The Tree Spade That Doesn’t Exist (Except It Does)

There’s a gap in the tree spade market that nobody talks about.

On one end, you have massive commercial tree spades mounted on trucks or excavators. They cost $20,000 to $40,000. They weigh tons. They’re 30 feet long, 8 feet wide, and tear up lawns just getting to the job site.

On the other end, you have manual tree spades – the kind you dig with by hand. They’re cheap. They’re also back-breaking work that most of us will never actually get around to doing.

But what about everything in between?

What if you’re a homeowner who wants to move mature trees around your property? Do you manage a golf course where heavy equipment damage would cost you the entire season? What if you run a small operation and need professional results without commercial equipment prices?

For years, the answer has been: hire someone and pay $500 to $1,500 per tree. Or don’t do it at all.

The Equipment You Already Own Changes Everything

Here’s what the industry doesn’t want you to know: you probably already have equipment capable of moving mature trees.

That compact tractor you use for property maintenance? It can handle a tree spade.

That skid steer sitting in your barn? Tree-moving capable.

Even utility vehicles like Toolcats can do serious tree work – if you have the right attachment.

The problem isn’t your equipment. The problem is that most tree spades are designed by people who assume everyone has commercial machinery. A typical 26″ tree spade weighs around 1,000 pounds – too heavy for compact equipment with 900 lb lift capacities.

Our 26″ Kompact tree spade weighs 600 pounds.

That 400-pound difference isn’t just a spec sheet number. It’s the difference between “I can’t do this” and “I’m doing this next weekend.”

The Middle Ground Finally Exists

You can’t get a truck-mounted tree spade into your backyard. You’re not going to spend all day digging by hand. And you shouldn’t have to wait weeks and pay thousands for someone else to do work you’re perfectly capable of doing yourself.

The Kompact tree spade fills the gap that’s always existed – professional tree-moving capability for the equipment you already own.

Spring planting season is almost here. The trees you’ve been thinking about moving for years? Now’s the time.

Ready to see what your equipment can really do? Contact us at 519-871-7958 or visit swantechindustries.ca to find out which setup works for your machine.