Hooyman Pole Saw Review 16 Foot Pole Saw with 12 Inch Saw
Russ Chastain 07.26.18
Whether you’re setting up a tree stand, maintaining roads and trails, or just cleaning up around camp, there are times when a long pole saw is mighty handy. So when I got the chance to test and review this Hooyman pole saw, I was happy to do so.
This saw has a telescoping pole handle which they claim extends from 4 feet to 16 feet. Actual measurements of the pole are 46″ at the shortest, and not quite 15′-2″ at the longest. So that’s a bit of disappointment — until you attach the saw and learn that the blade begins at about 16′-3″… so you do get a good 16 feet of length between blade and the other end.
I like how the pole works; it telescopes smoothly and positively locks open and closed. The latches did come unlocked a few times during use, but not to the extent that I had to stop work and reset the pole locks during a cut.
You get a total of 5 pole sections, with 4 locks.
The saw weighs 10.7 ounces, roughly 0.66 pound. The pole without the saw weighs in at about 5.1 pounds with the included shoulder strap. Closed length without the saw attached to the end of the pole is 46 inches. MSRP is $114.99.
The folding saw is pretty nice. The blade cuts well, and it locks in three positions: Closed, partially open, and fully open. The blade is a little ‘flop-doodly’ (to use one of Dad’s terms), but is considerably better than the blade on a cheap Harbor Freight type pole saw. The saw can easily be used without the pole for trimming things that are easy to reach.
What’s not so great is trying to saw a limb on a skinny limber tree that just wants to move around… that can get pretty frustrating. For that, you will want a pole-mounted lopper like the one I reviewed here.
The base of the saw features an extension and a spring-loaded lock for attaching it to the pole… and this is where I had my main problem with the Hooyman pole saw. After trimming several trees with great success, the base of the saw broke off just above where it attaches to the pole. Ack!
Needless to say, I was disgusted. But Hooyman sent me another pole saw, saying they’d discovered a flaw in a certain batch of them.
Sadly, the new one was broken when it arrived. There are plastic studs on the side of the pole, and raised “pockets” on the saw. Snap the saw onto the studs for storage/transport, and you have a shorter overall length. But one of the studs had broken off of the pole and was stuck in the saw.
In between these minor tragedies, I did manage to get some work done with this Hooyman saw, but suffice it to say that Hooyman ain’t what it used to be, quality-wise. So if you get this saw, take it easy and don’t be too aggressive with it.
I used this saw to trim a tough scrub oak tree growing too close to some utilities, and while this isn’t the fastest saw in the west, it sure beats a flimsy el cheapo pole saw. I’m impressed with the reach of this setup, considering that it measures less than 4 feet when collapsed.
The pole itself is the best part of the setup, although one of the saw studs did break off during shipping.
Do I wish it was just a little better? Yes I do. But it’s pretty nice the way it is. Overall, if I had to rate this product, I’d give it 3.5 stars out of 5. Not the most solid, but it will get the job done.
As a hunter’s tree-trimming tool, it does pretty well and is easier to carry through the woods than a full-length pole saw. Check out this link if you’d like to pick up one of your own.
