best all around topping saw (climbing)

[Wolf66]

I have been running the old echo 3000 and the 3400 top handled saws for a long time. I feel its a good reliable saw at a decent price until you blow a clutch and it's not worth fixing. Now my last 3000 is on its last leg and I see echo has changed the toppers. Does anyone have any experience with one of the new model echo's? (the one's with the air filter in the back!
I am considering a stihl ms200T, but the cost is double.
The Husqvarna topper I don't see around much, and have heard neg. remarks about, (although those people all swear by the ms200T and anything else is junk to them)
I havent seen or priced out a Dolmar yet.
How about the Tanaka?
What else is there thats comercial grade?
Any experience or sugestions would be greatly apreciated.

 

[Dadatwins]

There are 567,000 threads on site about this topic, most will agree ms200t is the best out there and worth the cost, a few die-hard husky fans insist the 335,338 series are the best and some echo fans have never used anything else so they just don't know. Dolmar and makita are supposed to have some sort of climbing saw out soon, but I would wait for some hard use reports before diving in on that one. Do a search of the 020t / ms 200 t and husky and read about both of them, there is more than enough search info available to help you make this choice, good luck. opcorn:

 

[sawn_penn]

I have been running the old echo 3000 and the 3400 top handled saws for a long time. I feel its a good reliable saw at a decent price until you blow a clutch and it's not worth fixing. Now my last 3000 is on its last leg and I see echo has changed the toppers. Does anyone have any experience with one of the new model echo's? (the one's with the air filter in the back!
I am considering a stihl ms200T, but the cost is double.
The Husqvarna topper I don't see around much, and have heard neg. remarks about, (although those people all swear by the ms200T and anything else is junk to them)
I havent seen or priced out a Dolmar yet.
How about the Tanaka?
What else is there thats comercial grade?
Any experience or sugestions would be greatly apreciated.

The Tanakas seem to be pretty plasticy. There is one going for a very good price in town, and despite me wanting a top handle, it's still there.

I've heard good things about Redmax top handles. Not in the same class as 200T/335/338xpt, but one of the better cheapies. Nobody sells those near me.

I looked at a Shindaiwa 357 at a show last weekend. It seemed solid and well designed/built, but it's really heavy. I pound heavier than a 200T, and two pounds heavier than a 192T.

I'm not a pro, so I'll probably keep using my 180 where I could use a top handle. If I was to buy a top handle right now, it'd probably be the 192T or 357 because the 200T is just too many $$$ for me.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

There are 567,000 threads on site about this topic, most will agree ms200t is the best out there and worth the cost, a few die-hard husky fans insist the 335,338 series are the best and some echo fans have never used anything else so they just don't know. Dolmar and makita are supposed to have some sort of climbing saw out soon, but I would wait for some hard use reports before diving in on that one. Do a search of the 020t / ms 200 t and husky and read about both of them, there is more than enough search info available to help you make this choice, good luck. opcorn:

Good post.

200T

 

[sloth9669]

man up

If you do this for a living why would you cheap out.....get the stihl...i did tree work for olny a little over a year...olny saws ive used is husky and stihl (climbin saws)....worth every penny and will cut anything you need fast and easy. PAY the money....get the STHIL