Why Do Some Alt-AZ Mounts Cost More Than Others?
 

For the same reasons that some focusers cost more than others.

Focusers made from castings, lacking real bearings, and having little or no machining are widely available for $20 to $50.  However, precision focusers machined from good metals and containing real bearings typically range from $250 to well over $500 — a factor of 10 or more in price!

Would you be happy with a cheap focuser for your premium OTA?  Then you won't be satisfied with a cheap mount, either!

It is always less costly to buy a mount that you will enjoy using and want to keep.  The Half Hitch is an elite product that is built only in extremely limited numbers for personal attention to detail and personalized customer support.  When you call or write for support, you are communicating directly with the designer of the Half Hitch who is himself an avid Half Hitch user.

Consider the completeness of the Half Hitch.  The Half Hitch is a fully integrated mounting system.  The saddle and dovetail plate are included as standard equipment, and no tripod extension column is needed for excellent clearance.  Moreover, the package price for the Half Hitch also includes high-resolution encoders in machined housings, Sky Commander DSC mounted on a folding bracket, finder bracket, control extensions, and balance trimmer.  And the Half Hitch incorporates an elegant system for two-axis balancing, a function of premier importance that is totally ignored by most competing mounts.  Accounting for what is included and what "extras" aren't needed, the Half Hitch is priced very competitively.

The Half Hitch delivers extra value through advanced features that are unavailable in other mounts.

The Half Hitch delivers extra value through extraordinary versatility:  Rigid enough on an astro tripod to solidly carry a 115 mm APO refractor or 8-inch SCT, the Half Hitch is also nimble enough to use on a photo tripod to deftly carry a 16x70 binocular, spotting scope, PST, or camera/telephoto.  From wide-field to planetary viewing, one eye or two, daytime or nighttime, sky or land, the versatile Half Hitch makes any telescope more fun to use.  One mount — many scopes.

The limited-production Half Hitch also delivers extra value through its extraordinary quality. Not only is the elegant Half Hitch CNC machined from quality materials and completed with premium components, it is also based upon advanced design concepts that deliver cutting edge performance.

More than anything else, the Half Hitch delivers value through satisfaction.  Beyond being built to last, the Half Hitch is built to be timeless — a mount that you will appreciate more as you use it in many situations through the years.

Don't be disappointed with your scope because you skimped on one critical component.  Life is too short for disappointment!  The Half Hitch saves you money by stretching your experience.  When measured in satisfaction, the Half Hitch is a solid bargain!

Tight Tolerances Make a Solid, Smooth Structure
 

They're too small to see directly, but they make a big difference!