Coronado PST Case - was it worth it

[AstroGnome]

This is partly a review (though short) and partly a question about value.

I recently purchased a PST, and like most people think it's an excellent bit of kit for the money.

To store it safely I thought i'd order the case for it, which arrived this morning from scopes'n'skies (astronomy and nature centre). I know people have had varying experiances of them but, for the record, ordered it yesterday afternoon and it arrived at 10:30 today, not too shaby.

So, to the case. Is this realy worth £50+? I don't know if I've got a duffer but it's realy cheap and nasty.

The metal work is that clattery, tinny, metal with just a token coating of chrome plate. The clasps don't line up that well when closing it. The vinyl covering has bits of glue left all over it from manufacture. And the Coronado name lable hasn't even been stuck on straight.

Other than the fact the foam packing fits perfectly I don't think this was a worthwhile buy. For £20 fine, but not £50+

Has anyone else got one and thought the same?

Mark....

[Merlin66]

I have two of them...certainly not "expensively" finished, but I have to say everything is neat and tidy - no excess glue and the clips worth well.

Certainly does give good protection to the PST and a couple of eyepieces (it will also hold the PST table-top tripod if you can find one!).

[Helen]

I thought they looked rather expensive, so bought a toolbox from B&Q and cut the PST foam to fit it.

Helen

[Mark at Beaufort]

I bought the official case about 5 years ago. Lable came off, one clasp has broken.

Yes it looks tidy but I wish I had now bought a larger metal case from Maplins so that I could hold the PST and my William Optics SD66 (solar white light scope) together. In conclusion I think £50 is rather alot for what it is.

Mark

[NickH]

Personally, I don't think it is. £50 ...that's a lot of money for ...well you know the build quality..

[brianb]

Certainly does give good protection to the PST

Which is the point. So what if it looks a bit tatty after a few years .... The etalons in Ha scopes are very sensitive to mechanical shock, that's got to be the main design criterion for the case, and it's also a good idea to keep the thing dry since blocking filters will eventually degrade if kept in a moist atmosphere.

Yes, the case is a bit on the pricey side for what it is ... but the scopes themselves are (or were) sold at a very competitive price, and adding the cost of the case to the basic scope doesn't affect value for money much.

I have some similarly sized equipment which is stored / carried in Peli protector cases (waterproof & said to be indestructible even by airport baggage handling crews), these are certainly better than the PST case but cost many times as much.

[NickH]

Sounds to me like a wonderful opportunity for someone to make a new case

[geoff_k]

I found it a bit annoying when I bought my PST that it wasn't easy to get one without the case if you didn't want it. I think the difference was more like 80 quid which made it a bit beyond the budget I had available at the time.

Mine is still in its box and I must get to Maplin to get a case for it because they ain't that cheap and the points about taking care of it are well made.

Geoff

[Macavity]

I think it's a bit of a struggle to get the scope in and out. But I "eased" the fit, and to allow for an added dovetail bar too. I sense the box would not survive DAMP well. But then I will be keeping my PST (anyway) inside - In the warm and dry.

[derekm]

Don't know if these are big enough for a PST (425mm wide inside) but they are excellent quality and right price, for PSTs and/or accessories. Mine arrived 36hours after paying with PayPal.

ZERUST LARGE PISTOL CASE SEVENTEEN INCH on eBay (end time 03-Dec-10 19:09:43 GMT)