Best travel scope bar none?

[Highburymark]

I’ve taken five scopes abroad with me over the past decade:

Meade ETX-105: great for the Moon and planets, and so easy - just sat on a table top. But deep sky wasn’t its forte.

C6: a better all-rounder, easy to mount. Really good travel option. 

80ED Equinox: even better - superb dark sky travel scope. £ for £, the best of the five.

Takahashi FC-100DC: 4” scope that fits in cabin baggage - but only just, with focuser and dew shield removed. Required great care to ensure it survived the trip unscathed - so not the ideal option. Unbeatable views though.

Televue 85: this is what I have now. Too expensive new and has been around forever, but bombproof construction, excellent ED optics, happy on a light camera tripod, great for solar, planets, dsos, night vision. Not as posh or capable as the Baader, but very nearly the perfect travel scope.

 

[Gonariu]

@Louis D. Great, I didn't think a Dobson could compact in such a small space! I would like to ask you what kind of Newton the optic is and how much it all weighs.

Edited September 7, 2021 by Gonariu

[mauzito]

2 hours ago, Gonariu said:

@Louis D. Great, I didn't think a Dobson could compact in such a small space! I would like to ask you what kind of Newton the optic is and how much it all weighs.

Zambuto Optics.  

Here are some specs for the 7"
Focal Length:
    39.2" (996 mm) 
Dimensions:
    10.0" x 10.7" x 20.5"
    (254 x 272 x 519 mm) 
Weight:
    18 pounds (8 kg) 
Eyepiece Height at Zenith:
    41" (1041 mm) 

[JAC51]

2 hours ago, mauzito said:

Zambuto Optics.  

Here are some specs for the 7"
Focal Length:
    39.2" (996 mm) 
Dimensions:
    10.0" x 10.7" x 20.5"
    (254 x 272 x 519 mm) 
Weight:
    18 pounds (8 kg) 
Eyepiece Height at Zenith:
    41" (1041 mm) 

I think this for mount and all is remarkably compact.

 EasyJets extra legroom overhead storage is 56cm x 45cm x 25cm for example , give or take 4mm, this can go with you in the cabin.