How this site works

Skid Picker is a comparison database for skid steers and compact track loaders: 108 machines across 12 brands, from $34,000 compacts to $132,000 large-frame machines. It exists because researching this equipment is miserable. The spec sheets are scattered across manufacturer PDFs, the prices only come out after a dealer has your phone number, and the honest information lives in decade-long forum threads. This site squeezes all of it into one sortable table.

Where the data comes from

Specs (rated operating capacity, engine horsepower, hydraulic flow, operating weight, lift path) come from manufacturer spec sheets and product brochures. Prices are approximate list prices for a typical configuration — heavy equipment is dealer-quoted, and options like an enclosed cab or high-flow hydraulics can swing the number by five figures, so treat a price here as a tier, not a quote. Star ratings and review counts are aggregated from public equipment listings and owner reviews.

Where the opinions come from

We don't run a test fleet, and we won't pretend to. The pros and cons on each machine page are distilled from public owner discussions: equipment forums, Reddit threads from operators and owner-operators, and long-term ownership reports from contractors and landscapers. When enough owners complain that a cab is cramped or a final drive is a known weak point, that goes in the cons. Summarizing is editorial work, and we try to keep the wording as blunt as the owners wrote it.

How the rankings are ordered

Guide and brand pages are sorted by owner rating, then by spec. There are no sponsored placements and no manufacturer can pay to move up a list. If a machine sits first, it's because owners rate it first.

Keeping it current

The catalog was last refreshed on July 25, 2026. New models get added, prices get corrected, and discontinued machines get pulled as we notice them. If something looks off — a retired model, a stale price — that's a data bug, not an ad.