Is the weight of the chainsaw critical?

Weight is a key criterion when choosing a chainsaw.

For professionals who work with their chainsaw many hours a day, every ounce counts.

Despite this, until now it was difficult for users to determine the actual weight of a chainsaw.

The benchmark index in use until now, the weight-to-power ratio, was calculated on the basis of the weight of the engine alone–without the tiller–in relation to its power.

Customers kept asking us for the weight of the guides and bar, so they could calculate the total weight of their chainsaw themselves.

Now, because STIHL knows the importance of weight to end users, it weighs the complete chainsaw right out of the box.

Stihl in fact proposes: the weight of the system, our index for the overall weight of the chainsaw.

What the power-to-weight ratio doesn’t say

To date, chainsaw manufacturers mainly provide the power-to-weight ratio to give users guidance on choosing the right chainsaw for them.

This theoretical index results from the ratio of the weight of the engine unit (i.e., the weight of the device net of gasoline, excl. the bar) to the engine power expressed in kW: weight/power = weight in kg / power in kW. In this sense, the lower the value the better the power-to-weight ratio.

The power-to-weight ratio does not take into account the weight of the bar and chain. The total weight of the whole chainsaw is not specified. So the user does not know how much weight he will eventually have to lift in his daily work.

The complexity of weight: the total weight

With the new total weight index, Stihl has introduced a practical criterion, which enables a much better assessment of the amount of weight you will be dealing with while working.

To determine the total weight, the engine assembly and the bar are weighed together, so that the weight of the entire chainsaw net of gasoline is recorded.

Calculation of total weight

The following table gives an overview of the total weight of STIHL petrol chainsaws for forestry:

Overview of the overall weight of STIHL petrol chainsaws

By the way: Although STIHL already produces the lightest engine bodies in the professional sector, it is constantly working to further improve its products. For example, by optimizing the spool cover, cylinder and harpoon, the MS 261 CM and MS 362 CM have become significantly lighter.

For those who want to reduce overall weight without buying a new power unit, they can also turn to our
STIHL lightweight bars
. For MS 441, 461 and 661, the light bar is included in the standard package upon delivery.

*Source Stihl