2021 Scag Windstorm VS 2021 Billy Goat Hurricane Z3 Review – Gilford Hardware & Outdoor Power Equipment (2024)

The Scag Windstorm and The Billy Goat Hurricane Z3 are Unique Blowers. Currently the only two stand-on, zero-turn blowers on the market. They are somewhat new to the landscaping world and one of the biggest questions we get about them is the comparison. Of course everyone wants to know which stand-on debris blower is better. I'll compare them side-by-side and let you decide. Here is how we will compare the two:

- Specifications

- Engineering / Manufacturing

- Features

- Serviceability

• Specifications •

The easiest way most people compare the Scag Windstorm against the Billy Goat Hurricane Z3 is the bottom line. The Price is one of the biggest factors. But lets put that aside for the moment and we'll focus on the cold, hard specs. This is a great way to compare them in a 'technical' way.

The Scag Windstorm has more Horsepower, which is very important because you need as much power as possible to be able to drive the blower, while using it. Even though the Scag Windstorm weighs about 50 lb. more than the Billy Goat Hurricane Z3. BUT the Scag Windstorm has a faster travel speed, (10.5 MPH vs 9 MPH) Which means you can get more done, faster.

Comparing the two status, they are pretty alike, but I'd give the specification battle to the Scag Windstorm due to it's larger engine, higher speeds, and larger engine. In this case, bigger is better!

•Engineering / Manufacturing •

Metalcraft of Mayville was the first manufacturer of Scag mowers, which were introduced in 1986. To date, they have produced approximately 50 models. They are one of the world's largest producers of commercial power equipment. They are well-known for their innovation and attention to detail. All of their equipment is intuitive to use.

Metalcraft of Mayville is a large private corporation which has contracts with the US government. They take extra care in building and manufacturing quality products.

Billy Goat is manufactured byBriggs & Stratton, LLC. Briggs & Stratton is the world’s largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment. They are mostly known for their small engines, but they do have many outdoor power equipment brands as well. The only thing that worries me is that Briggs & Straton filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020. This could be an issue when talking about serviceability, and warranty. Another thing to note is that the Scag Windstorm has aBriggs & Stratton Vanguard Engine, so keep that in mind.

• Features •

The main feature which differentiates the two ride-on blowers is the blower chute. The Billy Goat Hurricane Z3 has three separatechutes, which they call the tri-directional blowing option. It has chute on the and one on the right and left. It uses metal flaps which close the chutes which aren't being used.

On the other hand, The 2021 Scag Windstorm has the NDS, which stands for the nozzle directional system. The user can control the chute by using a switch. The Nozzle can spin 180°, giving the user better control of where they want to exactly push debris. The Scag Windstorm also has a manual lever which can control the tilt of the blower chute up to 16 degrees. This allows for the user to have even more control of the direction of the chute, and it will helpaid and loosen and blast tough debris, or avoid debris blowback.

This feature is the most important. Why? When you are going to pay $10,000+ for a piece of power equipment, you want it to be able to do it's job, and you want maximum control over it. The Scag Windstorm gives you much more control over the chute. The hurricane only has 3 directions for chutes. When you combine the Scag windstorms NDS feature and the manual tilt lever it gives you almost infinite options for chute direction. This saves time, and makes your job much easier.

See The Scag Windstorm In Action...

See The Billy Goat Hurricane Z3 In Action....