# will a backpack blower do me any good for snow?



## markmoore (Sep 19, 2005)

hello all, new to this forum and have never plowed a single flake in my life. i just started a landscaping business in June, so plowing seemed to be the next logical step in making money during my down time. anywho, i'm am still expanding my landscaping business, and am just about to invest in a real powerful backpack blower, because my smaller echo backpack blower just aint cuttin' it any more (lol, it's funny, at first when i got into this business i thought my blower was the best thing ever and i would never need anything more powerful. now that i'm more time-conscious, it's almost like i'd be better off broom-sweeping the areas. isn't it funny how perceptions change?). Thinking about the redmax 8000, which is advertised as the most powerful backpack blower ever made. Now this might seem like a silly question, i don't know, but is a backpack blower at all usefull for snow removal? i'm not exactly sure what type of snow removal i will be doing this year, commercial or residential, because either way i know i could easily get some good accounts. i just said that last thing in case it mattered ...

Thanks in advance!


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## All_Clear (Jan 28, 2005)

To blow off some light powder on a sidewalk maybe... Other then that i'd say its a waste of time and gas. You'd be far better off with a snowblower or truck with plow... Backpack blower isnt going to move snow as efficiently as something built to move snow. Just my 2 cents...

All_Clear


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## markmoore (Sep 19, 2005)

ha, oh yea by the way.... i do have a truck w/ a plow and salt spreader and a 5/24 yard machines snow thrower i will be using...


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## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

OK............If your talking blowing off a few sidewalks, yes it will work fine with a couple of inches of powder. I would still invest in a few shovels.


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## mister_snowplow (Oct 19, 2004)

Funny...I thought of doing that myself. Like others have posted I think it would work great if you had light powder, but it isn't going to move wet heavy snow. You'll end up wasting a lot of gas. You're better off getting a good snowblower.


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## markmoore (Sep 19, 2005)

yes, i will have a couple of good shovels, as well as a push broom and snow thrower (not to mention a plow truck)... i was just wondering if a backpack blower was even worth the trouble of putting in my truck. like is there ever a situation (i.e. a light fluffy dusting) in which a backpack blower will be THE BEST CHOICE (not just "yes, it would move the snow")... if it's not goin to offer me any kind of advantage over any of the other "conventional" methods, then i'll just forget the whole idea... does any one else carry along backpack blower(s) in their truck(s)? your thoughts?


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## hickslawns (Dec 18, 2004)

I have never tried it, but the thought crossed my mind in the past as well. Nothing wrong with asking! We all started somewhere. If the snow is that light and fluffy, the little single stage snowblowers shoot that stuff at without ever hesitating. We use toro 3.25HP 2 cycle blowers. They are pretty good with the light stuff. Clear as fast as you can walk, and I don't think I could clear light stuff much faster with a backpack blower. I would keep that backpack in a nice warm garage waiting for spring.


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## bigjeeping (Aug 15, 2005)

When I was buying my first backpack blower a guy told me he maintained an apartment complex and he could blow like 4" of fluff with his blower.


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## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

"Fluff" being the key word. Unless it's light powder, which we almost never get in New England it's useless. A Power Broom I have heard can be useful, but only in lesser amounts of snow. Buy a shovel.


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## Eyesell (Nov 7, 2003)

I fire up my small hand held to clear off the cars


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## meathead1134 (Nov 12, 2004)

justme- said:


> "Fluff" being the key word. Unless it's light powder, which we almost never get in New England it's useless. A Power Broom I have heard can be useful, but only in lesser amounts of snow. Buy a shovel.


I did this last winter and made my farther inlaw laugh. It works for powder but anything after 4 inches forget it. Plus if it windy you get cold dam quick catch my drift


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## Boondox (Sep 4, 2004)

I use a blower for the porch and patio where a shovel would damage the slate, but it only works for light powder. Pete


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## TLS (Jan 31, 2000)

Eyesell said:


> I fire up my small hand held to clear off the cars


Works excellent for this. But be prepared, if there is any wind, you'll soon look like frosty the snowman!

As for walks....same thing....Frosty.

But it must be less than 2", and at that point 2" of fluff isn't usually a BIG issue needing plowing or shoveling.

I heard the 8000's are big (they stick out behind you pretty far.)


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## LwnmwrMan22 (Jan 20, 2005)

I've got a couple of banks that are quite particular about the walking areas.

They've got a 1/2" trigger on them, so if there's anything less than 1.5" and it's not wet, all I'll use is the backpack blower.

I've got an Echo 751 and you just blow with the wind.

When there's that small amount of snow, it isn't like you're too worried about making sure it's going in one area.

It works great, gets right down to the blacktop. You don't have that 1/16" of "film" from running the plow or even a snowblower.

I'll do the sidewalks and 2/3's of the parking lot with it.

Like I said, the banks just have the 1/2" trigger in the areas where people walk. It's 1.5" in the drive-thru's.


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## General Grounds (Jan 11, 2001)

i use a backpack very nicely on light powdery snow happens to do a great job.


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