Solo Model 421 Chest-mount Spreader 

Review Date April 2020

I started making food plots about 20 years ago, and my earliest efforts involved using an EarthWay EV-N-SPREAD hand spreader to spread clover seed on an acre patch in my field. I had great results getting deer to eat the clover, bed nearby, and walk by my stands during the archery season, but the spreader did not work well for me. Clover seeds are very small, about the size of poppyseeds, and the EarthWay spreader had a tendency to shoot out waves of seed rather than an even sprinkle. Adjusting the opening was difficult to get right, and the spreader was uncomfortable to carry and use.

Over the years I moved from hand spreading seed to using a spreader on the back of my tractor (see my Land Management pages for an explanation of how I do that with small seed) so the EarthWay spreader sat unused in my barn - which was fine by me. This past fall I was trying something different, overseeing several of my food plots with winter rye, and I had to use a hand spreader because the plants already growing in the plot would be too fragile to drive on. My plan called for spreading 700 lbs. of winter rye in September, and the thought of using the EarthWay spreader made me baulk. I looked around the Internet for a better spreader, and found the Solo Model 421 Chest-mount Spreader.

The Solo 421 has a 20 lb. capacity, a comfortable fit, good adjustment, and works very well for me. The 700 lbs. of winter rye was spread in only a couple hours of time and, even though I have a bad back, the process was actually enjoyable. I purchased the spreader from Amazon for $88.86 but now I see it offered for about $60.

Running 700 lbs. through it last year gives me a lot more experience with the Solo than I did with the EarthWay. I was impressed by the quality, and ease of use - easy to fill and easy to crank. I didn’t have any issues, and in the future I won’t shy-away from hand spreading. I certainly recommend the Solo model 421!