the trouble of blowing/raking/tarping/dragging leaves, then I think you would have a much easier time if you just purchased one of those self-powered leaf vacs that drags behind and attaches to a riding mower.

A week's worth of blowing, etc. would probably take you a full day with a good quality leaf vac. Good luck!

 

[WTN1271]

I have used a Stihl BR 600 for the past 10 years, great machine, lots of power, no issues. They now make a version that allows the operator to start/restart while still wearing it, BR 800, I believe. Great for landscaper doing condos, plazas, apts., etc. Probably not needed for homeowners but still a nice feature. Reliability has been great and if you buy their full synthetic oil at time of purchase, Stihl will double the warranty too. Husqvarna, Red Max, Echo are good machines but my experience has been with Stihl has turned me into a bit of a fan boy as I have 5 other Stihl product.

The backpack blower is very versatile as it allows you to get around obstacles or along buildings or cars with ease, it is only limited by the agility of the operator. I adjust the straps so the weight is transfered lower towards my hips, Stihl offers an optional waist belt that really takes the weight off you shoulders if your going to be using the blower for many hours.

You won't regret making the switch to a backpack, good luck in your search.

Also thanks for all your great input on S&W 3rd generation pistols, always find your posts informative and helpful.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[M29since14]

I have the biggest Stihl backpack blower I could get. It is intended for use by men. I'm not sure I qualify. That thing makes so much torque when I squeeze the trigger that it actually turns me at my waist. The good part is that it does the job like none of the smaller ones ever has. It has a chest strap and waistband. You need both with this thing. Watch out for "frozen shoulder" injury if you are getting older and you use a backpack blower like you think you are still 30 years old. Ask me how I know.

Truthfully, if it will work in your situation, an attachment for your riding mower that grinds up the leaves and throws them in a pull-behind dumping wagon is probably a better solution. Just be sure to get one that attaches easily. I had one from John Deere. The crummy, cheaply made plastic housing and impeller did not last long because I ran over too many sticks. A piece of junk, for me. Might be perfect for the golf course lawn crowd... ?

 

[SMSgt]

Leaves are nature's fertilizer . . . and you shouldn't try to mess with Mother Nature.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I have no use for blowers. They do nothing to solve the problem. They do not pick up bundle and dispose of leaves. They just blow them somewhere else where they become someone elses problem. What really fries my tostitos is the idiots blowing their leaf and lawn degris into the street and then walk away. Then either one of two things happens. Either the wind blows them somewhere else (like on another lawn) or the rain falls and flushes it down the storm drains where it clogs everything up.
It's like dumping stuff in the ocean. You can't see it, ergo it is gone.
Question. Who rakes the forest??? Another question. Who made the decision that leaves on a lawn are ugly???? Nature decided long ago that the leaves would fall only after the grass went dormant for the winter. Brilliant!!They could then spend winter decomposing and adding nutrients to the soil so when spring comes the grass grows and has some good FREE compost.
Whew!! Never know when a rant will pop up!

 

[SMSgt]

I have no use for blowers. They do nothing to solve the problem. They do not pick up bundle and dispose of leaves. They just blow them somewhere else where they become someone elses problem. What really fries my tostitos is the idiots blowing their leaf and lawn degris into the street and then walk away. Then either one of two things happens. Either the wind blows them somewhere else (like on another lawn) or the rain falls and flushes it down the storm drains where it clogs everything up.
It's like dumping sh** in the ocean. You can't see it, ergo it is gone.
Question. Who rakes the forest??? Another question. Who made the decision that leaves on a lawn are ugly???? Nature decided long ago that the leaves would fall only after the grass went dormant for the winter. Brilliant!!They could then spend winter decomposing and adding nutrients to the soil so when spring comes the grass grows and has some good FREE compost.
Whew!! Never know when a rant will pop up!

Wife told you to go rake the lawn, didn't she?

 

[zeke]

House is surrounded by locust trees, and a lot of leaves are on ground in late fall/spring. Echo back pack model was extremely good investment, but the remote hand control is cheaply built. Beware, that having that motor on your back can shut off a pacemaker, if you have one.

 

[cadmike]

This past April I purchased the Husqvarna 570. Best money ive spent in quite a while. I also like the Stihl, I think it was the 650 my friend let me use but I got a good price on the husky which I consider to be of equal quality.

OP asked for pros and cons, but I’m hard pressed to think of any cons unless you enjoy raking, dragging a tarp and that dreaded blister on the inside of your thumb.

Pros? The smile on your face when you realize your “raking” is done In a fraction of the time and minimal physical exertion expended.

Easily one of my favorite tools. A pleasure to use. Buy one, You won’t regret it.

 

[joe44va]

I have a Stihl 350 or some number like that. It'll blow you over backwards if you're not careful and it's heavy. I have only 2 1/2 acres with 1/2 an acre of grass. Mostly I start mowing from the middle (around the house) and blow the stuff out into the woods. Clean up with a blower. Recently bought a battery job because I don't blow that much. About once a year I have to put the Big Babe on to blow the pine cones into the woods. Don't forget to run it dry before you store it so it will start next fall.

 

[JohnHL]

A big, heartfelt Thank You to all (but one) who responded to my question.

My takeaway from this is that everyone who has one is pleased with the performance; that Echo, Stihl, and Husqvarna/Red Max are the brands to consider; and that if'n I decide to buy one; GO BIG!!

Yes, I have plenty of woodlands in which to blow the leaves.

And just letting the leaves compost themselves on the lawn is a non-starter for me as I have tried that, and the leaves don't completely compost, but instead compress down into a lawn smothering mat.

And to those who recommended the tow behind leaf vacuums, yes, I had considered those and asked the Forum brain trust about them a year ago: Leaf Vac: Tow behind Riding mower. Opinions?

I still find the idea of the tow behinds attractive, although some cons include the fact that my 1967 Craftsman Custom Yard Tractor (almost 55 years old!) is still doing a good job with the mowing but probably wouldn't handle the tow behind yard vac.

That would necessitate replacing my current mower with a much newer model and then buying the yard vac to attach to it.

Much worse, since both of my garages are filled to almost overflowing, I would need to build a new storage building.

So I could be looking at $20,000 or more to go that route versus $600 for a top of the line backpack blower.

I'll be "test driving" a couple of backpack blowers in the coming days and will report my findings.

Thanks Again!

John