I would like to observe from a site that requires a 10-15 minute hike. I have handled a friend's Heritage 130P, and it would be too heavy to carry comfortably.
As a beginner (upgrading from binoculars), I am looking at budget options. I have ruled out a Mak, as they are more expensive and probably harder to aim.
Any ideas for a lightweight setup? I welcome suggestions, but I've considered the following 2 options:
The Orion SkyScanner (100/400 Newtonian on a tabletop Dob, but can be mounted on a tripod as well);
The Orion ShortTube 80-A (80/400 refractor in its "astro" configuration, with 90-degree diagonal).
Is there anything that the ShortTube would do better than the Newtonian, besides offering the possibility of terrestrial observation? Refractors are sometimes praised for their crisp, contrasty images, but I'm not sure...
The SkyScanner is cheaper but the ShortTube has better eyepieces. However, for the price difference (€130 vs €180), I could afford an additional eyepiece (either a zoom eyepiece, or a wide-angle in either 6mm or 24mm).