What's the best backpack blower on the market?

[Rockjock]

I just see the BR 700 as being a cop out as the weight now approaches the weight of the redmax units despite everyone praising the BR 600 for being a whole two pounds lighter, they managed to beat the CFM numbers on the top redmax by 4 cfm (omg) yet they dropped the MPH by 40 mph but somehow everyone who bleeds melted creamsickle is suddenly beating the CFM drum.

I guess I need a bigger fridge for all the creamsickles I need to order. Since the br700 came out I have been selling the steady, and that is to those that run these machines 8 hours a day everyday. I have not had a single guy or gal come in an say it is too heavy nor that it lacks power. It is 1 thing to look at specs on paper then there is the real world.

 

[CR888]

I'll also say I care more about the performance and reliability of the equipment. I have two pieces of 4-mix equipment out of 20+ pieces of other outdoor power equip and they are by far the most problematic, tempermental units that I have. I wish I could get a redmax powerhead or at least just a stihl strato power head to run all the kombi stuff I have because I have 5+ attachments for the KM-90 powerhead I have.

Get the KM94 2mix two stroke powerhead if you don't like the 4mix, I have one and its pretty light/good.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

3-Year Update:
(2-year update)
(1-year update)

(I usually post an update in Fall, but did not have the opportunity last year to do so. This is the update that would normally be posted in Fall of 2017.)

Remembering I detailed a specific need for excessive power to rip & launch wet oak leaves from long grass into wooded land bordered by wild black raspberries previously in this thread...

The RedMax EBZ8500RH two-stroke backpack blower (recommended here as the most powerful backpack blower) continues to start on the first pull and run well and without issue on 93 octane fuel and Stihl HP Ultra oil mixed slightly rich (40:1 instead of 50:1). (The laws keep changing and it seems WI has ethanol in every grade of fuel except "premium," hence running 93 octane instead of 89.

Cleaning the yard this year was a breeze thanks to more moss and less grass, so I pushed the leaves back farther into the woods, hoping to grow natural grass for the deer to eat over winter. The scraper nozzle (add-on purchase) wasn't needed, just the constrictor nozzle from the EBZ7500 (add-on purchase). This time the leaves were "mostly dry" and the leaf piles were already pushed past the border and into the the woods from last year, allowing the new leaves to cleanly jet in without issue. This setup is much easier to use than having the scraper nozzle on the end.

Time was down to 1 hour for a moderate amount of leaves in the lawn, 7/8 throttle and one tank of gas. I burned another tank of gas at full throttle when pushing the leaves back further into the woods.

Given noise is not a concern and the property is large, the RedMax was a huge advantage over the Stihl BR600 Magnum.

The Stihl KombiSystem is running well, although I would not want to go smaller than the KM 130 R engine (heavy, but tons of power, and I really like the power*). No issues at all, with the attachments or engine, everything works mostly like new, but attachments are due for tear-down and inspection. The blower is still doing okay with what seems to be slightly loose bearings, but other than the fan vibrating a bit everything is working fine. The chainsaw, tiller, string trimmer, are all great, the multi-angle-head hedge trimmer seems to be heating up a bit and needs a tear-down to check on the internals. All the steel pole extensions are fine with no issues.

Thanks again for the up-front advice before buying all this, you've made my work much easier!


*Please remember I'm a big guy who wants to power through tough jobs, these tools are pretty heavy for the average person.

 

[lone wolf]

3-Year Update:
(2-year update)
(1-year update)

(I usually post an update in Fall, but did not have the opportunity last year to do so. This is the update that would normally be posted in Fall of 2017.)

Remembering I detailed a specific need for excessive power to rip & launch wet oak leaves from long grass into wooded land bordered by wild black raspberries previously in this thread...

The RedMax EBZ8500RH two-stroke backpack blower (recommended here as the most powerful backpack blower) continues to start on the first pull and run well and without issue on 93 octane fuel and Stihl HP Ultra oil mixed slightly rich (40:1 instead of 50:1). (The laws keep changing and it seems WI has ethanol in every grade of fuel except "premium," hence running 93 octane instead of 89.

Cleaning the yard this year was a breeze thanks to more moss and less grass, so I pushed the leaves back farther into the woods, hoping to grow natural grass for the deer to eat over winter. The scraper nozzle (add-on purchase) wasn't needed, just the constrictor nozzle from the EBZ7500 (add-on purchase). This time the leaves were "mostly dry" and the leaf piles were already pushed past the border and into the the woods from last year, allowing the new leaves to cleanly jet in without issue. This setup is much easier to use than having the scraper nozzle on the end.

Time was down to 1 hour for a moderate amount of leaves in the lawn, 7/8 throttle and one tank of gas. I burned another tank of gas at full throttle when pushing the leaves back further into the woods.

Given noise is not a concern and the property is large, the RedMax was a huge advantage over the Stihl BR600 Magnum.

The Stihl KombiSystem is running well, although I would not want to go smaller than the KM 130 R engine (heavy, but tons of power, and I really like the power*). No issues at all, with the attachments or engine, everything works mostly like new, but attachments are due for tear-down and inspection. The blower is still doing okay with what seems to be slightly loose bearings, but other than the fan vibrating a bit everything is working fine. The chainsaw, tiller, string trimmer, are all great, the multi-angle-head hedge trimmer seems to be heating up a bit and needs a tear-down to check on the internals. All the steel pole extensions are fine with no issues.

Thanks again for the up-front advice before buying all this, you've made my work much easier!


*Please remember I'm a big guy who wants to power through tough jobs, these tools are pretty heavy for the average person.

Stihl has a redesigned HT 132 pole saw out now.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

And a BR700...

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Stihl has a redesigned HT 132 pole saw out now.

The STIHL HT 132 is a fixed-length shaft with an overall length of 7'. The chain is STIHL's proprietary 1/4" STIHL PICCO™ Micro™ 3 (PM3) saw chain.

The HT-KM Pole Pruner uses the same 1/4" PICCO chain, has a 12" bar, is somewhere around 6' in overall length, but when combined with multiple 37" HT-KM Shaft Extensions (steel, less flex than carbon fiber) can reach a long, long way. (I've used 5 of the 37" extensions on a KM 130R engine, but that's not advisable).

And a BR700...

I understand he BR700 is a BR600 with a higher volume fan at the expense of nozzle speed, which isn't a bad thing if the debris is light and dry. With the RedMax I can have insane nozzle speed via the scraper, incredible volume via the stock EBZ8500 nozzle, or a balance via the EBZ7500 nozzle. (Remember I'm over 6' tall and added one extra extension pipe to extend the length of the discharge tube and blow out more rather than down.)

 

[backhoelover]

They is a stihl br 800 listed on e biz see if I can get a pic

 

[sawfun]

The 133 is likely the extended Pole saw.

 

[lone wolf]

The 133 is likely the extended Pole saw.

Yes.

 

[sawfun]

I have a 131 for occasional orchard work. Nobody gets to borrow it. I have the ht250 as well but am warming up a lot to the much heavier 131.

 

[lone wolf]

I have a 131 for occasional orchard work. Nobody gets to borrow it. I have the ht250 as well but am warming up a lot to the much heavier 131.

If they borrow it they might bend the shaft.

 

[sawfun]

If they borrow it they might bend the shaft.

That's guaranteed. I already had a buddy want to cut with it that didn't want to start at the end of a branch and work in or pay attention to the tension/compression aspect. I told him I would make any needed cuts. He questioned me and never did get it, bit I didn't get a bent shaft or tube that way either. While I'm certainly no pro, too many armchair experts with little to no experience, I find.

 

[cus_deluxe]

4mix may be great for trimmers, but ive seen too many br600s that run for 200 hrs ( or less) and then completely **** the bed. Maybe they got the br700 to stand up to long periods of WOT, but Redmax imo is still the only way to go on backpacks.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

4mix may be great for trimmers, but ive seen too many br600s that run for 200 hrs ( or less) and then completely **** the bed. Maybe they got the br700 to stand up to long periods of WOT, but Redmax imo is still the only way to go on backpacks.

I think the 50:1 2-stroke mix is too lean, especially if the fuel has an ethanol blend. I run 40:1 Stihl oil with non-ethanol fuel and still burn clean (no smoke) in the Stihl KM 130R and the RedMax, both start on one pull. From other engines I've worked on I'm guessing the 93 octane ethanol-free fuel is too high of octane, and if ethanol-free 91--or better yet 89 were available I'd use that.

I don't know what to say on the 4-strokes other than the members in this thread said to get a 2-stroke and for me it's been great advice--no problems and all smiles.

The video CR888 posted is valuable as it relates to real-world blowing. Note the RedMax is heavy, loud, and burns fuel, and it does get large jobs done quickly. It's not the best tool for every job, it's a big tool for big jobs where a backpack is preferred to a walk-behind blower.

 

[lone wolf]

The STIHL HT 132 is a fixed-length shaft with an overall length of 7'. The chain is STIHL's proprietary 1/4" STIHL PICCO™ Micro™ 3 (PM3) saw chain.

The HT-KM Pole Pruner uses the same 1/4" PICCO chain, has a 12" bar, is somewhere around 6' in overall length, but when combined with multiple 37" HT-KM Shaft Extensions (steel, less flex than carbon fiber) can reach a long, long way. (I've used 5 of the 37" extensions on a KM 130R engine, but that's not advisable).


I understand he BR700 is a BR600 with a higher volume fan at the expense of nozzle speed, which isn't a bad thing if the debris is light and dry. With the RedMax I can have insane nozzle speed via the scraper, incredible volume via the stock EBZ8500 nozzle, or a balance via the EBZ7500 nozzle. (Remember I'm over 6' tall and added one extra extension pipe to extend the length of the discharge tube and blow out more rather than down.)

You know what you are right I was thinking of an HT 133

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

You know what you are right I was thinking of an HT 133

The HT 133 (15.9 lbs, 7'6" to 11'6") is basically the same as the

KM 131 R + HT-KM Pole Pruner (14.7 lbs, 37" + 49.6" = 86.6" = 7'3") with the option of adding a

HT-KM Shaft Extension (+3.2lbs = 17.9 lbs, +37" = 123.6" = 10'3"), except more extensions (3 max. suggested) can be added for a

total of 24.3lbs, 197.6" = 16'5". Although it's not suggested and quite a balancing chore, I've added (and don't recommend)

5 sections (30.7 lbs, 271.6" = 22'7").


Obviously great care must be used when adding extensions, and if 3 are used I think it's best to add 2 to the saw head, hold the assembly with it leaning against the tree in a vertical orientation and add the third extension (5 extensions maximum), walk it further up the tree and add the engine, then carefully saw the limb. An alternative is to assemble the engine, extensions, and saw on the ground then lift the assembly from the saw end over your head and keep increasing the angle while walking toward the engine (3 extensions maximum). This helps prevent bending a shaft, and great care must be taken. Using five extensions as I did becomes quite precarious and I don't recommend doing it. Adding a sixth extension is just asking for disaster in my opinion, as five extensions is barely manageable (and hence not advisable).


The nice part about the Kombi system is the engine can be used to power a string trimmer/blade, hedge trimmer (with optional extension), sweeper, edger, blower, etc. Returning to the topic, the blower has the most power with the largest motor, and makes a great compliment to a backpack blower when cleaning sidewalks and small driveways, porches, stoops, patios, etc. Being a Stihl the engine is quiet by comparison to other engines, and is fuel efficient and reliable, plus is comparable with low-end backpack blowers. If a lower-end blower is all that's needed, it might be better to get a KM 131 R to reduce the number of machines to store/transport/maintain, even if the job takes a little longer to finish, as the overall cost might be lower.

By the way, I have a request for a RedMax EBZ8500RH Service Manual in the Beg For Manuals thread.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

They is a stihl br 800 listed on e biz see if I can get a pic

No such animal.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

I stand corrected. This just popped up on YouTube recently. Evidently is a BR700 with a variety of ergonomic changes and improvements. Too bad it didn't include a 3-Step Proactiv Kit for the overly excitable dude.

​

 

[Mycrossover]

Based on what I read here, I went with the Husky that is the corresponding model to the top of the line Red Max. By all accounts, the only difference, besides the color, is the harness. The back pad design is quite different. I read that the Husky was more comfortable and after trying both, I agreed but that is something the OP can easily check out for himself. Anothor option on both is where the controls are located. They are either on a swing down stalk on your left side or on the blower tube hand grip. My dealer said pros usually go for the stalk because the hand grip design has a longer cable that can get tangled in shrubbery or on the truck but the easier to use hand grip sells better with home owners. I went with the hand grip, as I am not a pro and it is more convenient. I am happy with my choice.

3-Year Update:
(2-year update)
(1-year update)

(I usually post an update in Fall, but did not have the opportunity last year to do so. This is the update that would normally be posted in Fall of 2017.)

Remembering I detailed a specific need for excessive power to rip & launch wet oak leaves from long grass into wooded land bordered by wild black raspberries previously in this thread...

The RedMax EBZ8500RH two-stroke backpack blower (recommended here as the most powerful backpack blower) continues to start on the first pull and run well and without issue on 93 octane fuel and Stihl HP Ultra oil mixed slightly rich (40:1 instead of 50:1). (The laws keep changing and it seems WI has ethanol in every grade of fuel except "premium," hence running 93 octane instead of 89.

Cleaning the yard this year was a breeze thanks to more moss and less grass, so I pushed the leaves back farther into the woods, hoping to grow natural grass for the deer to eat over winter. The scraper nozzle (add-on purchase) wasn't needed, just the constrictor nozzle from the EBZ7500 (add-on purchase). This time the leaves were "mostly dry" and the leaf piles were already pushed past the border and into the the woods from last year, allowing the new leaves to cleanly jet in without issue. This setup is much easier to use than having the scraper nozzle on the end.

Time was down to 1 hour for a moderate amount of leaves in the lawn, 7/8 throttle and one tank of gas. I burned another tank of gas at full throttle when pushing the leaves back further into the woods.

Given noise is not a concern and the property is large, the RedMax was a huge advantage over the Stihl BR600 Magnum.

The Stihl KombiSystem is running well, although I would not want to go smaller than the KM 130 R engine (heavy, but tons of power, and I really like the power*). No issues at all, with the attachments or engine, everything works mostly like new, but attachments are due for tear-down and inspection. The blower is still doing okay with what seems to be slightly loose bearings, but other than the fan vibrating a bit everything is working fine. The chainsaw, tiller, string trimmer, are all great, the multi-angle-head hedge trimmer seems to be heating up a bit and needs a tear-down to check on the internals. All the steel pole extensions are fine with no issues.

Thanks again for the up-front advice before buying all this, you've made my work much easier!


*Please remember I'm a big guy who wants to power through tough jobs, these tools are pretty heavy for the average person.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[gmcman]

Sorry to bump this thread, I was disappointed in the BR700, Stihl really needed the 800 when the 700 came out. I feel they are late to the game again. That being said, I still have my BR600 and am contemplating the 800.

What would be great...how about a BR900 with at least 250 MPH and 1200 CFM. Make the throttle grip double as a moveable joystick with forward and aft movement to open and close the nozzle for breakout force or max CFM..similar to a jet engine nozzle.