I, too, have been looking for a squeeze chute for several years. We've always just had a headgate and gates, and it's been there since my parent's put it there in 1977. After many big cows and years of work, it literally doesn't open anymore. So while I've never had a real chute, I guess I've been really picky in the features I want if I'm finally going to buy one. I grew up an athlete and with big cattle my entire life, so despite being a girl, I consider myself fairly strong and able to do most of what I need around the farm by myself. However, as everyone knows, working cattle by yourself 99% of the time can be a chore. I want a chute you don't have to be Heman to operate. My cows are also gentle and usually require pushing to get them through the headgate. So while an auto catch sounds like it would work great, my cows usually won't go through. A few things: my cows are big cows; my chute is in the alley where I also load cattle out (old set up), so I need something that opens wide and tall at the front; I also show/sell cattle at purebred events so access to all sides of the cattle is a must when I need to clip them; need cattle to be able to exit both sides of the chute because of the way my lots are set with the alley being in the middle of 2 sorting lots. Most chutes fall short on any number of those features, mostly either too short, both gates don't open, won't fit big bulls, etc...
I was originally set on the stampede steel because of the rear controls on the self catch, big chute that fits cattle of all sizes, all gates open multiple places for great access. Figured that might be the best of both worlds....until I saw the price tag. I just can't justify that right now. So then I moved on to the Sioux Steel/Reel Tuff chutes because I really liked several of the features both those chutes had. They were very similar to the Stampede, but a little more simple in operation, and we all probably prefer simple to complicated when it comes to working cattle. The SS/RT chutes had the parallel squeeze, ratchet system with pole to keep one forward in the chute, palp cage, etc... However, like someone mentioned, if you're at all a tall person, the squeeze system and main frame bars are relatively short. I can see someone easily hitting their head on those areas if they are following one through the chute or if they have a gate open and step up to the chute from the side to clip or something to that effect. Also, their squeeze bar has to be constantly adjusted once you squeeze the chute down in order to keep it up and out of your way from hitting your head.
I couldn't really get past the height issue of those things on the SS, and when I found the Arrow 8400, I think I finally found the one I want. It has a few things that aren't perfect, but I think overall, it fits what I'm looking for the best. The main feature that I love, is the manual headgate that can be operated at any point along the chute. It also opens tall and wide so nothing should hit their head or top going through the front of the chute. Also the back gate is on sliders so there are no ropes to pull or anything like that. You can operate the headgate and the rear gate simultaneously if you need to. The rope pulleys on some chutes are fairly heavy to operate and this system is super smooth and easy for me. So this will allow me to twist tails and whatever else I need to do to stay behind the cattle in order to push them to the headgate and I can close it without having to run to the front really fast or rely on them catching themselves and making sure both catch bars hit the catch latch. It also has the ratchet system and a palp cage. The squeeze and headgate bars hang down to the side so they aren't in your way to catch your leg or head on as you're working. There's a lifetime warranty on the locking pin system and a 5 year warranty on something else (I can't remember what those are right now). I think the Arrow and the SS are very close in price, so for me, the Arrow is probably what I'm going to buy as soon as my dealer gets another one in. I've waited long enough, and I think I've finally found "the one."
