I just find the thought of having to buy legs for a new mount that I paid $300+ for off-putting. Surely some find the standard legs on the Porta II or Voyager satisfactory stability-wise?

I thought the lightweight legs supplied with my EQ-1 would be a problem when I unpacked them. Not so. The EQ-1 is quite a nice mount for the ST80 but I would not want to test it with more than the 7 lb load rating. If I get a heavier short tube I am just going to have to move up in mounts and the ease of the alt-az mounts seems very attractive for grab-and-go.

Upgrading from satisfactory to near perfection sure gets expensive quick in this hobby, whether it be scopes, mounts, or eyepieces.

Tom