What backpack blower should I get

They make 3pt versions of the Buffalo! And yes, they are very expensive. But unbeatable for power/HP and relatively quiet.

 

I used to run one on a golf course. I think it was the KB4. It was self-powered (Koher 27HP) and it was the bees knees. Just hook it to a golf cart, fire it up, and go clear the course. Could do all the fairways, bunkers, and greens in 2-3 hours depending on how heavy the leaf cover was. 1 man, 1 cart, 1 blower. Someone should write a song like that. It rendered our Little Wonder wheel-blowers useless, and the big centrifugal blower we mounted on a 30hp tractor only came out for the peak of leaf season. It was only marginally stronger than the Buffalo and it took everything the tractor had to get it to PTO speed. Truth be told, I think it only moved more leaves because the tractor was slower and the discharge could be set right down on the ground. A good operator on the Buffalo could work circles around it. Never really had problems with that Kohler either. Those engines loved to run under a heavy load like that for hours on end.

 

Unlike a saw, tune a blower for max RPM once it's been warmed up. Favor the rich side but not so much that you lose RPMSs. You won't hurt it running it wide-open. Blowers always put a steady, heavy load on the engine. Engines like that.

 

They were/are a winner for commercial users. This is the machine that pretty much made 5hp wheel blowers obsolete.

They were a big step up in ergonomics from the previous BR400/420/420 Magnums. Much better straps and cushions. Relatively quiet for the power, and not nearly as thirsty as a two-stroke with equivalent power.

The power available from a backpack these days is crazy, the BR800 is heavier than a 600 but I know several crews around here that break out 800's for heavy clean-ups, while running the 600's for day-to-day work.

Early BR600's had issues - mostly operator induced, but there were a few I can place squarely on Stihl's shoulders. The fuel pickup on early models was inadequate and would gasp for air if the operator leaned over with less than about 30% of fuel remaining in the tank. VERY early models had fatigue issues with the exhaust valve stems and the stem and/or keeper would let go, dropping the valve with catastrophic results. I wish I had saved one of those pistons, I had one with the valve inverted and driven into the piston crown. Stuck up out of the piston like a daisy. They also were susceptible to operators over speeding the engines (this would aggravate the valve stem issue or even cause the engine to slip valve guides) by obstructing airflow through the blower. Either by blocking the tube outlet against the ground and/or deep in a debris pile, or obstructing the intake screen. I had one customer that was PO'd after the third blower in his fleet failed. Discovered that his helper was taking off his hoodie in the afternoons and tied it to the blower handle, letting it hang down the right side where it blocked 40% of the inlet screen.

I can't believe it but the BR600 is nearly two decades old at this point. That must mean I'm .... (horror movie music) middle-aged.... (screams).