For many reasons, 1975 was a good year, especially for ECHO. Indeed, the company was doing some serious work. You know, developing the world’s first backpack blower? The PB-9 forever changed the ergonomics of blower technology. It transferred the weight and strain from the operator’s wrist, arm, and elbow, and balanced them on the shoulders, enhancing control and increasing productivity. And today, the folks at ECHO are still hard at work on gear like the PB-265LN Backpack Blower.
Naturally, it was tough for us to resist taking an up-close look at how this tool performs, so we did what any self-respecting OPE enthusiast would do. We got a hold of one and put it to the test.
Find more ECHOs on our Best Leaf Blower Reviews and Best Backpack Leaf Blower Reviews lists!
ECHO PB-265LN Backpack Blower Performance
As always, we took this model for several spins around the OPE proving ground. We’ll start off with the stand-out observations.
Engine and Blowing Performance
The PB-265LN backpack blower comes equipped with ECHO’s i30 starting system, which reduces effort by 30%. This is accurate. Startup was a breeze.
Out of the box, we gave the primer bulb six pumps. Next, we flipped the switch to cold start, gave the starter rope three pulls, and the engine came to life (after which we returned the switch to the run position).
- Model: ECHO 265LN
- Engine: 25.4cc
- 375 CFM, 158 mph
- Weight: 17.87 pounds
- Side throttle
- Cruise Control
- Padded straps and backrest
At the heart of this backpack blower is a commercial-grade 25.4cc engine capable of up to 375 CFM, 158 mph. Now, that may not sound like much, but the full judgment is more about first-hand experience than numbers on paper.
In this vein, we thought it performed nobly, and that while putting it to the test under challenging conditions. This included one day with 15-mph sustained winds and gusts of up to 31 mph.
Although this backpack blower isn’t a powerhouse, the PB-265LN easily dislodged debris on grass (freshly mowed) and pavement. Moreover, its airflow provided surprisingly good coverage in spite of its low CFM rating. The latter was largely a function of ergonomics, which we’ll get to shortly.
If you want to go bigger, you should check out ECHO’s PB-770 blowers.
Additionally, this model ran smoothly and, rated at 65 decibels per ANSI B175.2-2012, was quiet for a gas blower. However, we’d still recommend some form of hearing protection.
And finally, we found that the gas consumption was noticeably efficient. After running at full throttle for over twenty minutes, we saw virtually no change in the tank’s fuel level.
Ergonomics, Design, and Control
Foremost, the PB-265LN is very light for a backpack blower. Of course, this isn’t the biggest, heaviest-duty unit, but it’s still easy on the back and shoulders.
Strap adjustment was simple, and the padded backrest was soft and stayed cool and dry on hot days.
This tool also gets high marks for control.
Clearly, the design team took into account how people articulate their limbs because coordinating our left and right hands to operate the blower was effortless.
The throttle bar was straightforward, as was the cruise control switch. Meanwhile, performing the sweeping motion with the tube was extremely natural and helped in clearing broad swaths of debris. (That’s a nice bonus given this model’s lower CFM output.)
And when you combine these qualities with the long nozzle, you get reduced muscle and joint fatigue over extended work periods.
ECHO PB-265LN Backpack Blower Final Thoughts
A strict tenet here at OPE is that you should always assess a tool’s quality and performance within the limits of its intended use. Therefore, we’ve based our notes about the PB-265LN on the average consumer’s needs.
In our estimate, this model is ideal for homeowners tackling light to medium cleanup tasks on properties around half an acre (give or take). We’re talking about things like loose mulch, pebbles, twigs, dirt, grass clippings, thin layers of powdery snow, and superficial leaf coverage.
But what ECHO has done particularly well is fuse consumer needs with a commercial-like design. The PB-265LN brings the backpack blower setup to the residential market, along with an enhanced starter, fuel efficiency, and smooth, quiet operation.
These are qualities that you typically see in Pro models, and that scores a few extra points in our book.
That said, we also think there’s room for small but meaningful improvements.
For example, although the cruise control was trouble-free, you can never go wrong with adding a variable speed trigger. Similarly, it wouldn’t hurt to lengthen the side throttle a few inches.
ECHO Blower Verdict and Price
The PB-265LN backpack blower is a quality tool that melds the consumer and commercial worlds in a way that you don’t often see. So, if you’re looking for reliable residential blower performance wrapped in a Pro-level design, this is the model for you.
It retails for $309.43 and comes with 5-year consumer and 2-year commercial warranties.
