I have an echo and a stihl. The echo is older, and was a model called Aggressor2400, featuring a Sawzall type head/blade. It has a fixed length shaft, and worked really well. I liked the way the engine ran. Unfortunately, I wrecked the the cutting head by tackling limbs that were too big, jammed the power head, and caused it to strip the internal guides. Echo replaced this model with one that was the same engine, shaft, but with a 10" chain saw head.
I'm planning to buy the head and get the unit back in service.
I also use the Stihl, which has a telescoping shaft and 12" chain saw head. Yes it's heavy, but does everything I ask it to. Maybe a little underpowered.
The Stihl is longer than the Echo, maybe 15' fully extended, and is a handful to manuvuer in the woods. It has a shoulder strap to carry some of the weight.
Two final comments.
This winter I finished a cut on a large branch that was as high as I could stretch. The branch caught the sawhead and pulled it down as it fell. I couldn't stop the momentum of the extended saw, and it hit the ground hard. Snapped the sawhead's body (cast metal?) right in half. I thought I was out a few hundred bucks for a replacement. But I tried using some ColdWeld with some fiberglass cloth wrapped around the break. It's holding fine.
Second, no matter how long the saw, i always find branches to cut on my oak tree farm that are beyond my reach. Have stood on the back of my ATV, in my CUT bucket, on a ladder, whatever to get to that branch. It's some natural law that makes one do these things.
jim

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