A Bobcat skid loader is one of the most commonly found tools in a landscapers arsenal.  If you are moving rock or dirt, a bobcat skid loader can save you time and money.   Skid loaders come in two different types of units, wheel machines and track loaders.  Track loaders are great to use when grading because they evenly distribute the weight of the machine so that it does not sink into the ground.  Track loaders can go places that wheel machines can’t.  If you are working on a wet or soft surface, track loaders minimize rutting because of the weight distribution.  Wheel machines are a cheaper alternative, but serve a different purpose than track machines.  Wheel machines are great for snow removal because they allow the operator to get more traction than a track machine.  From our experience, wheel machines are easier to get unstuck from snow banks then track loaders are.

Bobcat skid loader wheel machine

Bobcat’s S 300 wheel loader is a great unit for any landscape contractor.  This unit is capable of lifting over 2,500 lbs, making it the perfect machine to lift pallets of block.  Bobcat skid loaders come with foot controls or hand controls.  If you are used to using a competitors unit, you may have only used foot controls or hand controls.  Having a unit with both capabilities allows the user to hop right on and go.  Bobcat skid loaders also have a comfortable cabin design which makes life easy on the operator.  Bobcat has a cab door that opens like an office door instead of lifting overhead like the John Deere skid loaders.  We have used John Deere skid loaders in the past and have found that they are not as user-friendly as the Bobcat skid units.

Bobcat skid loader track machine

Bobcat’s T 300 track loaders are relatively the same as the S 300 unit except for the difference in wheel or track operation.  As with any unit, the options may vary depending on the unit.  Bobcat skid loaders with the quick attach option are much more productive units then their counter parts.  Before the quick attach option, users had to get out of their unit to change their attachments.  Now changing an attachment is just as easy as flipping a switch.