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/