Backpack vs. Walk behind blowers

[Kady Landscape]

I am a small one horse landscape business.

I need a new blower mainly for spring/fall clean ups. I was thinking of buying an 8hp Billy Goat or Little Wonder walk behind type. But after doing a search I see the back pack type Red Max 7001 and Echo EB650 are very popular. I understand the w/b are very one sided machines while the back packs are more versitile.

Any advice on which blower I should demo? Currently I am using a Sthil handheld for all other duties.

Thank you for all your help!

Dave Kady
Kady Landscape

[John Gamba]

I Have The 650 Very Impressed But For Bigger areas The Little Wounder Blows Them away. You Will Fine that You will Need the Two Of Them. You Can go 6HP Little wounder and The PB650 Is a KILLER COMBO.
John.

[rodfather]

If you do buy a Little Wonder or Billy Goat leaf blower, spend the extra money for a 8 or 9hp. BIG difference over a 5 or 6hp.

As for backpacks, the general concensus lately has been that Echo (650/750) and Redmax (7000/7001) make the best ones.

[A1 Lawn@Landscapes]

I have a billy goat 8hp works great. My dealer is a total *******
though. As with everything you buy, dealer support in your area is critical

[Navig8r]

Good luck, and Welcome to Lawnsite:waving:

I agree with John... you will need both....... I love my redmax and Little wonder.... I am going to add another Little Wonder before Fall this year.

Up in NH I'm sure you have havy leaves as I have here in NY.
Use the BP to clean out the beds / corners, use the WB to do the large areas.

If you're just starting and don't plan on doing spring cleanups this year, get the BP first to use w/mowing, and pick up the WB later in the season............ unless the $$$ is available now, then buy both!
If you do a cleanup w/o a WB blower, and then get one, you'll feel like an ***** for not buying it sooner, trust me:rolleyes:

And as Rodfather said, basically, bigger is better.
I believe my dealer told me that the 8hp Little Wonder not only has more HP than the 5 or 6, but it spins a larger impeller, because it can! ---> MORE AIR!

[John Gamba]

I Have All 10hp Little wonders And the only thing that can Push them Is The Lazers with the Jrco Blower Buggy. If He Is On a Budget And can't Get The Bigger Blowers and the BP, He Might Go Less HP And Get Both. there Is nothing Wrong With the 6hp I just got It And I Can Push It In Smaller Yard's.

Good Luck John.

[paponte]

They are 2 totally different animals.

Backpacks - A good all around machine for maintenance, cleanups, beds, and corners, small yards.

Ground blower - Great for larger areas, parking lots, streets, large lawns, heavy amounts of leaves.

We use both for both the above reasons. :cool:

[Kady Landscape]

Great advice guys,

I have always operated my business as a one day a week p/t job. But since I enjoy landscaping so much I am going full time and want to make sure I am smart about my purchases.

I am going to take your advice and demo both the Echo and Red Max for now. Depending how many accounts I can pick up I'll go for the w/b blower in the fall.

I agree, save the $$$ and go big! I realize 8hp is a big difference over the 5-6hp models. Anything over 8hp, do you still get that big difference between the 8 and 10 or even that 13hp monster?

Thank you!!!

--Dave K

[BobR]

I use the PB 650 for about everything except when I have lots of leaves to move then out comes the BillyGoat QB1601SP it is just awesome, what ever is left is taken care of with a Toro 153Z and bluebird collection system.
Both is Better.
BobR

[LawnLad]

Even being a one horse company you'll be able to use both blowers at the same time. It's nice when you're trying to move leaves around the corners of houses/yards. Use the back pack blower to feed the large wheel blower to kick or move leaves further. You can keep the back pack on and still wheel the larger blower around as you need it and then leave it stationary when you're working through a bed.

By having equipment that will increase your efficiency you'll be able to service more properties even if you still only want to work one day a week - thereby allowing you to earn more.

Good luck with your decision.

[landscaper3]

Paponte hit it on the nose! We have Echo Pb650 great inexpensive top line blower, if you go with a w/b blower get the Billy-Goat they have the ajustable chute, works much better.

[gogetter]

Originally posted by Kady Landscape
I need a new blower mainly for spring/fall clean ups.

Since you specified spring/fall clean ups, you'll want a WB blower.
I bought a 10hp Little Wonder last fall. John's right about it being hard to push around though, phew! Wears you out.
But I wanted the larger impeller and power.

The others are also correct that you will eventually want both a BP and WB.

Landscaper3, as far as the Billy Goat having the udjustable chute, although a neat idea, I find that it's really not necessary. I just tilt the blower up and down as I walk along. Now maybe if Little Wonder made a metal one I'd consider it. But I'd be afraid of the plastic one on the Goat.

[Kady Landscape]

Hey guys,

I have tried the PB650 and like it. I will also test the Red Max 7000 this weekend and make my decision. What a difference over the hand helds...

Thanks for all the input, I think late this summer I am going to check out either the Little Wonder 8hp or the 10hp Billy Goat, just in time for the leaves.

Thanks Again,
Dave Kady

[rob1325]

The backpack and push blower is best way to go. Use backpack to push out leaves then use the bigger blower to push back. You will save alot of time with having both. As for blowers I use the RedMax 7000, which I love. Has non clog intake which is great when in buhes blowing leaves out. Also I have Shindaiwa backpack Blower, which is same blower as Redmax (same engine) except design of couple of things (Airfilter, Throttle, and other little things), but like the Redmax way better (Better Features). As for walk behinds, I run two Lesco 16HP Hydro Blowers. They are pricey, but worth it for me. I finish jobs faster and eliminate one guy, and best of all don't have to push.:D

[gogetter]

Originally posted by rob1325
I run two Lesco 16HP Hydro Blowers. They are pricey, but worth it for me. I finish jobs faster and eliminate one guy, and best of all don't have to push.:D

Rob, what do they run $ if you don't mind me asking?

[rodfather]

Originally posted by gogetter
Rob, what do they run $ if you don't mind me asking?


LOL...I just sent Rob a PM asking him the same question. I was within $50 of what I thought they might be. "Pricey" is putting it a bit mild. But, I see their value.

[dfm611]

I supplement backpacks (echo 650) with a chipper shredder vac. Blow everything to flat area and suck it up. Customers like idea of keeping shredded leaves to use as mulch or for compost. Came with a huge hose attachment for getting hard to reach places.

[rob1325]

My dealer was running a sale in fall and think they were going for about $2,750 + tax for them, could be more, I forget. I bought mine three years ago. They are almost twice the cost of a large push blower, so compared to other blowers, they are pricey, but worth it in my opinion. Plus my guys love them!

[tiedeman]

I like my 10hp Billy Goat Blower. Sometimes its almost too powerful. I actually blew siding off from a house last fall...I guess that I need to be a little bit more careful with that thing

[bob]

I'd get a backpack blower first. It will be more versatile than a W/B. It's also easier to transport.

[Kady Landscape]

Hey Guys,

I ended up going with the Echo 750 b/p and a 10hp Little Wonder w/b last spring. Both are great machines, and both have a use. I only wish I had purchased them sooner.

Thanks for all the input,
Dave

[BMFD92]

There is a company about 45 minutes away from me that makes push blowers and hand held equipment. I don't know if you guys have heard of them. They are called Fradan. I got two of their blowers. The power is amazing. Little wonder are very good too.