What's the best backpack blower on the market?

[jughead500]

I've been lookin for a "she thinks my blower's sexy" sticker to put on mine.lol

 

[blsnelling]

The 802 is a 2-stroke.

 

[bullrider]

Hello everyone, thought I might add to it for what its worth.I bought a br 600 in 2007 to move large volumes of leaves off of my rooster yard,this thing moves leaves like a tornado.Since then I use it to sweap concrete,clean wet leaves out of gutters to blowing snow off of roof tops and side walks.It has been a real beast, with zero problems,just gas and go.I have always used the same mix as my saws,sthil ultra 40;1 .

 

[tlandrum]

redmax ebz8500 or husqvasrna 570 bts, 908cfm at the tube and 206mph. I have landscapers drive from all over to buy them from me because other dealers don't keep them in stock.

 

[blsnelling]

570 or 580?

 

[GrassGuerilla]

570 or 580?

Yep. Same engine I believe. 570 scrubs better, 580 moves a greater volume. I have both in Redmax colors. 570 is my preference. Not as bulky, still gobs of power. 580 only comes out in leaf season. Simple design, amazing power. Oh yeah, just might change how a lot of folks feel about strato.

 

[z71mike]

Both are traditional 2strokes?

 

[KG441c]

Does anybody put mtronics on blowers

 

[JRHAWK9]

Both are traditional 2strokes?

yes, both are 2 strokes........

 

[JRHAWK9]

redmax ebz8500 or husqvasrna 570 bts, 908cfm at the tube and 206mph. I have landscapers drive from all over to buy them from me because other dealers don't keep them in stock.

I know you already know this, but for others who are looking who may not:
BTS models have the throttle mounted on the handle grip with a cable running along the blower tube to the carb.
BFS models have the throttle mounted on a arm on the left side which flips up/down.

I prefer the BFS as I believe it's a more durable design.

 

[blsnelling]

Yep. Same engine I believe. 570 scrubs better, 580 moves a greater volume. I have both in Redmax colors. 570 is my preference. Not as bulky, still gobs of power. 580 only comes out in leaf season. Simple design, amazing power. Oh yeah, just might change how a lot of folks feel about strato.

So, most guys prefer the velocity of the 570 over the volume of the 580?

 

[JRHAWK9]

The 580 has a 10cc larger engine and more CFM's.....

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/blowers/580bfs/

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/blowers/570bfs/

 

[blsnelling]

Specs

Shindaiwa EB802
CFM - 695 cfm
Velocity - 210 mph
Weight - 22.7 lbs

Stihl BR600
CFM - 712 cfm
Velocity - 201 mph
Weight - 21.6 lbs

Husky 570
CFM - 770 cfm
Velocity - 2236 mph
Weight - 24.5 lbs

Husky 580
CFM - 908 cfm
Velocity - 206 mph
Weight - 25.8 lbs

 

[bryanr2]

looks like husq is the one to buy.

 

[GrassGuerilla]

The specs are not so useful once again. Seems they all measure them using differing standards. Some in the tube, some in the housing, some without the restrictor tip. It's been beat to death at another lawn forum. Many if not most contractors that use them side by side appreciate the extra "scrubbing" action of the 570. Where they really shine is working the two side by side. The 570 to break the stuck down stuff loose, the 580 to whoosh it away. You do have to be careful about checking the air intake for blockages when working in close quarters.

Edit: it ain't so much the weight difference as the bulk difference. The 580 is a bit clumsy when your in tight areas, its clearly meant for wide open spaces.

 

[KG441c]

3 to 4 lbs heavier than Stihl

 

[blsnelling]

The weight bothers me though. Specs show only one pound difference between my Shiny and the Stihl. You wouldn't think that would be noticeable, but it is. Maybe there's more to it than the weight, and more about it's ergonomics and how it sets on your back.

 

[blsnelling]

The specs I listed are all with the tube and standard nozzle, so should be comparable.

 

[computeruser]

Those specs make my BR420 feel...inadequate.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Yikes on the walk-behind blowers! Not needing a tornado here! (Plus some hills are 30%.) Thanks for the recommendation though... (wow that's crazy...)

Not a fan of recent Husqvarna products as they're made a bit on the "cheap" side with thinner plastic. Admittedly, there's a bias because Stihl chainsaws have been MUCH more reliable than Husqvarna, and Stihl did fix the BR600 Series 1 blower issues including upgrading existing Series 1 units to Series 2 as a warranty item--their reputation for quality is solid. Husqvarna, not so much...their contractor equipment seems more for heavy homeowner use. The Husqvarna 580 blower has thin plastic, and the warranty has been questionable for a few people. http://www.************/showthread.php?t=363899

The Husqvarna 580 is a RedMax EBZ8500 with added accessories like the waist belt, having RedMax quality--which is decent if one learns the "tricks" like taking the manual seriously and oiling the air cleaner element before using it, something other manufacturers do during assembly. Tall people probably need to hunt down an extra intermediate pipe to use as a tube extension, not listed as an accessory anywhere I know of, and incorrectly identified in the owners manual (the parts numbering is off on most of the parts). An extra blow pipe is also a good idea, so it can be necked-down with a hose-clamp and heat gun, as the flat nozzle is too tight creating too much force and wearing out the operator, and a high-speed round blow pipe isn't available.

Still, the Husqvarna 580 power is undeniable; with the standard blow pipe for quickly clearing lawns of difficult-to-move wet oak/maple leaves and a necked-down pipe for rapidly launching leaves through the berries those needs are met. As it's a simple two-stroke with fewer moving parts, reliability will hopefully be comparable to a Stihl 4-stroke. Parts should be easy to get, and there's no worry about recent Echo/Shindaiwa quality issues (not saying the EB854 would start having problems in two years, but it has happened). The recommendations are definitely spot on for what I need to do, thank you!

Certainly enjoyed the walk-behind suggestions too, more power is almost always better!

I haven't made a final decision, but am leaning towards the Husqvarna 580BTS (tube mounted throttle instead of frame-on-the-left) since the tube throttle locks via the kill switch, and with that much power gripping the control securely with all fingers is probably best, especially since full-power isn't always needed (nor the 100 db howel), and will also allow for easily tossing branches with the left hand. The output rating seems unrealistic given the displacement and HP, but it's also a newer model, not something from six or more years ago (which, admittedly, have great track records).

As a side note, I haven't discussed weight, fuel usage, and initial cost because increased productivity can easily offset those, especially in this particular case. Noise isn't a factor in this application, although double ear protection may be required with the Husqvarna 580BTS.

Comments/corrections welcome.

Husqvarna 580BFS $580 to $520
same as RedMax EBZ8500 but with waist strap and orange instead of red.
2-Stroke 75.6cc 4.4hp, 907cfm @ 208mph (seems exaggerated given the displacement & HP)
http://www.husqvarna.com/us/landscape-and-groundcare/products/blowers/580bfs/#specifications
http://www.redmax.com/products/blowers/ebz8500rh/
Another post on Arborists:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/which-backpack-blower.263654/

Shindaiwa EB854RT Blower $450
4-Stroke 79.7cc ~4.3hp, 760cfm @ 201mph
http://www.wisesales.com/shindaiwa-eb854rt-blower.html#product-tabs

Shindaiwa EB802RT $500
2-Stroke 79.2cc ~4.2hp, 730cfm @ 191mph (necked down should equal Stihl BR 600)
http://www.wisesales.com/shindaiwa-eb802rt-blower.html

STIHL BR 600 MAGNUM $450
4-Stroke 64.8cc ~3.8hp, 712cfm @ 201mph (most likely more realistic than other mfg. claimed #s, plus small, light, and incredible quality & value)
http://www.stihlusa.com/products/blowers-and-shredder-vacs/professional-blowers/br600/