A lot of the rental calls we get start with "I think I need a Bobcat for the weekend." That's a fine place to start. But "a Bobcat" covers everything from a 1,500-pound walk-behind to a 12,000-pound compact track loader with a forestry mulcher on the front. The right pick depends entirely on what you're doing, where you're doing it, and how you're getting it there.

This is the short version of how we think about it when somebody calls.

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The size classes that matter in Central Vermont

Three categories cover most of the work people are actually doing on Vermont property.

Mini skid steers and small walk-behinds (under 2,000 lbs). Think Bobcat MT-series. These are the right pick when you're working through a 36-inch gate, on a finished lawn you can't tear up, or in a basement or barn where there's no room for a real machine. They'll grade, dig small trenches, move material, and run light attachments. They won't push gravel, clear stumps, or do real foundation work. A homeowner installing a small patio, moving compost piles, or doing light landscaping is in the right place here.

Mid-size skid steers and compact track loaders (5,000 to 8,000 lbs). This is the sweet spot for most weekend and small contractor work in Central Vermont. Machines like the Bobcat S650, S76, T595, or T650 will grade a driveway, dig footings, push gravel, pull stumps, move pallets, and handle most of the attachments you'd want. They fit on a standard 7,000-pound deckover trailer, which matters if you're towing with a half-ton truck. For most Topsham, Bradford, or Randolph homeowner projects, this is what you should rent.

Large compact track loaders (8,000 to 12,000+ lbs). The big CTLs (Bobcat T76, T770, T870) show up when the job needs serious power. Land clearing with a mulcher, real grading at scale, foundation work where you're moving a lot of material, or running a high-flow attachment like a stump grinder or trencher. These need a heavier trailer (most won't go on a 7K), and they'll mark up a finished lawn pretty fast. Don't rent one for a small job. Don't try to do a big job with anything smaller.

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A few questions that usually settle the choice

When somebody calls and isn't sure, four questions cover most of it.

What are you actually doing, in plain language? "Grading a driveway" tells us a lot. "Some yard work" tells us almost nothing.

How are you getting it home? If you're towing with a half-ton pickup, you're in mid-size territory. If you're towing heavy or having us deliver, the size question opens up.

How tight is the access? A 6-foot gate or a tight backyard immediately rules out the bigger machines. Tracks vs. wheels also matters here.

What's the surface? Tracks on a finished lawn will leave marks. Wheels in deep mud will spin and dig in. If you've got soft ground, lean toward tracks. If you've got finished surfaces you can't damage, lean toward wheels.

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A word on attachments

The machine is half the equation. Attachments are the other half. The most-rented ones in our area are buckets (standard and tooth), pallet forks, augers for fence posts and tree planting, grapples for brush and log work, and stump grinders. Forestry mulchers and high-flow attachments are available but require the bigger machines and operator experience. If your project depends on a specific attachment, mention it when you call so we can match it to a machine that has the flow and power to run it.

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When to call instead of just booking online

If the project is straightforward — a driveway grade, some landscaping, post holes for a fence — go ahead and book. If you're not sure what size you need, you've got a tricky access situation, or the project has more than one phase, give us a call at (802) 789-9168. We've matched a lot of machines to a lot of Central Vermont jobs and we'll tell you straight if you're about to rent too small or too big.

Contractors save 15% on rentals with code CONTRACTOR15. We deliver across Central Vermont and the Upper Valley, from Montpelier to Bradford to the Mad River Valley to the New Hampshire border.

If you want more on what specific weekend jobs look like, our DIY & Save in Central Vermont: Weekend Projects with a Bobcat post walks through some real ones.

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FAQs

What size Bobcat do I need to grade a driveway in Vermont?

‍For most Central Vermont driveways, a mid-size compact track loader or skid steer in the 5,000 to 8,000 pound range is the right pick — machines like the Bobcat S650, S76, T595, or T650. They've got the power to push gravel and re-grade properly, they'll handle a standard grading bucket or a power box rake attachment, and they still fit on a 7,000-pound deckover trailer. A smaller mini skid steer doesn't have the weight or hydraulic power for real grading, and a bigger CTL like a T870 is overkill for most residential driveways.

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Can I tow a Bobcat with a half-ton pickup?

‍A half-ton pickup can tow most mid-size Bobcats (Bobcat S650, S76, T595, T650 class) on a 7,000-pound deckover trailer, assuming your truck's actual tow rating handles the combined trailer-plus-machine weight. Smaller mini skid steers tow behind almost anything. The larger compact track loaders — Bobcat T76, T770, T870 — are too heavy for a 7K trailer and most half-ton trucks. Those need a 10K or 14K trailer and a three-quarter-ton or one-ton truck, or delivery from the rental yard.

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What's the difference between a Bobcat skid steer and a compact track loader?

‍A skid steer rides on wheels and a compact track loader (CTL) rides on rubber tracks. Wheels are faster, easier on finished lawns and pavement, and better for hard, flat surfaces. Tracks spread the weight over a larger footprint, which means more flotation in mud, better traction on slopes, and less ground pressure — but they'll mark up a finished lawn. In Central Vermont, where mud and uneven terrain are common, CTLs handle a wider range of conditions, but a wheeled skid steer is usually the better pick for driveway work, hardscape, or any job where you can't damage the ground.