Options for a trail saw, something tiny

I just picked up a new trail truck and will be outfitting it with tracks for winter hunting trips. I am looking for the smallest saw I can find for keeping the trails clear. I mainly will be cutting Alder brush with it, and at the most some limbing duty. There are very few trees in the areas that I will be going but the brush gets pretty thick. Any reccomendations for a full time tiny truck saw? It will be riding in my roof basket, the smaller the better.

Stihl ms200t. Or 201t. 12" bar.

Having cleared a lot of trails as a park ranger over the last few years with an ms192, as long as you keep the chain fresh you can do a lot of clearing with a small top handle with a 12" bar. I can only imagine the improvements of having a 200/201t would be like.

Another thing to keep in mind is fuel and oil. The small saws do not have very big fuel/oil tanks. If you are going out for extended use you will have to pack the fuel, oil and don't forget some saw maintenance items.

Husky 338 XPT! HUSQVARNA 338 XP® T - Professional chainsaws

Hoping to find something older or at least inexpensive. I mostly will be cutting 4" or so and only occasionally so a pro saw is not that important. Are the 009's worth a look? I think a friend has one that he's not using.

A good handsaw / hatchet might be better than a chainsaw. Worth mentioning.

MEATSAW said:

A good handsaw / hatchet might be better than a chainsaw. Worth mentioning.

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I already thought of that but then I would have no excuse to buy another saw...

If you have access to an 009 that would be the route I would take. Especially if its a white version. Plenty to read about them on AS, mostly all good.

That rig have enough power for tracks? Double transfer case maybe?

Tundra Man Mike said:

That rig have enough power for tracks? Double transfer case maybe?

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4.9:1 gears, lockers and high compression 16v 1600cc engine swap. Should pull pretty good.

kodiakyardboy said:

4.9:1 gears, lockers and high compression 16v 1600cc engine swap. Should pull pretty good.

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Too bad you're not talking about a saw...

Echo makes a very dependable 30-40cc saw for 2-3 hundred clams. I've gotten a lot of good service for a lot of years out of a little 30cc Echo.

020T/200T 12" is the best trail saw on the planet, two litres of gas and 800mls of bar-oil on your hip, you can blaze a trail to kingdom come. All others pale by comparison. And all rear-handles are a heavy clumsy drag. Don't even think of an 009, they're absolutely not suitable, too heavy and fat, the handle is all wrong and they're too slow revving with too slow chainspeed and they vibrate like pigs.

P.S. The textbook-experts will jump in soon and wave their arms and tell you that a TH saw is "not meant to be used on the ground" but funnily enough you'll find none of these textbook experts will have actually used a TH saw on the ground themselves

Poulan Micro, or Craftsman variant. Or the lightest smallest saw of all, the McCulloch Mini Mac, these saws will do what you want while leaving plenty of money in your wallet.

I carry a Husky 335XPT when I'm on my ATV,It fits in my cargo box and is great for trail maintenance.I got the saw for nothing,so I can't complain.

i have a little ms-170 with a 12" b/c,,mm'd along with a fully adjustable carb,,, less then 9 pds and its a little screamer

A 170/180 would be great if the price is right. My vote is a 009, they can be had cheap and are pretty tough little saws with plenty of parts saws around. I have one with a 12" b&c and love it for brush clearing. My ultimate brush saw would be a rear handle ms200, that's what I'm hunting for now.

The Husky 435 and Stihl MS200 or 201 are all great light trail saws.

homelitejim said:

Poulan Micro, or Craftsman variant. Or the lightest smallest saw of all, the McCulloch Mini Mac, these saws will do what you want while leaving plenty of money in your wallet.

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^^this^^

A 10" bar on a McCulloch mini mac would be perfect. You can get these saws for next to nothing, just have to get past the bad rep they have for not being the easiest saw to work on. Get a later model early 80's eager beaver or 2.0 saw with an electronic coil and removeable pull start and it will be very simple to work on. Good Luck!

OP wants something small and cheap, Homelite XL with 12" bar is cheap, super easy to repair, reliable and almost bulletproof. Usually you can find them for nothing to $50 depending on condition.

I know this is the opposite of mostly what you are hearing but I sold my 338XP in favor of a small rear handle saw. The top handle worked good with bigger stuff but for brush the rear handle saw is way more controllable. My 346 now goes with me on the front of my dirtbike and the little bit of size difference is not a issue. CJ