So what do you know about backpack brush cutters?

[ArlyA]

We use steel blade cutting head but prefer not to. There cutting radius is quite small and we hit rocks, left and right with them. Our preferred heads are the .155 string heads that are quite tolerant and can be run right against the rocks or ground, and there cutting radius is quite large. Nonetheless, we get into tree shoots they'll beat up but won't cut them, then the steel heads come out.

 

[Wagtail]

Well it's all down to 'the right tool for the job', isn't it.

I have the tri-blade for my FS85 and I mount it for when I go after (bloody) bracken. The stem is just 'woody' enough that it eats whipper-string for breakfast and asks for more!

Everything else gets the string-head. It's not that much of an embuggerance to swap heads... although, woe betide if you misplace the wee metal aligning pin/rod/shaft thingy!

 

[joefromga]

I have the Husqvarna 345FR. It's a forestry saw with the circular saw blade. It requires a backpack which it comes with and has the handlebars. It's 2 stroke and very powerful. I can cut 3" trees in a split second with one swipe. Will easily cut 6" trees and is well balanced. Cuts brush and weeds great also.
Very happy with it.

 

[rangerfredbob]

blackberries are jerks, there's very little mechanized that will work on them in rough terrain... If you can't get a tractor with a brush hog in there a Billy Goat or DR is good, I just got a Billy Goat last year and it's a workout, it goes too fast in first gear for extreme terrain... Next you're down to a blade on a weedeater. For passively mechanized I've had good success with taking a choker rope or chain and wrapping it around the whole area of blackberries you are trying to get rid of, attaching it to a vehicle of some form and driving off, you're bound to get most of it... As far as the hand propelled variants machetes are useless, too short... get yourself an axe handle and a decently sturdy 24" machete. Take the handle off the machete so you're down to the bare blade and have the rivet holes available, take a saw to the axe handle and make the cut deep enough to get bolts through all the rivet holes, get some 6mm bolts (most machete's are Chinese so 6mm holes not 1/4") long enough to go through everything, two flat washers per bolt and a nyloc nut and assemble. That is the best as it gives you nearly a 4' radius and you aren't all cut up from the bastage plants that they are...

 

[tomplum]

blackberries are jerks, there's very little mechanized that will work on them in rough terrain... If you can't get a tractor with a brush hog in there a Billy Goat or DR is good, I just got a Billy Goat last year and it's a workout, it goes too fast in first gear for extreme terrain... Next you're down to a blade on a weedeater. For passively mechanized I've had good success with taking a choker rope or chain and wrapping it around the whole area of blackberries you are trying to get rid of, attaching it to a vehicle of some form and driving off, you're bound to get most of it... As far as the hand propelled variants machetes are useless, too short... get yourself an axe handle and a decently sturdy 24" machete. Take the handle off the machete so you're down to the bare blade and have the rivet holes available, take a saw to the axe handle and make the cut deep enough to get bolts through all the rivet holes, get some 6mm bolts (most machete's are Chinese so 6mm holes not 1/4") long enough to go through everything, two flat washers per bolt and a nyloc nut and assemble. That is the best as it gives you nearly a 4' radius and you aren't all cut up from the bastage plants that they are...

But how do you really feel about these Himalayan blackberries?! I can tell that you have some PE with these. Blood in the game as they say. Thanks for the tips!

 

[rangerfredbob]

I'd much rather deal with the evergreen blackberries... I'm actually keeping a plant in my front yard for the heck of it, the Himalayan's are trying to take over though like they do... I actually don't have much problem with them at my house, couple areas but not bad. Over at my moms it's much worse of a problem with rougher terrain, my brother has more experience than I but I've helped enough to glean some things and have my own setup. Reed Canary grass is the nemesis on my property...