What are you doing with the Chute and what is your budget? I wll preface this to say I am biased in that I sell Powder River Chutes out west. I sell them because I grew up using them, have used a lot of other brands and always prefered the Powder River. I have seen Chutes built in the 50's and 60's still in use today, even though those old chutes aren't as big nor applicable to a cow calf deal as the new ones. Actually, most knocks I hear on a Powder Rvier go back to the old chutes that were a lot smaller.Dang thins would not wear out, so guys put up with those old deficiencies to long ....So, there are my biases....
A lot of good chutes out there, many times it goes back to what you are familiar and comfortable with.....
I like a lot about Stampede manual chutes, but where I live, I can get a Powder River Hydraulic for about the same price.....I have not seen the hi-Hogs, but hear they are a very heavy built chute....
I personally like the Squeeze leverage of a Powder River Manual chute. It is why they have the long handles. Some guys can't get by them, but that is more of a Ford/Chevy deal....It is heavier than the Priefert, Pearson, W-W, or Foremost I believe. I just talked to a guy that bought a Powder River Chute 25 years ago. He run about 8,000 yearlings a year through it and it finally wore out.....Southwest is another pretty heavy one....
If you are looking at possibly used, Thorson is another brand that just went out of business, but very well liked...
One side on a Powder River.....Change the Springs (I think they are like $7.50 and only two of them) and Ratchet Gears occasionaly. Tehey are the parts that wear. If they get too worn, they don't catch as positively....
One guy in Enterprise, Oregon told me he runs about 7,000 head a year and changes those parts anuually....Kinda like changing the oil regularly in your pickup.
I have seen Teco's modified. Teco's had a great squeeze and the worlds worst headgate,
But again, what is your use and budget......Heavy use, get a Silencer Hydraulic and be prepare to pay......
I think most manual Chutes that are worth a darn will cost nearly $3,000...The reason I like the Powder River hydrauic is it is a simple one that will run about $6,000...Nothing like having Hydraulics in my book....
Just a note on Sternum Bars.....It would be pretty easy to builc one and put it in the bottom of any chute......I have a friend in Alberta that sells several brands. He told me he knows of several guys that lost cows that layed down wrong on one....I say that as not a knock, but as something you need to watch out for. Kinda like the choke deal on the old style manual headgates that were yoke shaped,
Good luck. Getting the right equipment make everything easier...On you and the Cattle....
PPRM