6 Best High Sided Carts For Loose Materials That Save Your Back
Move more mulch or soil with less effort. Our guide reviews the 6 best high-sided carts with ergonomic features designed to prevent back strain.
Moving stuff around is a constant on any piece of land. Whether it’s compost for the garden, wood for the stove, or gravel for a new path, you’re always hauling something. The wrong tool for the job doesn’t just waste time; it wrecks your back. A good high-sided cart is one of the best investments you can make, turning a day of back-breaking labor into a few manageable trips.
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Choosing the Right Cart for Your Farm Chores
The best cart isn’t the biggest or most expensive one. It’s the one that matches the work you actually do. Think about your main hauling tasks. Are you moving light, bulky materials like wood chips and leaves, or dense, heavy loads like wet soil and stone? The answer dictates whether you need volume or sheer weight capacity.
Also, consider your terrain and power source. A simple pull-cart is great for navigating tight garden rows, but you’ll want a tow-behind model for moving a half-ton of compost from the pile to the far end of the property with your lawn tractor or ATV. High sides are the key for loose materials, keeping everything contained so you’re not re-doing half the work by picking up what fell out.
Gorilla Carts GOR10-COM: All-Around Performer
If you could only have one cart, this might be it. The Gorilla Cart GOR10-COM hits a sweet spot between capacity, durability, and user-friendly features. Its deep poly bed won’t rust out like steel, and it’s tough enough for most farm materials, from firewood to feed bags.
The real game-changer is the quick-release dump mechanism. You pull a lever, and the entire bed tips to empty the load, saving you from shoveling or straining to lift and dump. The handle also cleverly converts from a pull-handle to a trailer hitch for a lawn tractor. It’s the perfect all-around tool for someone who needs to do a little bit of everything.
Polar Trailer HD 1500 for Heavy-Duty Hauling
When you’re dealing with serious weight, you need a serious trailer. The Polar Trailer HD 1500 is built for exactly that. With a 1,500-pound weight capacity and a massive 22-cubic-foot tub, this cart is designed for big jobs and is best pulled by an ATV or small tractor.
The high-impact polyethylene tub is incredibly rugged and can handle rock, gravel, and other abrasive materials without denting or cracking. Its wide-track tires and high ground clearance make it stable and easy to pull over rough, uneven ground. This is overkill for hauling a few bags of mulch, but if you’re moving large amounts of manure, soil, or stone, it’s an indispensable, back-saving beast.
Agri-Fab 45-0553: A Durable Steel Tow-Behind
Sometimes, you just need the uncompromising toughness of steel. The Agri-Fab 45-0553 is a classic tow-behind cart that excels at handling sharp, awkward loads that might damage a poly tub. Think hauling busted-up concrete, thorny brush, or scrap metal.
This cart is a simple, durable workhorse. It features a foot-pedal dump release for easy emptying and a universal hitch that connects to any lawn tractor. The main tradeoff is that steel can rust if the finish gets scratched and it’s left out in the weather. With a little care, however, this type of cart will last for decades.
Rubbermaid Big Wheel Cart: Simple & Maneuverable
Not every job requires a tractor. For tasks around the barn, greenhouse, or in tightly planted gardens, the Rubbermaid Big Wheel Cart is a modern, more stable alternative to the traditional wheelbarrow. It’s lightweight, incredibly tough, and won’t rust, rot, or dent.
Its two large wheels provide excellent stability on uneven ground, so you’re not fighting to balance a heavy load. You can’t tow it, and its capacity is smaller, but that’s not its purpose. This cart shines when you need to move 100 pounds of feed, harvest a bushel of potatoes, or weed a long garden bed without tearing up the landscape with a tractor.
Ohio Steel 4048P-HYB for Versatile Towing
This cart offers a smart hybrid design, combining a durable poly bed with a steel frame and undercarriage. You get the rust-proof, easy-to-clean benefit of poly with the strength and rigidity of steel where it counts. It’s a great compromise for all-purpose use.
Its standout feature is the swivel dump. The entire tub can pivot and dump its contents to the side or rear at a steep angle, which is incredibly useful for spreading material along a fence line or garden bed without having to perfectly position your tractor every time. This level of precision saves a lot of time and manual labor when top-dressing or mulching.
Suncast Utility Cart for Lightweight Stability
For lighter-duty chores, the Suncast Utility Cart is a fantastic, user-friendly option. Like the Rubbermaid cart, it’s a two-wheeled push/pull design that eliminates the balancing act required by a single-wheel barrow. It’s perfect for harvesting vegetables, moving bags of potting soil, or collecting weeds.
While it doesn’t have the massive capacity of a tow-behind trailer, its lightweight construction makes it easy for anyone to handle. It’s the kind of cart you’ll grab for quick, everyday tasks. Think of it as the go-to tool for garden maintenance rather than a heavy-hauling construction tool.
Key Features: Dump Function, Tires, and Capacity
When you’re comparing carts, focus on these three things. The dump function is crucial. A simple pivot dump is okay, but a quick-release lever that lets you empty the cart without unhitching or heavy lifting is a true back-saver. A swivel dump offers the ultimate convenience for spreading materials.
Next, look at the tires. Pneumatic (air-filled) tires provide a cushioned ride over bumpy terrain, which is great for reducing shock to both the cart and your tractor. However, they can go flat. Solid or "flat-free" tires are zero-maintenance but offer a much rougher ride. The size of the tire also matters—bigger, wider tires handle soft ground and obstacles better.
Finally, understand capacity. This is measured in both weight (pounds) and volume (cubic feet). The high sides give you great volume for light stuff like leaves. But for heavy materials like gravel, you have to respect the weight limit to avoid damaging the axle or frame. Always choose a cart with a weight capacity that exceeds your heaviest planned load.
Choosing the right cart comes down to being honest about your most frequent and physically demanding tasks. Don’t buy a heavy-duty trailer if you mostly just need to move mulch around your garden beds. By matching the tool to your reality, you’re not just buying a piece of equipment—you’re investing in your own long-term health and making your farm more efficient and enjoyable.
