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Best Back Pack SPRAYER?? STIHL?

Sligh1

Administrator
Staff member
Hey guys, this is probably the best way for me to get the best advice, coming on here! OK, so I got a cheapy back-pack sprayer that you can pump lever with your hand while you spray (all I've had are around 4 gallons)- it lasted about a month and broke. SO... I thought, SOLO makes pretty good stuff, I got the SOLO back-pack sprayer from Tractor Supply (again, about 4 gallon with lever to pump at your side).... Definitely BETTER, no question BUT.... For sure not the best. I've gone through 2 of those BUT they've lasted maybe 3 times longer than the cheapy brand. They've had problems with compression/pressure, the bolts come unloose after a lot of use, the rubber part on lid that seals falls apart AND it has a hole on the top for air to get in BUT I get COVERED every stinkin time I use it with chemicals- no matter how careful I am, especially NOT FUN when I've had DYE in there or nasty stuff like 2,4D, etc- NOT COOL. Other issues beyond that. For someone with HIGH USE on a sprayer, it's just WAY WAY too many issues & that's just naming a few. I am NOT real pleased with Solo. I admit, it's a lot "BETTER" than the cheapy brand and if a guy only used it for 5 minutes a month, it would be fine. BUT for me, it's far from fine.
**Cheapy brand I got was about $50. SOLO was ABOUT $75-80.

SO..... here's what I'm "LEANING" to.... What you all think of the STIHL back-pack sprayer???? OR OTHER BRANDS?!?!?!? I would love to hear about ANY that are great, AROUND 4 gallons, SOLID AS A ROCK and have the lever to pump it with your hands. The stihl is AROUND $120-ish which is fine (of course it has no gas motor like another model they have which is over $600). I will NEVER again cheap out on a sprayer! Other brands? Experience with the Stihl? what's SOLID, awesome and won't give me problems and also leave me covered in chemicals???
 
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I have the STIHL backpack sprayer and don't have any complaints. I've sprayed entire small scaled food plots with that thing and it seems to work great. Definitely seems to be very durable.
 
SP Sytems get's my vote. Last I knew Sprayer Specialties kept parts for them on hand (I would check on the model). I know you can get every part easily and they have acessories like agitators and spray shields. Been used with everything like you said. I think mine is 7 years old with heavy use the last 5. Last year I forgot to emty it over the winter with round up in it (My garage doesn't freeze) and had no problems. :way:

http://www.sprayers.com/lawn_garden.htm
 
I worked in landscaping and golf course maintenance for 6 years, and can definitely sympathize with a leaky sprayer. IMO, SOLO is the best, and are popular for a reason. Tho, I've never tried Stihl. We had SOLO sprayers that got used daily all day and held up for years. Our issues were more often needing to replace or unclog nozzles. Handling chemicals intensively taught me to be very careful. 2,4-D used to give me the worst headaches of all of them. They're sketchy.

I'd get a new part before buying a whole new sprayer (a $4 fix). Try here (part #48):

http://www.gemplers.com/shop/hsolop
 
Sligh1,

You may want to take a look at the Dramm battery powered backpack sprayer. I have ordered one upon seeing them demonstrated for my greenhouse business. I do not have it yet. A little pricey, but another option at least. It has a better adjustment of droplet size than my hand pump solo. I have included the link below.

http://www.dramm.com/html/main.isx?sub=206
 
Here is what I did.

I bought a Shurflo SRS-600 This is a 4 gal will hold 5 Gal though.
Recharagble Battery back pack sprayer about 200 Bucks or less. Has 4 or 5 speeds, Battery will stay good for about 120 Gallons.

This last summer I purchased a SP hand Wand and there 3 Nozzle 60" spray pattern (79.99) hand boom They also have a 2 nozzle 40" spray pattern (65.00)from Rittenhouse.com
http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=672
The reason I purchased the SP handle was there boom have a special connection that would not work with my Shurflo handle.

This is a sweet setup to spray down your corn, beans, or any foodplots that you can't get a tractor, or 4 wheeler in to, or you have a few areas with excessive weeds and don't need to spray everything.

I have had this sprayer for about 5 years, use it alot and have had no problems.
 
What chemicals were you putting in those sprayers Skip? You want to make sure and get a sprayer with viton/vitron (SP?) seals in it for chemicals including diesel. Diesel will eat through those lesser seals.
 
Do you want to give away one of the old broken ones? I'd be willing to pay for the $4 part to fix it!!!:D I really don't have any experience with sprayers (Mine is a hand pump, need to upgrade) but I have a STHL chainsaw and weed wacker and am a firm beleiver in the quality of their products.:way:
 
SP Sytems get's my vote. Last I knew Sprayer Specialties kept parts for them on hand (I would check on the model). I know you can get every part easily and they have acessories like agitators and spray shields. Been used with everything like you said. I think mine is 7 years old with heavy use the last 5. Last year I forgot to emty it over the winter with round up in it (My garage doesn't freeze) and had no problems. :way:

http://www.sprayers.com/lawn_garden.htm


We use these at work and have lasted at least 5 years, with minor repairs. Every day use spraying weeds in the summer and spraying De-icer agent in the winter.
 
If you spray that much you really need to look into an atv sprayer. I bought a Fimco with 10 ft booms, but can also put a cluster nosel that will spray 30 ft. Remember some of those chemicals can be very dangerous. I would check to see if Fimco makes a back-pack spayer, they have very high quality atv spayers.

Jeremy Simon
 
Thanks a ton fellas!!! I will be looking into these and making a purchase based on your suggestions!

What chemicals were you putting in those sprayers Skip? You want to make sure and get a sprayer with viton/vitron (SP?) seals in it for chemicals including diesel. Diesel will eat through those lesser seals.

I spray apple tree spray ONLY through one sprayer. the OTHER sprayer I use Round-up, Atrazine, Oust, Simizine, Surflan, Prowl, POSSIBLY some tordon, 2,4d, etc, etc. I clean it out hard core when I switch BUT my 2nd sprayer gets a bit of EVERYTHING through it.

I have a 4 wheeler sprayer - that's handy when I do giant tree plantings, no question BUT I have so many applications for a back-pack sprayer it's crazy. THANKS!
 
I'm gonna check several of them out. I'm wanting to get my hands on them and then make a decision. I am FOR SURE going to look at those mentioned!!! Little nervous on spending 200-400 on a back-pack sprayer, maybe the Stihl at $120 will be what I want BUT if the right product is the more expensive one, I'm not skimping out this time!!
 
I have no clue Skip, never used either. Never heald a backpack sprayer even... but definitely going to be getting one before next March!
 
I have no clue Skip, never used either. Never heald a backpack sprayer even... but definitely going to be getting one before next March!
Oh man, it's like going from a moped to a cadillac when u drop the shoulder strap sprayer to a back-pack sprayer! You'll love it!
 
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