Model 100 Triple Function Backpack Sprayer

I was looking for a sprayer that would handle "Surround WP" a non-toxic micro-particle kaolin clay used to discourage the Plum Curculio from deposing eggs in fruit on fruit trees. This clay is mixed in water to form a slurry that is sprayed on the fruit. The insects can't stand the feel of it, it annoys them so they avoid the areas that are sprayed. Organic gardeners use this to control insects without poisons. I googled this and could find very little information on sprayers that would not clog with wettable powders. My cousin told me about the SP Systems SPO sprayer and said that might work. So I took a gamble and bought this sprayer.Another concerned was whether pumping up the pressure would be difficult. Some sprayers I tried in the past were a real challenge to your arm strength and a royal pain.I am happy to report that this sprayer is fantastic and it works flawlessly with "Surround WP". Also, the pump travel is only about 6" and it is so easy to pump, requiring hardly any effort. You do not need to remove this backpack sprayer from your back to pump it. The pump handle sticks out near your left elbow and pumps with an easy downward motion. It pumps up surprisingly fast - a quick 20 pumps and it is ready to go. Not only that, but each pumping action stirs the mixture so the powder does not settle. The directions say to give it a pump every 5 seconds to stir the mixture. I thought that would be a hassle, but it is so easy, and a non-issue.One thing, for those of us that don't read directions, the directions say to put a light coat of oil on the cover gasket to prevent air leaks. I used a Q-Tip to apply some mineral oil. That worked well - no leaks. This needs to be done each time you use it.It comes with four different sprayer nozzles. I like the adjustable brass nozzle for "Surround WP". You can adjust the spray from wide to narrow and the distance it travels from a few inches to about 20 feet. The greater the distance, the narrower the spray.Being a backpack sprayer, it is so easy to climb my orchard ladder with my hands free. No canister to lug around and juggle.It is a 4-gallon sprayer. My concern was if I only wanted to spray one-quart would it work. The answer is yes. You could put in just one cup and it will work until that one cup is gone. It turned out I needed about 3 quarts to spray 24 young fruit trees and a large fruit tree.Cleaning is easy. Put some fresh water in a couple of times and sprayed it out. I found cleaning went much faster if I removed the nozzle.I never imagined spraying could be so easy. I was pleasantly surprised and I highly recommend this sprayer for use with "Surround WP".

I used it very lightly and started leaking after few times. I contacted the manufacturer and they refused to send me the defective part.I would not recommend to this pump and it is over priced since the OEM does not stand behind the products. I am very disappointed

hard to find parts

I have had to retract some of my criticisms. Please read the attached comments.-------------------------------------------------------------Maybe there's something I'm missing, that the other reviewers "get", but I don't, but I have not been as pleased with this sprayer as they have been.Up front, let me say that as far as spraying things goes, it works well. You can get good pressure and, thus, better dispersal/height than with a smaller portable sprayer. You'll still need a ladder, though, for those mature fruit trees that are semi-dwarf and larger.What's troubling though are the "ease of use" design issues. First, when the sprayer is sitting on the ground/bench, pumping it causes the pump mechanism to impact the surface it sits on, thus impeding the ability to pump it. Second, the instructions note that you should pump "continuously" while in use. I'm not sure what that means but I can tell you that pumping it, at all, while it's on your back is an exercise in contortionism. The handle sits up high, well behind your left shoulder. Essentially, it can not be functioned with your left hand. You can drop the nozzle and, with your right hand, reach over your left shoulder and pump the unit with several very short-travel strokes, causing unpleasant strain in the latissimus dorsi on your right side.Finally, and most annoyingly, there are NO liquid level marks on the tank (at least as far as I can find). If you want 2 gallons in the tank, you need to measure into another container first, not from the hose directly into the sprayer.In conclusion, this sprayer has problems that make me wish I had not spent the money.

I bought this 6 years ago. I am a small vineyard (50 VINES) beside my suburban house, and this unit continues to perform well. The agitator is needed fro some of the more "thick" fungicides. My only frustration is the number of pumps it can take before it begins to build pressure.. sometimes as many as 50. Once the valve catches, its a treat. Rarely clogs and easy to clean. It is tricky to put it on with a full load, so I typically only fill it 2/3's, so as not to damage my back!Worth the extra few dollars

I was familiar with the name but not the product and was hesitant with the high price. High end Solo product was about $60 cheaper. The nice thing was that I found the SP0 for about the same price as the SP1 on Amazon so it was an easy choice to get one with the jet agitation for wettable powders.The assembly instruction were really not that helpful so it took a minute to lay everything out to make sure I was doing the little bit of assembly correctly. All parts are high quality. The brass tip works great. I am able to adjust the spray pattern without chemicals leaking all over my hands. The pump handle is easy to use and easy to tell by resistance when I am reaching maximum pump pressure. It's also easy to reach behind and pull the cotter pen out if you forget and leave the handle in the storage position after strapping the tank on. I didn't find a chest strap necessary but it would make a nice added feature. Spray patterns are repeatable and consistent.To my knowledge, the tank does not come with any markings to gauge the amount of liquid inside. I simply took a one gallon jug and filled it one gallon at a time and used a permanent marker to make a hash mark showing the level on the side of the tank. I would purchase this product again and would recommend it to others who do a decent amount of spraying.