A special excitement pulses around a fine instrument with extreme portability.  For instance, think about the electric feeling of holding a premium binocular for the first time.  The mind races through the possibilities.  On the Half Hitch, a grab 'n go APO refractor oozes with that same aura of untapped potential.  Grab 'n go instruments become constant life companions.

The Half Hitch was specifically created as a grab 'n go mount.  A grab 'n go telescope has more extreme requirements than merely being transportable.  It telescope must be very quick and nearly effortless.  It must pack into the nooks and crannies left by other activities.  Grab 'n go means the chance to engage in observing when any other equipment would be left at home.  And it means having the freedom to observe without being burdened.

For grab 'n go observing, saving a few extra pounds and a little extra space does make a difference.  And for grab 'n go observing equipment that assembles quickly, requires no adjustments, and works without fuss or failure does make a difference.  The long and combined experience of many observers has crowned the alt-azimuth style mount as the overwhelming best choice for grab 'n go telescopes.  Moreover, alt-azimuth mounts (unlike equatorial mounts) are compatible with binoculars, spotting scopes, solar scopes like the PST, and terrestrial cameras all of which require the viewing orientation not become tilted sideways.

Today there are many exciting choices for fine grab 'n go optics.  The Half Hitch provides an equally exciting choice for a grab 'n go mount.  When you choose a Half Hitch, you are choosing a mount that is highly optimized and ideally suited for grab 'n go applications.

Should an alt-az mount cost more than some equatorial mounts?
 

Yes!  The price of a mount is determined by what is required to develop and build it.

An alt-azimuth mount is not an inferior mount to an equatorial mount.  It is just a different style of mount with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

The Half Hitch is a sophisticated mount that is comparable in structural complexity to many fine equatorial mounts.  In fact, the miniaturization and tight nesting of components required to produce the amazing compactness and lightness of the Half Hitch while maintaining its heavy-duty characteristics is a difficult combination to achieve.

Can't you find more objects with a GoTo mount?
 

Absolutely Not!  The Sky Commander equipped Half Hitch finds objects just as quickly and easily — without the noise, big battery requirement, and equipment failures that plague cheaply-built GoTo mounts.

All mass-production GoTo mounts utilize cheap components to keep the selling prices down to competitive levels.  As these cheap components grind away at high speeds when slewing to an object, you can hear the imperfections screaming!  Eventually, what initially seemed like a high-tech advantage becomes an irritating liability.

Bulletproof reliability is one of the primary tenets of grab 'n go observing.  Equipment failures are not an option!

GoTo mounts tend to be heavier and bulkier despite their reliance on many plastic components.  They also tend to have poor tripod clearance.  When one adds in the weight of batteries and spare batteries to power them, GoTo mounts really miss the mark for true grab 'n go application.  But just as importantly, they also miss the philosophical mark for grab 'n go observing.

But what about tracking?  Unlike motorized pointing (which gains nothing), automatic tracking is a useful benefit of GoTo mounts.  However, given all the potential problems with the cheaply manufactured drive systems (plus all the noise, extra weight, and hassle with batteries), most grab 'n go enthusiasts prefer manual slow-motion controls as a best compromise.  The Half Hitch's motion controls are exceptional and make following objects very easy!