Want to switch to Husky climbing saw

[Stachura01]

I've been in love with my Husquvarna 395xp since she came into my life. But my employer runs Stihls and since he buys saws for us, I have an MS200, which is nice. I really love my Husky though and I want to go ahead and spend my own money on a 338xpt, but he insists I'll regret it. Says they break too easily. I don't think his former habit of throwing saws out of trees when things go badly helped in his assessment. I'm looking for real world working experience comparisons.

 

[clearance]

I've been in love with my Husquvarna 395xp since she came into my life. But my employer runs Stihls and since he buys saws for us, I have an MS200, which is nice. I really love my Husky though and I want to go ahead and spend my own money on a 338xpt, but he insists I'll regret it. Says they break too easily. I don't think his former habit of throwing saws out of trees when things go badly helped in his assessment. I'm looking for real world working experience comparisons.

I"ll set you straight and save you from some pain, the 020/200 is THE saw in the trees. This pained me, as I was a Husky guy for years, still am, except I climb with a 200T. Had so many guys tell me it is better than the Husky, guys who have climbed for years and ran both. No point trying to reinvent the wheel.

 

[Stihl User]

I"ll set you straight and save you from some pain, the 020/200 is THE saw in the trees. This pained me, as I was a Husky guy for years, still am, except I climb with a 200T. Had so many guys tell me it is better than the Husky, guys who have climbed for years and ran both. No point trying to reinvent the wheel.

He's got 100% right. I used to only run Husqvarna's but never bought any other climbing saw then the STIHL 020T / MS 200T, why because NO ONE can beat them! I have talked with Dolmar, Echo & Husqvarna rep.s and they all admitted STIHL has the best climbing saw period.

 

[Timberhauler]

The only husky's I like better than Stihl are the bigger saws....I prefer the 395 over the 660 but that's about it.I used husky's climbing saw for a little while and switched right back to stihl...For the 70cc range saws that do most of the cutting,I'll take a 440 over the 372 or 575 any day of the week.They seem about the same as far as durabilty goes.The only husky's I am running right now are the 395 and the 346.I also have a 575 but I hate it.So to sum it up,Stihl's are doing most of the work for me,but those are the only two husky's I can't live without.

 

[Night Owle]

My 2 cents

I agree the 200t is the way to go , I've been running mine about
9 months. It has great power when You Really Need it and never
seems to bog. the initial price tag kinda hurts but that fades when
Your up in the tree doin Your thing (cutting wood I mean).
One thing I'm fastidious about is NO ONE else uses it and I never
use it for ground work..

Night Owle.......

 

[OTG BOSTON]

what they said

took me a while to believe the hype. ms 200t is THE climbing saw

 

[Stachura01]

damn, sounds like i need to go get my 200 a new air filter and tell her how sorry i am.

 

[oldirty]

hey man

if you still want that husky i wil sell you my personal climber. she is now officially "in season". nicely broken in i mean. havent used her in about a month though.

and she certainly wont be getn any saddle time my very own 200t eating up the wood now.

telln ya. that thing is legit.



oldirty

 

[DonnyO]

yup

the replacement air filter is even better than the one that comes with the saw. and get one of those new "lite" bars for it.:chainsawguy:

 

[Treetom]

All Huskies here....so far.

I've never seen a 200T in action though I've heard it often discussed by credible members on this site. There may be one in my future if I can find a Stihl dealer around these parts. (what am I looking at, about $500.00+?) In the meantime, I need the lightest saw possible with the power to get the job done. So far my Husky 338xpt "Cali" has filled this niche. I must admit, though, after I get a tree topped out and start blocking down anything over 8"-9", I prefer a little more power. I usually switch to my 242xp at this point. I wonder, at what diameter would a 200T "slow down." My 2 cents worth.

 

[Beast12]

I wonder, at what diameter would a 200T "slow down." My 2 cents worth.

It won't slow down, unless it is dull or the chain is on backwards......or missing.

-Matt

 

[clearance]

I've never seen a 200T in action though I've heard it often discussed by credible members on this site. There may be one in my future if I can find a Stihl dealer around these parts. (what am I looking at, about $500.00+?) In the meantime, I need the lightest saw possible with the power to get the job done. So far my Husky 338xpt "Cali" has filled this niche. I must admit, though, after I get a tree topped out and start blocking down anything over 8"-9", I prefer a little more power. I usually switch to my 242xp at this point. I wonder, at what diameter would a 200T "slow down." My 2 cents worth.

They rule for branches and small tops. Of course they run out of good power in big blocks, they are only 35cc. Mine has a 16" bar, if I have to firewood down a bigger tree I get a bigger saw, if I can dump logs up to 16" diam. I keep it.

 

[1I'dJak]

single stem logging and windfirming, i've taken pretty big tops...a couple in the 60-70cm + diameter range...have to walk around it to undercut...putting the saw to the test....as long as its sharp and your rakers aren't too low that saw will do amazing things...plus i've dropped it a couple times...once over 100' and she fired up right away...the husky on the other hand is only good if you're trimming branches...plus the weighting is all weird... its really a pos...and i was always a husky man... although the shape of the husky is more 'branchodynamic'...doesn't get caught up as much as the boxy ol' 200...
but i wouldn't get the husky if i was doing proffessional work....be a good camping saw...

 

[BostonBull]

The 200T is definately the way to go!
I have found them to be more balanced, meaning.....pick both up by the trigger with your index finger. The Husky always nose dives, the Stihl doesnt. ANd with the Lite bar on the Stihl it is even nicermaybe a little butt heavy.
I run a 14" and love it I use it until the wood gets over this size and then call down for another saw.

Once the 200T is broken in you should do a muffler mod, richen up the H jet on the carb and watch out! Plenty more power to be found from this quick mod.

Good Luck in your decision but you'll find almost everyone here will agree STIHL.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

The Husky is a good saw, but the ms200 is a great one.

A whole page in a thread about chainsaws where everyone agrees, you guys on E's or what?

 

[hornett22]

i have a 335 cali and it works good.

but coming down and blocking the 200t shines.there just is no comparison.

i even use the 192 for limbing and it sits by the chipper alot.

all three are great saws but stihl has the winner with the 200.i would like to try the NEW 338 but i haven't yet.i doubt it will run with the 200 either.

 

[scouse]

338 v 020 12" pine log.

A brand new 338 (run in of course) and a 6 year old 020, I was half way through the pine when my mate picked up and started the 020 he was through the log before me!! No contest the new husky is junk just like the 335.They are not even balanced very well and the handle is useless for cutting on the side so its not like there worth getting for small stuff.

MS200T is the only tree saw worth considering.

 

[Sassafras]

I have run em all. My favorite is the 338 new edition. It will not out cut an 020 but runs fairly close. My reason for liking the new edition better is for the balance and feel i just like it better than the stihl. it will blow away the 335 but is still lees of a man than the stihl. the 335's are pruning saws, they should only put a 6 inch bar on them to prevent us from being tempted to cut anything bigger.
My crew met on the job with Husky r&d one day earlier this year. I am not allowed to say much. but keep your eyes on the husky. they are listening to guys that use these saws everyday and are making changes to better compete with the stihl 020. Maybe some day the Husky guys of this world won't need to hold there heads in shame limbing out trees with an 020. Time will tell.

 

[Timberhauler]

I've been told that with a mild muffler mod the husky will knock heads with the stihl...But for me,I like the way the Stihl handles better.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

338 v 020 12" pine log.

A brand new 338 (run in of course) and a 6 year old 020, I was half way through the pine when my mate picked up and started the 020 he was through the log before me!! No contest the new husky is junk just like the 335.They are not even balanced very well and the handle is useless for cutting on the side so its not like there worth getting for small stuff.

MS200T is the only tree saw worth considering.

I call BS!
This thread is way out of control. The 200 is a fine saw, but so is the husky. Out of the box, the saws are very close in cutting performance, the edge goes slightly to the husky, which is the case for the whole husky line compared to stihl.
To say your friend's saw is that much faster says you don't haver a clue. Your saw is dull or not running right, either that or his saws is modified.

Talking about balance is tricky, you want it slightly nose heavy, it's easier to cut.

The older versions of husky were plagued with some problems, which since have been fixed.

The two saws are close, if I were buying, I'd go husky. If it were free, I'd take stihl. The husky is a slightly better value, the stihl is a slightly better saw.