Question about power stretchers vs. my old knee kicker, what changed for you guys? | Carpet Installers - Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals
Knee kickers still have a place, but they aren't really the same tool. A kicker only gets you so much tension, maybe enough to seat the carpet on a stair or a small closet. A power stretcher pulls from the far wall and actually stretches the backing, not just shoves it. That's the part people miss. Your knee does the pushing with a kicker, and your body pays for it after a few rooms. The stretcher does the pulling so your knees don't take the hit.