Also, I can't believe there is someone shoe doesn't like TH saws, never mind thinking big saws are easier and better in trees??? WTH?? Really? Sounds like someone who opened his mouth, said the wring thing, knew it, but doesn't want to admit he made a mistake. Proper tool for the job, a hammer to drive a nail, not a sledge hammer to drive a nail!
Whoa now, that's a pretty strong statement for someone who's 200t clearly has thousands of hours on it. I actually had to check if you were talking about a post i made in this thread, because i'm one of the guys who prefer a rear handle in a tree. Between a 338 and a 200t, the latter is a better saw, and that's coming from a husky man. However, i'd still rather take up a 346 for trimming. (No, that wasn't a mistake.) Just because it's a personal preference thing, doesn't mean it's wrong.
Personal reasons i like a rear handle in a tree versus the 200t:
1. That handle is too small for my hand. It honestly sits during the winter because my hands are too big with gloves.
2. I've always hated the snap attachment for the 200t. I like having a little bigger biner on my saddle that just snaps into the rear handle. Less fiddling around for me.
3. We work all winter long. I like heated handles on my saw. Setting chain slings that've been dragged through the snow makes gloves uncomfortable very quick. My saws get a hard enough workout that the handles help combat uncomfortable fingers all day long. Getting a 200t with heated handles is impossible around here, all the dealers carry heated rear handle saws though.
4. I'm a husky guy but stihl's top handle is better. Unfortunately, the last time i went to get parts from my local stihl dealer for my 200t, he asked me what a 200t was. So because dealer service for me is better with husky and they make a second rank climbing saw, i stick with their rear handle.
5. I've never liked my hands that close together on a saw, has just never felt comfortable for me.
Now, i'm not dumping on the 200t, i've owned a half dozen myself over the years and they are an awesome little saw. But i don't like the fact that you state that bigger saws aren't easier or better in trees and also state that the right tool should be used for the job. I hate to tell you this, but for all climbers the 200t isn't the right tool for our job. I go up with a 395 every day. 357xp has been my little saw for years now. But you don't see me dumping on you because you use a baby 200t, do you? And i've seen many guys using a 200t to chunk a stem that a 441 would do in a third of the time.
You know, you got a big mouth on this subject for someone who's 200t is obviously fresh out of the box. I've flat worn out four 200t's in the air, why don't you wait until you've run at least a dozen tanks of gas through yours before criticizing those of us who prefer rear handle.