Stargazing is a wonderful hobby to enjoy. It allows you to get outside and look at the stars and the amazing world around us. However, without a telescope case, your telescope can be bulky and very difficult to move around. A telescope case is a perfect solution to help you see the stars wherever you want.
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When choosing the best telescope case for your needs, some things to consider include:
- It has to be easy to carry the case around.
- Must provide enough protection to the telescope and accessories
- Must fit your telescope
- Have to keep the telescope dry in wet conditions
- The price should be acceptable but not too high
Let’s take a closer look at some of the things you need to consider when choosing a telescope case. This will help us see what features are important and which ones we can leave behind.
How Do I Choose the Best Telescope Case?
Choosing a telescope case is an important decision. You want to ensure that your telescope is safe no matter where you take it, but you also want it to be easy to move around and not cost a lot of money. Some of the questions you should ask yourself when it comes to choosing a telescope case include:
Do You Want Hard or Soft Case?
There are benefits to both. Many people choose to work with a hard case because it provides them with some extra protection on the telescope. These cases also often have spots specifically for each part of the telescope so nothing rolls around. However, these may be designed with just one type of telescope in mind and they are more expensive so they are not always the best choice.
Just because a case is soft doesn’t mean it won’t provide protection. Many of the soft cases have a lot of extra padding inside to keep the telescope as safe as possible. They also have a thick outer layer to keep the rain and sun away from the telescope as well. These are more versatile in the types of telescopes they can hold and easier to carry while being less expensive so they may be the right option for you.
Will It Provide Protection to the Telescope?
It is important to pick out a telescope case that can provide adequate amounts of protection to the telescope and appropriate accessories like star trackers you plan to use. Even if you go with a soft case, make sure there is enough padding to protect the telescope against bumps and hits and that the material is thick enough to keep water and everything else out. The more protection you see in the case, the better it is for you to use that case.
How Easy Is It to Carry Around?
One of the main points of having a telescope case is to carry your telescope around. This gives you the freedom to go wherever you want and see all the stars in different locations. If the case is too heavy, this can hinder some of your stargazing goals. Find a case that has enough protection to keep your telescope safe, but still light enough that you can carry it around.
What is the Price of the Case?
Your budget is important when it comes to picking out the right telescope case. Some options are more affordable than others, but this is one of those products that you get what you pay for. Spending a little extra can get you a high-quality case that will last for years to come, rather than one that will fall apart on you quickly. However, know your budget ahead of time and shop from there.
Will, It Fit Your Telescope?
If you have a specific telescope already, you need to make sure the case already fits with that telescope. Many telescopes have cases specifically designed for them so you can choose to go that route to make things easier. For more than one telescope, or if you think you will upgrade to another telescope soon, you can look at the dimensions of other cases and see if they will work.
Is There Room to Customize to Different Telescopes?
Unless you plan to only use one telescope for the rest of your life and ever switch off from that, you most likely will need to choose a telescope case that can customize to fit more than one type of telescope. All telescopes are different sizes and have different parts. Customization allows you to work with any telescope you would like.
Whether you already have more than one telescope at home and want the ease of grabbing whatever you want and heading out, or you plan to keep the case for some time and don’t want to buy a new one when you upgrade, picking a case that can handle more than one type and size of the telescope is a better investment for your money.
Is There a Warranty on the Telescope Case?
While shopping, check to see whether the case has any type of warranty on it. Not all cases will and this is usually a sign you should stay away from the company. If they are not willing to back up their product, then you probably shouldn’t purchase that product at all.
Even if a case does offer a warranty, there are different lengths of time that warranty will last. Some are for a few days, some are for a few years, and some may be lifetime guarantees. Take a look at each one and choose the one that, even after reading the fine print, seems like a good deal to you.
Is It Waterproof?
Most cases will not provide a lot of waterproof power. While a few of the hard-backed cases may keep the telescope dry, and even the soft cases can do well if you are only out in the rain for a few minutes, most are not designed to keep your telescope dry when wet. If this is an important feature for you, then it is something to consider when purchasing.
There are some options, including the Monoprice Weatherproof Hard Case, that is rated as waterproof for your enjoyment. It keeps your telescope safe in up to one meter of water for half an hour. This can provide some extra protection if that is important to you.
