Comfortability of bp blowers

[lawnkid]

I'm definitely buying a new bp blower this upcoming weekend and I'm just wondering what you guys think is the most comfortable blower. Base this on weight, comfortability on your back, location of throttle. I'm leaning toward the Echo PB-603 but what do you guys think. I'm trying to get the guy to about $340 instead of a sale price of $369. (No Redmax or Shindaiwa dealers by me). I don't need the PB-650 becuse I don't have the money plus it just seems like to strong of a blower just for everyday mowing. It should be only use for leaves. Please give me your thoughts and opinions

[stslawncare]

what do u consider comfortable lol? they dont hurt, i guess they are ok

[Nelson]

PB-600 is my choice, little bulkey,but all around does OK.....:alien:

[lawnkid]

I mean after a long day of work you're not complaining about how uncomfortable and heavy your blower is. (straps on blower)

[Nelson]

Lawnkid,

I said its a little bulky, but a hand held blower will not do
me any good. So I have to deal with... how heavy my blower
is @ the end of the day? I already paid for it. Hope this
helps.........:D

[Commander]

I think that the best bet is to shift back packs around during the course of the year. I have right now Stihl, Echo, and Redmax. I will be picking up another Redmax or a Shindiawa this year. I feel that if you have a variety of blowers it will be better for you. You don't really need anything with lots of power during the regular cutting season. Those blowers are generally lighter in weight. Then you have a few blowers around for clean up times. Those are heavier but also have much more power. If you are gonna be wearing a back pack blower all day you are gonna feel it, don't be suprised when you do. When you are taking it off and putting it back on again during the course of the day you don't really feel it that much. Make sure you get some comfortable straps with lots of padding in them.

[Kent Lawns]

That additional $120 to upgrade to the PB650 might be the best $100 you can spend.

The amount of TIME spent on clean-up (Both Spring/Fall and after mowing) would pay for itself in short order.

I know you're not a Gates, Rockefeller or Allin, but buy something that you can keep long term that will be a money maker.

As far as comfortable, the 650 will get your work done faster and off your back faster.

[lawnkid]

Sorry Nelson, I meant to STSLawncare. Sorry bout that

[longviewlawncare]

I love my John Derre BP50. It is light has a huge fuel tank and great power. Plus it keeps my back cooler than most i have tried. Go look at one and you will see what i mean.

[Scotlawncare]

I love my stihl 420. I ran an older Echo and to me it was heavy. The new stihl is lighter and the controls are very comfortable. 65Hoss tested some a few blowers before he bought his redmax. The Stihl does very well on fuel to me. I've done a few leaf jobs with it and love it. I haven't ran the new echo's but i will say my older one was very heavy and could kill your back after running it for a long time doing a cleanup. Price retail is 399 but some dealers give discounts. Your best thing you can do is to go to a dealer and check some out side by side.

Scot

[PaulJ]

If money, Weight, and comfort to your back are isues , why not just get a hand-held? That's all I use. Where I worked before, the back-pack blowers were the back-ups or just used for leaves. I always thought that I saved time just grabbing a hand-held instead of getting in adn out of a BP. The Hand-helds have pleanty of power for every-day blowing grass off of driveways etc... JMHO

[Bladewielder]

In my experience bp's are the only way to go. The last thing you need during a busy day is something else to lug around with your hands. BP's take the strain off of you and deliver phenomenal power. In no time you'll get used to shrugging them on and off. They are a little pricey but well worth it. We use Stihl BR400's and for day-to-day use they are excellent. For leaves I might recommend one of other brands' "super blowers". The BR400's do leaves but when fighting with the dreaded Leaf Monster there is no such thing as enough power.

[keifer]

Iam with scot I vote for the stihl.

[ohiolawnguy]

wehave had many different tpes of backpack blowers over the years. maruyama,shindaiwa husqvarna, stihl, kawasaki,lesco echo, redmax, and a couple others whose names i forget.

of those i mentioned, i would only suggest the redmax, echo, and stihl.

currently, we use redmax, and echo backpacks. also, 2 lesco handblowers. for cleaning up after fertilizing, and or simple projects.

i remember about 12-13 years ago, when we still used hand blowers for mowing. used to say-"what in the world would ya want that stupid thing on your back for!!!" after we purchased our first one, the comment became- "why didnt we buy these a long time ago!!"-LOL

[TOSLC]

I have both handheld and backpacks. We use the handhelds if we are doing just one driveway, or sidewalk. However on the stops where we have several driveways, and sidewalks to blow off we use the backpacks. If you ever have a strip of heavy grass to blow around after cutting, you'll want a backpack. By the way we use Echo, Stihl makes a good product, we just like the Echo dealer better.

[yardboyltd]

EB-650 is great, but I wouldn't put down the extra cash until I knew it was tried and true. Also the tube is a little stiff...

[Turfdude]

Originally posted by Commander
I think that the best bet is to shift back packs around during the course of the year. I have right now Stihl, Echo, and Redmax. I will be picking up another Redmax or a Shindiawa this year. I feel that if you have a variety of blowers it will be better for you.

I don't understan why anyone would not want the same equipment line. It's much easier to store parts for one manufacturer.

Also, even if you don't always need the power of the Redmax 7000, you don't have to run it full tilt, and its good to know the power is there when you need it!

Bob

[TLS]

Originally posted by Kent Lawns
That additional $120 to upgrade to the PB650 might be the best $100 you can spend.

The amount of TIME spent on clean-up (Both Spring/Fall and after mowing) would pay for itself in short order.

I know you're not a Gates, Rockefeller or Allin, but buy something that you can keep long term that will be a money maker.

As far as comfortable, the 650 will get your work done faster and off your back faster.

Yeah I agree 100%. You can never have too much power, and any weight increase is only on your back and you dont feel it like you would on a handheld.

You need power to blow grass off of a sidewalk when its wet! Using an underpowered blower is like pushing a rope!!!
:eek:

[Turfer]

I have the Echo 603. It starts and runs well. I have had several of the cheap plastic pieces break on it but it wasn't anything big. The throttle "cruise control" doesn't work. It is easy to start but hard to shut off. (keeps running). I have added about 10 sheet metal screws at various places to hold pieces on or together. This is all after 14 months of use. It will not blow wet grass off a hard surface that has been run over by a mower or stepped on. This is a major issue with me and is the reason I am buying something more powerful. This doesn't mean i will not consider another Echo. I just need more power !

[lawnkid]

Is the PB-602 any better? I know it has the engine frame and the PB-603 doesn't but is the quality on the PB-602 better? I wouls rather have the beter built of the two.

[AGG Lawn Maintenance]

Too much power??? That's what you have a throttle for my man.
When you get some of those real windy days in the fall you'll wish you had the power. Once you get used to the back packs the weight won't be so much of an issue. In the spring and fall I run one 8 to 10 hours a day. Does my back hurt sometimes sure. But thats part of the job. Look at it this way you get paid to work out. Who needs a gym.:D
Good luck.
Travis

[trimmer]

I have the Echo PB-603 love it. It is big enough to move leaves, reasonable enough to blow grass off of sidewalks, and dosen't use a lot of gas. I find it to be a good all round blower. The controls on it are very comfortable and not akward. I paid 399.99 for mine so I would be happy with the 369.99.

I have used the Stihl 400 and thought the tube was to far away from me, didn't care to much for it but would be willing to look at the 420.

The Echo PB-650 a little bulky but not to bad. As far as weight it is reasonable, I have used one for an hour straight many times and it enough to deal with, I wouldn't want any more though. This baby will move some wet grass, let me tell you!!!

I am sure all are nice to some but not others. A buddy of mine is bigger than me and liked the Stihl because the tube was farther out to the side than the Echo. I would suggest going to a couple of good dealers and trying a few out. Shopping around for equipment is always fun.:D

[jaybird24]

Ive tried most of them and I like the echos. They're all pretty similar but the echo fits me better. Plus I like having the throttle arm that can fold up beside me and not on the blower tube. You'll understand this the first time you get in between bushes and some other obstacle or when your trying to blow leaves out of some shrub and you have to stick the tube way in there to get at em.

[MOW ED]

I have a Husky and Shindiawa and have seen others and I still for the life of me can't believe that these companies don't redesign these frames.
I am also a firefighter and I have seen tremendous advancements in air pack frames that incorporate a weight distributing frame. Most of the weight rides on the hips. The backpack blower frames now are no more than a piece of padded plywood and a couple of straps.
They have made them powerful enough but now they need to make them comfortable to use.

[GLS]

I love my John Derre BP50. It is light has a huge fuel tank and great power. Plus it keeps my back cooler than most i have tried. Go look at one and you will see what i mean.
I agree that this unit is fairly light, however, it doesn't have enough power IMO. I used this once last year and was disappointed. At my dealer, it is $400...I think it's a little overpriced.

[MikeLT1Z28]

i use the 420 also. not much difference in it and the 400, just some cosmetics mostly. i paid right at 380 WITH tax for mine.