Oregon Hikers

Hi everyone,
For those of you who carry something with you to do light trail maintenance while out hiking, I'm wondering what you recommend? What do you find most useful? Do you have a favorite lopper, hand saw, or something else you recommend?

I have this saw that I love. It goes through trees like butter and is really light. It’s spendy but it’s great.

https://www.knifepointgear.com/product- ... acking-saw

I was debating about carrying my 20lb Ego electric chainsaw in my pack for training weight when I’m getting ready for my big hikes. (Where allowed)

Mike

I always carry this Silky Pocketboy saw. I've done a lot of brushcutting with it, including some pretty large rhodies and vine maples. https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Fol ... B0014C7XS0

I often take https://shop.coronatoolsusa.com/rs-4040 ... -2-in.html

5.5 ounces, 6.5 inch blade, cuts pretty good

A machete, to stay as far from blackberry canes as possible. No hand pruners or pocket saws for me!

I usually carry this set of tools. The saw is almost 13" and is very easy to use cutting through even 8" logs and rarely up to 10". The clippers are very light, aluminum frame.
Of course, when I get really serious, I use this. With the 14" bar it's only 10 lbs including the battery, and I've cut logs up to 26" in diameter.

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain ... msa200cbq/

Don, your trail work is surely more serious than any I've done but what do you do with blackberries or anything else prickly?

Goatskin leather gloves are useful coupled with my hand saw. The pruner works well on smaller blackberry vines but will cut only to 3/4". When the going gets really tough, I use this: Takes the same battery as the chain saw and the battery lasts over an hour and a half, which is longer than I have the energy to wield it. Mostly, the hedge trimmer gets used to keep blackberries at bay in my back yard.

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/hedge ... ers/hsa66/

I’ve got all the EGO Power+ battery power tools. (16” chain saw, blower, hedge trimmer and dual-line string trimmer. They are all beasts (as I’m sure the Stihl is too) I use them to maintain the trail near my house, but I’m getting ready to up my training for my annual PCT section hike and had the thought that I should make it useful weight and take my chainsaw. I’m glad to see I’m not the only crazy hikier out there! Haha!

Mike

I used my “portable equipment” on my hike on the PCT by Three Corner Rock this morning. Cleared 12 blow-downs with my EGO Power Plus electric chainsaw. It was very satisfying!

Mike