Sit vs Stand Skid Steer Pros & Cons

The Commercial Mower market has seen a revolution of Stand-on mowers to the point that Stand-ons are now more popular than sit down units with commercial crews. That's not saying sit downs are going away, but that the advantages of Stand-ons have been noticed and are providing substantial gains in convenience and efficiency.

With larger and larger capacity Stand-On Skid Steers coming to market, that now take full size skid attachments, it's worth weighing the advantages they offer.

Key differences: Stand-on vs Sit Down

Operator Entry & Exit

Those who regularly operate both sit down and stand on units notice how much time they waste getting in an out of the sit down units. Obviously if you are going to be in the machine for hours, this is of little concern and a climate controlled cab his its charm.

For many, daily operation is filled with short tasks, or operations that require getting on and off the machine to unload, or attach fasteners. This may not be a big deal when you have a helper that can unhook the chains or whatever needs doing outside the cab. In some cases, a stand on loader might make a job that normally requires two men to be more practically done with just one.

Visibility

360° visibility is something operators quickly appreciate and miss when they don't have it. No more wondering where that back end is and what it's about to hit. In addition, the operator's eyes are simply higher off the ground which allows for more to be seen.

Foot Print / Trailer Space

Comparing similar capacity units Stand-On loaders tend to be shorter and lighter, allowing easier transport or more equipment on the trailer.

Safety & Egress

With a stand on, the operator is standing out in the open without the protection of a cab around them. But the Stand-on offers better visibility and is much quicker get off of. No one plans to submerge a loader in water or flames or to flip it over, but one thing is for sure, there is no cabin to get trapped in on a Stand-on.

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