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Prior to moving to the countryside I'd never touched, let alone had to reload, a string trimmer. With the bump-feed style I've got, you can either wastefully buy replaceable cartridges (supporting single-use plastic), or reload the head manually. Both approaches require disassembling the head. If you're a city boy like me and have no idea what this entails, here's the typical loading process:
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I can tell you from experience it's not easy to do on a workbench, let alone out in the field. In contrast to this clumsy system, string trimmers by Echo and Shindaiwa (who have the same parent company, Yamabiko) have a system with a way better design, called Speed-Feed:
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It's a prime example of paying a lot of design attention to an area most others ignore.
Sadly, prior to learning of this system I bought a Stihl that has to be loaded the old way. If only there was a "country life" manual I could've boned up on before moving, I'd have made a lot of different purchasing decisions.
I’m a lapsed industrial designer. I was born in NYC and figured I’d die there, but a few years ago I abandoned New York to live on a farm in the countryside with my wife. We have six dogs.
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Speed-Feed Design Makes Loading String Trimmers Super Easy
WTF!!! That's what that thing is for?!!?!? I've been reloading like a rube for 2 seasons!!!!
speed feed units are made to fit most trimmer brands and models - easy upgrade.