Best power pole saw for professional use?

fhudo · May 21, 2018

I own Sthil and husky chainsaws but never owned or used a power pole saw. I am a climber so may also use in a tree.

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chiselbit · May 22, 2018

Stihl. It telescopes. The husky does not. Unless they’ve changed it recently you have to add extensions to the husky. But I haven’t looked at them for awhile. I have a couple stihls, great tool to have. Especially useful in storm damage work or a tree that’s failed for whatever reason, it allows you to stand back and cut from a safer position.

chiselbit · May 22, 2018

Tough to use in a tree though. Not impossible but not real fun either

fhudo · May 22, 2018

chiselbit said:
Tough to use in a tree though. Not impossible but not real fun either

Very helpful - thank you.

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JeffGu · May 22, 2018

Echo PPT-280... much tougher poles than the Stihl polesaws. Great reach, and even more with the optional extension.

All of them are heavy, and a bitch to use in the tree. But, it IS doable. From the ground, with the 4' extension, I can reach stuff about 21' up. It gets heavy with it fully extended like that, so you have to pace yourself. Without the extension, I can reach stuff about 17' up. I like this thing better than the Stihl HT-131 that I was using before buying this one.

craneguy1 · May 22, 2018

We use the stihl ht-131s...hang it out horizontal in a tree once, and you'll just want to buy a few new pole saw blades...it's a pita.

ontheropes · May 26, 2018

Not sure if this works with other brands but I like the Stihl because we occasionally do some hedge work and I take off the saw head and put in the hedge trimmers on. and have the extended reach to my advantage. Yes it gets awkward but when you can reach that far from the ground it’s a win in my eyes. I also agree the extension part of the pole is a little weak as well as the aluminum rod that drives the gears. Still is worth it to me.

Merle Nelson · May 28, 2018

I put the hedger head on the Stihl every once in a while too. Then I try to keep to sub max dia material cutting. (The Stihl dealer thinks pushing it too hard will twist a drive shaft.)

The new Stihl HT133's have a different (squarish) front tube and it may not be a simple swap anymore.

Oak Slayer · Dec 4, 2020

Does anyone have a Stihl HT75 or HT101 parts saw? I had a large limb come down on the extended pole on mine and bend it over a fence. The best new part online was $308 and that was for the entire handle/pole assembly. I only need the extendable portion.

Reach · Dec 5, 2020

Oak Slayer said:
Does anyone have a Stihl HT75 or HT101 parts saw? I had a large limb come down on the extended pole on mine and bend it over a fence. The best new part online was $308 and that was for the entire handle/pole assembly. I only need the extendable portion.

Have you tried your local Stihl dealer? They can often get parts you may not be able to find online.

flushcut · Dec 5, 2020

Ebay?

Keeth · Dec 5, 2020

The Stihl HT-133 is very prone to failure. They may have discontinued them by now, so buyer beware. While the powerhead is good, the drive shaft snaps easily and the proprietary parts are especially expensive.

Oak Slayer · Dec 5, 2020

Reach said:
Have you tried your local Stihl dealer? They can often get parts you may not be able to find online.

Reach, that’s exactly what I did and for $102 plus tax the parts are on the way.

Merle Nelson · Dec 5, 2020

$308 is a great price for the whole shaft assembly. When Stihl first switched to the HT133 (squarish tube) I bought about 8 of the older front tubes and shafts - what I usually have bent. Now I think they swithced back to the old system and parts.

By the way, bent front tubes and shaft can be bent back incrementally and get a lot more hours out of them.

Reach · Dec 5, 2020

Oak Slayer said:
Reach, that’s exactly what I did and for $102 plus tax the parts are on the way.

That sounds about right for what we pay, we (not me!) seem to bend about two shafts a year.

Merle Nelson · Dec 5, 2020

"If you"re not rubbin, you're not racin."

BooRad · Dec 5, 2020

Try Sthil battery powerstick. (Not sure what the model is) . Significantly lighter. Perfect for aloft. No need to pull start when climbing. Perfect for spider lift. Even take in my bucket when hydraulic saw won't reach a few tough one's.
Been more than happy with mine.

Saturday morning special as well on the ground.

MooneyPilot · Dec 7, 2020

The disaster relief trailer is packed with Husky chainsaws, but the pole saws are Stihl. I personally don’t use them very much because I’m usually in the bucket, but when I have, they have worked well. They, of course, are power limited, but that’s just the nature of a pole saw. For that reason, regardless of brand, you would do well to go to more trouble to keep really good cutting chains on them.