I like this as another way of expressing the maxim of the best telescope / binoculars being the one used the most. Part of me would love an 8"-10" for more planetary resolution, but I'm not willing to tote anything > 40 pounds, which limits me to either a.) building my own or b.) forking over ~2k, and I'm not ready for that yet.
A 10 inch Dob consists of two easily moved, easily assembled pieces that weigh about 30 lbs each.
Jon
For me, it's not just the weight (although that's a big factor), but also the hassle and heft. I can cart out my 5", OTA and mount, at 14 pounds in one trip. With a pair of binos on my shoulder and a plastic bag for my sketching journal and assorted paraphernalia, it's very easy to get out and start observing immediately. I don't even notice a cooldown time. On the other hand, making two trips with a 30 pound water heater and a 30 pound milk crate is enough to keep me indoors.
It's possible this will change someday, but given that when I had an S&T subscription in high school many years ago, I was most attracted to the TV-85, ETX-90, and Astroscan-type telescopes and now, with a house and yard of my own, I chose to buy a 130mm tabletop dob, it's unlikely that I'm ever going to tolerate a heavy, bulky ticket to the stars. Now large aperture in a lightweight and suitcase-compressible package? That's a direction I could venture in someday.
Edited by Binosaurus, 04 July 2017 - 12:41 PM.