These 5 Makita Products Will Save Your Back

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Contractors, landscapers, maintenance crews, and even homeowners who act as one-man lawn crews all know the same universal truth: back strain is no joke. And it doesn't happen out of the blue, either: it's often the agonizing result of many years of heavy lifting, dragging, and carrying around tools that weren't exactly designed with comfort in mind. Thankfully, Makita has some cordless equipment that was.

Whether it be in the form of a backpack or a cart, Makita has a line of products that aims to solve this back strain issue. By moving most of the weight onto a balanced harness or a set of wheels, these products effectively save your back from the strain usually associated with tool use. If that sounds appealing, you'll want to check out these five Makita products. They're designed to let the product do the brunt of the work, ensuring that your spine has less to worry about.

Shop vacs are great and all, but they're not always the most portable. For one, they're usually wired to the nearest outlet. On top of that, they're pretty big and bulky, too. Both mean that they're not always the best choice for jobsites, and that's why it's nice to know Makita has a 40V Max XGT Backpack Dry Dust Extractor. It saves you from having to lug a big vacuum around by moving all the suction power directly onto your back. It only weighs 9 pounds and is fitted with padded shoulder straps and a supportive waist belt to distribute weight evenly.

The brushless motor generates 67 cubic feet of airflow per minute and 72 inches of water lift, which Makita claims is up to to 80% more suction than competitors. Its two-stage HEPA filtration system also captures 99.97% of particulates down to 0.3 microns, so fine dust from sanding, cutting, and drilling will be out of your way in no time. You get three power modes to choose from, allowing you to prioritize suction power or runtime depending on the task. 

Makita claims you have up to an hour of runtime when set on medium and using a 5.0Ah XGT battery, one of the four types of batteries Makita sells in America. If you'd rather have a more traditional vacuum but still want the benefits of a backpack, Makita also has a 40V Max XGT 6-Quart HEPA Backpack Vacuum available.

Even if you've never used one yourself, you can probably imagine that hand-pump sprayers can be a real pain. The repetitive pumping motion is hard on a user's shoulders and wrists, and trying to hold it in one hand while spraying with the other can be a tough balance. Allow us to introduce you to Makita's 18V LXT Backpack Sprayer. It replaces all that manual effort with a motorized system that gives you both consistency and comfort.

Makita's backpack sprayer has an adjustable harness that spreads the weight across your shoulders and back. Meanwhile, the see-through tank lets you do quick liquid level checks without bending over or lifting it to eye level. It takes Makita's 18V LXT batteries and, with a 4.0Ah unit, can spray up to 165 gallons of solution on a single charge and run for as long as 6 hours. The motor delivers up to 73 psi, with no pumping required. The sprayer's telescoping wand also means you won't have to worry about bending, stooping, or stretching to reach whatever it is you need to spray.

If you've ever used a gas-powered mist blower, you know that they're notorious for vibrating heavily, making a racket, and requiring a lot of maintenance, all of which leads to serious operator fatigue. Makita's 40V Max XGT Backpack Mist Blower replaces all that agony with a lightweight brushless motor that delivers power from a 63cc unit. It's designed for commercial spraying applications, and it offers you exactly the sort of reach, control, and ease of use you need — all without the physical burden of traditional handheld equipment.

The mist blower can spray up to 46 feet and operates across three speed ranges, producing airflow between 261 and 505 CFM. With two 40V XGT 8.0Ah batteries installed, it runs for up to 80 minutes and automatically switches between batteries to extend runtime. A tube-mounted variable-speed trigger and cruise control lever allow operators to lock in a comfortable pace rather than constantly adjusting output. The adjustable harness and waist belt stabilize the unit, while a rubberized soft grip reduces hand fatigue. Without fuel mixing, pull starts, or exhaust heat, operators experience less vibration and less cumulative stress. Over a full day of spraying, those reductions should translate directly into less back and shoulder fatigue, especially for crews covering large properties.

There are few tools that strain the back as badly as a gas blower. Luckily for cleanup crews and lawn maintenance pros, there's Makita's ConnectX Backpack Blower. It alleviates that strain by separating the power supply from the tool and redistributing the weight more efficiently. It's powered by Makita's ConnectX power system, helping the blower deliver the force of a 64cc gas model but without the emissions, excessive noise, constant refueling, or the sheer weight of a traditional gas-powered unit.

With a brushless motor generating up to 696 CFM of airflow and a blowing force of 25 newtons, this blower should give you more than enough power to move heavy debris where it needs to go. Plus, the variable-speed trigger and cruise control let you maintain a consistent output without having to hold on tightly for extended periods of time. Makita wisely gives you a downward-angled nozzle to cut down on arm lift, plus a telescoping tube that adjusts to different user heights to ensure good posture when working.

Not everything that saves your back has to also fit on your back, of course. Makita also has a smarter, less exhausting take on the wheelbarrow, and it's probably one of the many Makita tools you never knew existed. The product in question is the 36V LXT Material Handling Dump Bucket, which aims to reduce the effort needed to lift and move those awkward one-wheeled carts around the job site or the backyard. Wheelbarrows can lead to chronic overexertion on the job site, but you don't have to worry about that anymore with this guy.

This electric, motorized wheelbarrow can carry more than 660 pounds and has a 200-liter bucket capacity, all thanks to the help of four 18V LXT batteries. It can run for up to 100 minutes under load with four 6.0Ah batteries, covering the equivalent of 4.5 miles. You get three forward speeds, a reverse gear, and warning beeps to alert you to overload conditions or low battery levels. It also has rubberized grips to reduce vibration and integrated braking systems to prevent any unintended rolling on slopes. Finally, the Makita dump bucket features adjustable handles to accommodate different user heights.