An old fire truck buried in weeds on one side, and a shiny new STIHL SGA 60 backpack sprayer on the other. That is the picture at the start of this test, and it sets the tone perfectly. This review is all about turning a rough, overgrown corner of a property into something manageable, and finding out which sprayer makes that job easiest.

In this head-to-head test, three backpack sprayers go to work on a big patch of weeds:

• STIHL SGA 60 battery-powered sprayer (bundle at $309, 65 PSI)
• Field King battery-powered backpack sprayer
• STIHL SG 20 manual pump backpack sprayer

All three are loaded with the same herbicide, Agrail, which Main Street Mower sells on its website. Each sprayer gets 3 gallons in the tank, then goes to work on the weeds while the team tests weight, comfort, spray quality, and real-world usability.

If you do not have a STIHL dealer in your town, the good news is that Main Street Mower ships sprayers to all 48 contiguous states, and every purchase from their online store helps support more helpful videos and reviews.

Key specs for the STIHL SGA 60:

• 65 PSI operating pressure
• 4-gallon tank capacity
• Five included nozzles
• Padded harness with hip belt and chest strap
• Rated for about 270 minutes of spray time per charge

STIHL SGA 60 (battery-powered)The star of the show. This model is STIHL’s latest battery-powered backpack sprayer with a 4-gallon tank. It comes as a bundle around $309, includes multiple nozzles, and is rated at 65 PSI with a long battery life of about 270 minutes. The first impression is that the fit and finish look solid and the harness is very comfortable.

Field King battery-powered sprayer A popular battery backpack sprayer in the same general category. It has a similar layout and concept to the SGA 60, with an on-demand pump that starts when you pull the trigger and stops when you release it. It does give the team a little trouble at first because it refuses to prime, which becomes a useful troubleshooting lesson.

STIHL SG 20 manual backpack sprayer This is STIHL’s classic manual pump sprayer. It uses a hand pump to pressurize the tank and is known as a durable, proven tool that can live in a truck bed and keep working. It is also the least comfortable of the three, but it wins in simplicity and reliability since there is no battery to charge.

All three sprayers are filled with Agrail herbicide, mixed to kill weeds and grass in and around the fire truck and the surrounding overgrown area. Each sprayer gets 3 gallons of solution.

Water weighs about 8.3 pounds per gallon, so 3 gallons adds around 25 pounds on your back, before you even count the weight of the sprayer itself. That is why harness design and strap comfort matter so much during a long spraying session.

Before any spraying begins, there are a few simple but smart habits that can save a lot of frustration.

Any time you fill a backpack sprayer from a garden hose, it helps to run the hose for a few seconds first. The reason is simple but a little gross.

Small critters like frogs and lizards sometimes crawl into the end of a hose to find water. If you fill your sprayer without flushing the line, that little critter can get blasted into the tank, clog filters, and even block the pump. Then your brand-new sprayer suddenly stops spraying.

A short hose flush before filling each tank is an easy way to avoid that problem.

One surprise with modern battery sprayers is just how long they run on a charge. The STIHL SGA 60 is rated for about 270 minutes of operation. That is 4 and a half hours of spray time, which is more than enough for most residential or even many commercial jobs in a day.

During the test, both battery units feel like they could easily finish the entire weedy area without needing a battery change.

The STIHL SGA 60 ships with five different nozzles, and the variety is one of its biggest strengths. You can tune the sprayer for everything from broad turf coverage to tight spot spraying.

Inside the kit you will find:

• A dual (double) nozzle
• A quad nozzle that looks like a flower
• A single-hole nozzle
• An adjustable cone nozzle
• A flat fan nozzle

Each nozzle setup includes a small basket strainer to catch larger debris before it reaches the wand, which helps protect the pump and keep the spray pattern clean.

Here is how each nozzle performed during testing.

The team tests the nozzles against tall weeds and turf to see how each pattern behaves. Constant pressure from the battery system makes everything feel more powerful compared to a manual unit.

A few field notes from the test:

• The dual nozzle creates a fine mist and good atomization, but for herbicide work it may not be most people’s everyday choice.
• The quad nozzle throws out a lot of fine mist very quickly. If you want to kill off a whole lawn before resodding, this head covers ground fast.
• The single-hole nozzle surprises the team a bit. At these pressure levels, it can provide more practical coverage than the quad, while still laying down a nice, even pattern.
• The adjustable cone nozzle feels most familiar to anyone used to a traditional backpack sprayer. You twist the tip to go from a tight stream to a wide cone, which is handy for both distance and spot work.
• The flat fan nozzle becomes a favorite for spraying near plants that need to be saved. You simply turn the fan so it sprays away from desirable plants and toward the weeds.

The constant pressure of the SGA 60 makes these nozzles feel "luxurious" compared to a manual pump. There is no pressure sag, so you get a consistent pattern from start to finish.

The Field King battery sprayer does not cooperate right away. The pump runs, but nothing comes out of the wand. The problem is a lack of prime in the pump.

This turns into a practical demo of how to fix a Field King that will not spray.

At one point they assume the tank lid seal might be important to pressure, like on older pump sprayers that needed a tight lid to hold tank pressure.

With both battery sprayers, they find out that is not true. You can:

• Spray with the lid on or off
• Get the same pressure either way

All the pressure control happens in the internal pump system, not from pressurizing the air above the liquid in the tank.

Backpack sprayers are heavy, especially once filled. Comfort is not a luxury feature here, it affects how long you can actually work.

When the STIHL SGA 60 goes on, the reaction is immediate. It is described as “the most comfortable sprayer harness I’ve experienced to date.”

Key comfort features:

• Wide, padded shoulder straps that do not cut into your shoulders
• A hip belt that helps transfer some weight off your shoulders
• A chest strap that pulls the harness together and keeps it stable
• A back plate that feels more cushioned than hard plastic

Compared to the SG 20, which can dig into your shoulders when fully loaded, the SGA 60 harness alone could sell units to anyone who sprays for long stretches.

One of the testers jokes that wearing a full sprayer feels like being back in middle school, lugging a backpack full of heavy textbooks and refusing to use the locker. That is about the weight level, but the SGA 60 makes it manageable.

With the battery models, one thing stands out right away: you never stop to pump.

A few practical benefits show up during the test:

• You get constant pressure, so your spray pattern and output stay consistent.
• Your arm does not wear out from constant pumping, which matters on large jobs.
• You can focus on aim and coverage, instead of dividing attention between pumping and spraying.

The testers also point out something interesting. Because it is so easy to spray and the pressure is always strong, you might be tempted to over-apply if you are not careful. It feels powerful and smooth, so you have to stay disciplined about speed and coverage.

They use the SGA 60 to:

• Knock down big patches of weeds
• Work around plants by rotating the flat fan nozzle
• Imagine how nice it would be to apply pre-emergent or liquid fertilizer across a full yard with that even output

When the wind kicks up, the fine mist still seems to atomize well, but they do stay aware of drift and potential damage to nearby turf.

Switching back to the SG 20 after using battery sprayers is a bit of a reality check.

Here is what stands out:

• You pump the handle 10 times or so to build tank pressure, then start spraying.
• The pressure starts strong, then gradually falls off as you keep spraying. You can feel the output change under your finger.
• To keep a consistent pattern, you have to pump constantly with one hand while spraying with the other.

This feels a bit like that old coordination drill where you rub your belly and pat your head at the same time. You are doing two different motions and trying to keep them both steady. On a big property, that arm pumping will get old fast.

On comfort, the SG 20:

• Has narrower, less padded straps
• Lets the plastic tank and frame rest more directly against your back
• Can dig into your shoulders once the tank is full

The cone nozzle on the SG 20 is still a highlight. It gives a nice adjustable pattern that is great for spot spraying or working into thick patches of weeds. For many users, the SG 20 will always have a place for targeted work.

One clear advantage of the manual sprayer is peace of mind. There is no battery to charge or forget. If the pump works and the seals are in good shape, it will spray.

As dealers, the team at Main Street Mower tries to think like a full-time landscaper who sprays for hours at a time.

A key “light bulb moment” happens when they realize just how freeing one-handed operation really is on a battery sprayer:

• You can wear the SGA 60 and still operate a stand-on mower with your other hand.
• You could create a mount for the sprayer on a grandstand or zero-turn, and run the wand while driving.
• You can set it in a golf cart or utility cart and walk or ride along fence lines, spraying as you go.

You cannot do this with a manual SG 20 because it is a two-handed system; one hand pumps and the other sprays. The battery units change that dynamic; now one hand is free to steer or hold a rail.

This is where the SGA 60 and Field King really start to make sense for larger properties and commercial work.

If you want to check out the sprayers discussed, you can find the STIHL SGA 60 battery-powered sprayer bundle and the STIHL SG 20 manual backpack sprayer on Main Street Mower’s website.

After a full round of spraying and swapping units, the team shares some clear impressions. All three sprayers have a place, but they shine in different roles.

Quick Comparison Table

Here is how the team at Main Street Mower sums it up:

• All three sprayers are good options. They carry each model for a reason and believe that buyers will be happy with any of them, as long as they match it to their needs.
• The STIHL SGA 60 is the most comfortable by a wide margin. The harness, back support, and straps make a noticeable difference when you are carrying 3 to 4 gallons of liquid.
• Battery sprayers like the SGA 60 and Field King provide better coverage because pressure stays constant. This matters a lot when you are spraying turf, pre-emergent, or pesticides and need an even application.
• The SG 20 shines as a tough, simple, lower-cost workhorse. It is ideal if you want a durable spot sprayer that can ride in a truck bed, handle rough use, and never worry about charging a battery.

In short, you are paying for comfort, speed, and consistency when you step up to a battery-powered backpack sprayer like the SGA 60. For someone spraying large areas or working day after day, that upgrade can save time and strain.

If you spray often, carry a full tank across big properties, or want even coverage for turf, the STIHL SGA 60 stands out as a smart upgrade. The harness comfort, long battery runtime, and constant pressure make real work feel easier and more controlled.

If your spraying is lighter, more focused on spot treatment, or you strongly prefer simple tools with no batteries, the STIHL SG 20 still has a strong role. For many crews, a mix of both battery and manual sprayers is ideal.

To see the results for yourself, watch the full video above and browse the sprayer lineup on the Main Street Mower online store. Every purchase from their site supports a real mower shop that is out in the field testing the tools they sell.

Thanks for reading, and think about your own spraying habits before you decide which backpack sprayer belongs on your back this season.

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