I have much preferred the Husqvarna line of chainsaws to Stihl, and I still do. I ran 372XP and 395XPs for a long time. The ergonomics are, in my opinion, better with the angle on the front handlebar, the better clutch side handle on the wrap and the more distance between front and rear handles are just more comfortable to me. Their top handles suck, to be frank, and my cut off saws have always been Stihl, outside of the Hilti I got and the guys didn’t like.
That said, parts and service in my area are now nonexistent. The internet helped some, but while I have a mechanic (and a machinist, and a toolmaker, and a welder) on staff, I’d rather let a dealer mess with small fleet stuff than keep my guys from working on rebuilding the stick cylinder on the 345D. That’s put me on a Stihl kick with chainsaws. That, and the durability, self-tuning, power band and air filtration on the MS 441C-M when I picked a crew saw. I’m currently running an 046, MS 441 and an MS 461. I miss my 372s, but it’s just not worthwhile to run them anymore in my area.
I think
@Derf probably stated what I’m seeing from Husqvarna best. They’re not really targeting the pro user anymore. They’re targeting where they can make money, although they will probably always have a “professional” line. Stihl is going after a niche market, and their products and service reflect as such.
The last time I was out on the west coast I was on a fire in NorCal a little over a year ago, and the 1128 Stihls dominated. 044/046/MS 440/460/461 were what most of the fallers were running. Wildland fire isn’t a very good approximation of what most fallers run, though. It’s a niche market within a niche market. It always seemed like the production guys ran 1122 & 1128 with a few 1134s thrown in in Wa & Oregon while I was working there. The BC guys seemed to prefer the 372 & 395, though that was a few years ago. I’m not really hip to what the loggers are running out west anymore.