A gas-class backpack blower just went on sale, and it runs on batteries. The GBU04 is a 40V max XGT brushless unit rated at 675 CFM, 215 MPH, and 32 newtons of blowing force. The claim is parity with a 65cc gas backpack blower, and unlike most of the Equip Expo 2026 news, this one is available now.
Backpack blowers have been the last holdout for gas crews. Handheld battery blowers have been good enough for years, but nobody has credibly replaced a 65cc backpack until recently.
The Numbers
At 675 CFM and 215 MPH, the GBU04 sits the GBU04 in the same air-moving neighborhood as a 65cc gas backpack. Makita rates sound at 60 dB(A), which it claims is roughly 65 percent quieter than the gas machines it competes with.
Weight is the interesting part. It is 11 pounds bare and 19.4 pounds with two 8.0Ah batteries onboard. A typical 65cc gas backpack runs 22 to 26 pounds full of fuel, so Makita comes in lighter, and that weight sits on the back rather than in the hands.
Dual-battery setup is worth a close look. The GBU04 runs one battery at a time and switches automatically to the second when the first drains. You get roughly double runtime without stopping to swap packs. It is designed around the XGT High Power 8.0Ah battery (BL4080H), though it will accept any 40V max XGT pack.
Other features include a variable-speed trigger, a cruise-control lock, a telescoping 10-inch nozzle, a LED status display, and high/low power modes. Pricing and runtime have not been published.
What This Means for Buyers
If you are already running XGT batteries, this is the obvious upgrade path from the GBU01 handheld. You get backpack-class airflow without buying into a new platform, and the two batteries you already own become a genuine workday’s runtime.
If you are not in XGT, the math is harder. Two 8.0Ah High Power batteries and a charger are a real expense on top of the tool, and Makita has not announced a kit price yet. Wait for that number before committing.
The other caution is runtime. No minutes-per-charge figure has been published, which usually means it is not a headline number. Ask your dealer before you assume the dual-battery setup covers a full commercial day.
One more thing worth watching: Amazon does not have a GBU04 listing yet. Pro distributors and dealers do stock it. If the Amazon listing shows up at a competitive price, that changes the value case considerably.
Where It Fits
The XGT outdoor lineup is now one of the deepest in cordless. Mowers, chainsaws, trimmers, edgers, hedge trimmers, and now a backpack blower, all on the same 40V batteries. Ecosystem breadth is the strongest card against EGO, which has the better snow lineup but a narrower pro tool story.
Compare it to the EGO LB6003, which runs 600 CFM on a single 56V 7.5Ah battery. The EGO is cheaper to get into, but it carries one pack, so runtime is capped unless you buy a spare.
For crews already on XGT, the GBU04 is a straightforward add. For everyone else, it is a good reason to look at XGT seriously, provided the kit price lands where it should.
Related Reading
We ranked cordless leaf blowers by measured airflow, and the Makita GBU01Z is in there as the pro-ecosystem pick: Best Cordless Leaf Blowers 2026. That article also covers handheld versus backpack trade-offs.
If you are weighing battery platforms for outdoor power equipment, this is the comparison to start with: EGO vs Greenworks 2026.
And if a snow blower is on your list this winter, Makita just announced one: Makita SN001GL101 Ships in November.