fredh5062

I have a Ryobi 40v trimmer. I still use the shoulder strap from an old golf bag, but it trims my large yard with no trouble, and as well as my old gas trimmer. I also bought the edger which also works well The blower attachment is my next purchase, as it comes with another 40 volt battery, so I'll have a spare

Good Luck!.

Conedodger

I bought a Honda 4-stroke trimmer last year. Nice not having to mix gas and oil anymore, but i think the 4-stroke is heavier. Like others, I changed out the bump feed head. It jammed the first day and I could never get it to work reliably.

dlq04

Cos, good point. I always wear long pants and a full face shield. I never understand why anyone would take the chance of an eye injury but I see people using them without any protection all the time.

Legal Bill

Dave, if you buy a two stroke, invest in a can of that specially formulated two stroke gas they sell in stores. You don't need to use it all season long, but this is what you want to fill it with in the fall for the last usage and before you store it. The stuff is expensive (for gas), but it works as advertised.

I have used the harness/shoulder belt for years on two different models and find that I have no problem getting the units well balanced.

ssbfgc

I have a Ryobi 40v trimmer as well, but mine has the head that rotates to work as an edger. It's been working flawlessly for three years now. The blower and hedge trimmer are great as well. I haven't looked into the more modern battery powered equipment, but I know Kobalt has an 80v lawn equipment option. The modern battery powered equipment is pretty incredible.

OP - I know weight is a concern for you, but I think the balance of the weight is more important than the total weight.

dlq04

Thanks everyone for the input. I bought a Stihl FS-40 plus a strap. Weight was 9.9 lbs with Stihl's easy start. I would have preferred a beefier motor but this met my two primary goals.

Vanishing Point

With any product, get the one that you can get conveniently serviced locally. I have a variety of Stihl and Husqvarna lawn products, I like them both for different reasons. The Husqvarna trimmer is now 9 years old, other than putting fuel in and cleaning the filter/spark plugs I've had zero issues. Part of this longevity I attribute to using only pure gasoline (no ethanol) in all my equipment.

dlq04

The dealer is only two miles away; that's always good. In fact, I am returning the strap. I just did the yard but with it being almost 1/2 the weight of my old one I don't need it, even with my messed up shoulder. I think I will be swapping heads if the one I have been using will fit. I too like the ethanol free gas but it is twice the price and all the equipment I now use is designed for ethanol gas; plus the other station is not convenient.

engifineer

Let us know how it works for you. I at some point may be buying a new one, but to be honest, my Ryobi trimmer (2 stroke) is still running strong with never an issue after 10 years, and even with a lighter, quieter 4 stroke option I have a hard time buying a new one when this one just keeps chugging along :P

Scooterboy

When I bought mine if you purchased a six pack of oil the doubled the warranty.