Good morning everyone. I'll chime in with some of my experiences, as I make my living with chainsaws, pole saws, climbing gear, chippers (big), and other exciting, noisy stuff.
Our "go to" pole saw is the Jameson yellow, fiberglass 6-foot pole with 8-foot extension. The blade we like best is sold by Sherrill Tree under their brand. I get the 8-foot piece from Bailey's Inc. We prefer to use these saws before we grab a chainsaw.
Next in line is the Silky Hayauchi, 21-foot 4 piece model, with their aggressive large teeth. And if the cuts are large-diameter, we'll pull out the Silky Hayate 20-footer. The Hayauchi weighs 7 pounds and is slightly flexible; the Hayate weighs 8, is stiffer, and you can notice the difference. The weight makes it more cumbersome to swing around and makes it cut faster.
I've climbed with all of these saws, as well as with Hayauchi 16-footer. The Jameson is very handy when you're up high in a tree; none of the others are as comfortable to use while climbing.
I'm not familiar with the ARS saw that RAH uses. Silky makes the Zubat which uses the same blade in a handsaw and polesaw. I haven't used this either. Our handsaws are Silky Sugoi 16".
And, in a pinch, I've put a third 6-foot piece in the Jamesons to reach 20 feet (6+6+8). This is a bit wobbly but works for the rare cut when you need it.
We are of the opinion, and you know how opinions go, that the Jameson is preferable to a chainsaw on a stick. A sharp Sherrill Tree blade on a Jameson will slice through limbs very quickly and the saw will grab a hung up limb and pull it free easily. This last move is not so easy with a stick saw.
Hope you all are not asleep by now. PM me if you like for many more wood cutting ideas such as chainsaws up high in the canopies!
Roger
