I really like Shindaiwa's small engines, so I was already predisposed to like this tool before I picked it up. Now that I have around 150 hours using them, I have more reasons to like it. It is well balanced for any procedure you should be doing (if it feels off balance you should have changed your method some time ago for safety's sake.) I have used a couple other brands, and they don't feel as good in my hands. I would change two things, and they both relate to the throttle trigger unit. It can rotate around to the wrong position, which is annoying, but the wires going back to the engine are to exposed, which occasionally results in a wire getting yanked loose. This is the pole shear I would buy if I were buying today. Well designed and reliable.

Russ

Marietta, GA