im eying up a bucket, but you can climb off the ball, and make picks (not at the same time, duh)One of the best things I've ever bought is a telescopic knuckle-boom crane. We use it for so much stuff. Got a truck and larger chipper stuck in the timber a few weeks back. They pulled into a spot with trees right on the front bumper and close to both sides of the truck. Nowhere to back up or turn the truck in any way and it just sunk. I knew it was going to happen but I didn't say anything. Sometimes not saying anything is a good way to let people learn.
So the truck is buried maybe 7-8 inches. That truck isn't going anywhere. I finally said to pull the crane to a nice dry spot a ways behind the chipper. We ran chains all the way to the frame, shot the boom out all the way and just pulled it out that way. Piece of cake. Super versatile piece of equipment. I love it.
I can get a used crane for less than a new bucket, but insurance will be higher, IDK, I think itll be a case of get what I got cash for at the time when one comes up