I know home Depot is a right wing cess pool, however i worked there back in 2007/2008 and I have a LOT of Ridgid tools, and quite a few batteries. Only reason i would shop there these days.

I mostly will be using it to clear fallen debris (almost exclusively cottonwood) from the trail i hike daily with my dog. Usually nothing major, i have been using my Ridgid sawsall but even with my longest blade i have a hard time with some stuff.

I have never used a chainsaw, will i be able to get through stuff with a 12" blade that I cannot with my 12" sawsall blade?

I found manual unpowered bow- or chain-saws (simple chain and handles, no motor etc) much better for just this purpose. They are easy to carry around and are faster to start and stop using - exactly what I need when something fell unexpectedly, not a clear-cut type of jobs.

Smaller chainsaws can be more dangerous than bigger ones, watch out for kickbacks and learn how to use a chainsaw properly so you don't mangle yourself up. Do not get fooled by the lack of noise from an electric chainsaw, they can still fuck you up

Having said that, yes, you'll be able to handle them more easily. I don't know enough about that brand to comment on it, but as you said, you already have a bunch of batteries available for it. Watch your footing and have an understanding of possible tension and compression forces on those limbs

But do you really need it? Are debris a common occurrence on your hike? I won't deny chainsaws can be useful to have around, but you mentioned it would only be used on the trail and you already have a sawsaw

Btw, which blade are you using on your sawsaw? You might want to get a pruning blade if you are using a standard carpentry blade, as they can be way faster too

I am using a Milwaukee 12" wood blade, cannot find the specific blade. I did not realize there were pruning blades. I will look into one of them.

In the last 3-4 months there have been 5 limbs large enough I could not drag off the trail.

"Ridgid" is a brand!?

Oof ouch owie my orthography

This fell last night, but it was not in the trail.

It is. They started as, I believe, a pipe cutting, and threading brand. Then when Stanley (another well known high quality brand) was sold off to a Chinese company for the name, ridgid bought their power tool line, and husky (Home Depot's store brand) bought their hand tool line. Both are very high quality brands, sadly they are both only available through Home Depot.

This is not something I plan to carry with me while hiking. There are a handful of parking areas close enough to the trail that I can drive to the closest.

But carrying a hand chain saw like that is not a bad idea. I do have a 9" or so hand pruning blade I carry that works on pruning and keeping the trail clear.

Chances are that that is a blade designed for kiln dried timber. Cutting green wood or dead wood would require different blades.

yeap, they make specific pruning blades

RIGID.

Everything they sell is made in Asia.

RIGID

RIDGID

Sold as AEG power tools in Europe (and maybe elsewhere), manufactured by TTI who also makes Ryobi and Milwaukee.

If you're using a chainsaw make sure you're wearing chainsaw chaps, a face shield, gloves etc. The chaps especially can save your legs and your life when the saw kicks back (and it will at some point) - especially if you're out in the sticks and alone.