Trail Clearing Tools

I know you are mostly talking about power tools, but if you could only take one trail clearing tool, you would probably want a Pulaski. Those things are amazing. You can fell trees, buck fallen wood on the trail, and clear bushes with the edge. With the back, you can do any digging chores, break roots, ect. And if you run into blackberry bushes or weeds or something similar, you can just swing the back straight down and rip them out at the roots. It can pretty much do everything…
If you have to pack in far, and can only swing a few pounds, then definitley consider a Pulaski.
The fiskars look like a good idea. Many loppers are full metal and heavy, go with the plastic handle ones.

This is silly, but I HIGHLY recommend those loppers. I own a few different sizes and they always seem to cut about an inch more than their intended capacity, with some effort of course. The 18 inchers are a good set. Easy to use, extra tough, and not too bad on the weight.

The Fiskars loppers are great, not sure of availability in the US, but these break down into 2 pieces, they are a system where you buy an engine and then fit accessory atachments. http://www.stihl.com.au/Products/product.cfm?iModelID=641

when I was a wilderness ranger power tools were out (wilderness area)- I packed a sharp Pulaski, one man bucking saw, a plastic wedge and a file (to keep the Pulaski sharp)- I could clear just about anything w/ those bits, up to 2'+ fallen trees

Be careful using gas or battery powered equipment in the brush to clear trails. A few unofficial “volunteers” were doing some trail maintenance around Santa Barbara a couple of years ago allegedly with a gas-powered weed wacker and started a fire that ultimately burned down ~80 homes. I’m a proponent of hand powered tools for trail clearing unless you’re working in some official capacity (like for the USFS). The danger/liability is too high otherwise.

If I’m going solo, or with just one other and we plan or expect to do some clearing along the way, we usually bring a set of loppers like the fiskars you picked out (they seem to be among the lightest) and a pruning saw. For a saw, I recommend the Silky Big Boy 2000 (awful name) pruning saw. It’s expensive but relatively light, has good sharp, durable teeth and a farily long blade; we’ve cut through 12-16″ blowdowns easily with it.

If I’m with a dedicated trail crew or on a trail work trip, we’ll usually mix in a couple of loppers, a couple of pruning saws, maybe a set of hedge trimmer shears (great for poky, scratchy and/or itchy plants that you don’t want to get near), possibly a shovel and/or a couple of pulaski’s.

You would be amazed what you can do with a bow saw. I a felled trees up to a foot in diameter and cleared strainer logs on a river twice that diameter with a larger
bow saw.

I like machetes too. You can chop down smaller trees when them as well a bushes.

I made a 6 oz. hand powered chainsaw that does an outstanding job. I can post the instructions in the MYOG section if you're considering making one. Very simple concept using a replacement blade for an electric pole saw. It is common to cut a 6" diameter tree in about a minute.

Are you going to be doing this yourself or with a crew? If you're by yourself, I wouldn't use power tools. They work fairly quickly, but require a lot of weight to be carried out there. In the areas where I've crewed with a (power) brush saw, I'd only bring loppers and a pulaski if I were by myself. In other areas I'd carry nothing but loppers for branches up to 2" thick and a pruning saw for branches/trees up to 8". The PowerGear loppers can be great, but keep in mind that they require the handles to be opened quite wide. That can be a problem in some areas. I've never used a machete, but I don't believe they'd be appropriate for trail work because you want to cut branches as close to the ground as possible, and I don't see a machete being the right tool for that type of task.

I will 2nd Nick on this wonderful tool. The Silky Big Boy 2000 is an amazing asset to all trail workers who have to deal with downed trees/branches.

Just to help and give a better idea of what i face (alone), it is the removal of false stag horn fern, strawberry guava, and hat tangle I am focusing on. Below are the images of each:

In general, the loppers work well with the Strawberry Guava. A saw works best with the Hau tangle. A machete or weed whacker works best with the fern. However, I am wondering if you can help me with better options.

As you can see from the Hau tangle picture, most tangles require more than a simple hand saw. This is why I seek a lightweight powered chainsaw.

From the fern picture, you can see the sea of ferns. These ferns have hundreds of stems and roots that interconnect to create a wall that can go on for miles. The clearer often exhausts him/herself slashing and hacking through these walls. It is these ferns that are the #1 problem when creating and clearing old trails. This is the reason I am asking for a powered weed whacker. The added weight would be worth not exhausting myself from slashing. If it could be collapsable and fit into my pack until needed that would be ideal.

and I don't think i stated my intentions correctly. This is not for trail maintenance-like clearing in which a Pulaski would be ideal. This is for creating/exploring new/unmaintained trails.

Caterpillar D9, towing a chipper is what you need for that mess.

Ok, now I just need an UL version of the Cat D9 and chipper;-) all Ti, can be dissembled to fit in a 22L daypack if possible and lets have the engine run on UL hydrogen.

I do a lot of trail building and trail maintenance in both National and State Forests. In a previous life (before I retired) I worked on a survey crew for many years.

In my experience, the best tools for your proposed use are a chain saw and a brush saw – IF you have the agreement of the landowner.

OTOH, you say you are working alone so I would say forget all power tools, it is just too dangerous. I'm certified for both chainsaw and brush saw by the US Forest Service. Right along with their list of required safety equipment (chaps, leather boots, gloves, hard hat and safety glasses is that you always have a "swamper" along to clear out the stuff you cut down. A helper can at least call for help when you cut your leg off… Good chaps will usually stop a chainsaw without much injury. A good hard hat with a face shield woll usually daflect the chain.

In two different certification classes I took they showed pictures of chainsaw injuries. Most were to lower legs and about a fourth as many were to the face.

When I work alone I use Fiskars loppers and a pruning saw.

I'd agree with the Fiskars loppers. I have a small set and work awesome.. a longer handled version would make easier work over the long haul.

also pruining saws like Corona and Fiskars make cut better than a bow saw. The teeth are less aggressive but i find they hang up less so you actually go faster. an aborist friend of mine pointed me to those since i wanted a small folding saw for random trailwork where i rock climb

http://www2.fiskars.com/Products/Yard-and-Garden/Pruning-Saws-and-Tools/Aluminum-Big-Grip-D-Handle-Cushion-Grip-Pruning-Saw

a small Stihl climbing chainsaw wouldn't be super heavy and are pretty maneuverable if you are skilled with it. but then you'd need the safety gear too which would be heavier.