I have an
Echo PAS 266 quick-attach arrangement, with a pole saw attachment, and the 3-foot extension too.
--------and a brush blade that has a 7 1/4" Skilsaw blade which is the clear WINNER. The brush blade is so much lighter weight and cuts (instant and almost effortless) and cuts anything from grass to 2 1/2" diameter. And it will cut an un-supported branch ( TING ! ) where the polesaw just vibrates it. Polesaw is too heavy, it will wear you out.
As I said, I have both and the only time I use the polesaw is when there's a branch bigger than 2 1/2" or if I need a controlled vertical cut that's higher than 8 feet, but it's pretty seldom. Typically I walk the area with the skilsaw arrangement, get 98% of the work done (up to 8 feet high) then use the polesaw for a few high branches (if at all).
I would say that a carbide skilsaw blade on a brush cutter is about 10 times the productivity of a polesaw, or chainsaw, for bushes & branches up to 2" and from zero to 8 feet above ground. I have many many hours doing this work (clearing brush & clearing trails). I used the commercially available brushcutter carbide blades and cound they were too expensive and too big, and too heavy. 7 1/4" Skilsaw blade is far lighter, spins up faster, far superior, only a few bucks and available everywhere.
Physical effort, I would say that a pole saw is about 5x the physical effort of a skilsaw brush blade.
Skilsaw blade has
some perilous action out there, it's probably not for everyone, but it gets far more work done in same time, produces far better results and a new skilsaw blade is $5-$7. That said there's lots of folks who ought to stay away from a polesaw too.
A pole saw for cutting near the ground is just wrong wrong wrong. It's too heavy, and too slow, cant use gravity, and you will inevitably touch the chain to the dirt then it will dull fast, becoming even more strenuous when dull. Just try it in the store (pretend) you will conclude that it's a bad idea without spending a cent.
