Small refractor or big binos?

Well, I sold my 8" dob today. I have kept my eyepieces for the moment, in case I get another, smaller telescope. But that's my situation - I don't know if I want a small telescope (70-90mm short refractor w/ photo tripod) or a nice big pair of binoculars (63-80mm, 10x-20x). I'm moving into a college dorm, which is why I got rid of the big telescope.

Anyway, if I got a short tube refractor, I'd have my 24.5mm and 15.5mm wide angle eyepieces and a 2x barlow to use with it. If not, I could sell those and just get a pair of big binoculars. I already have a pair of 7x50s.

Money's a bit tight, so I don't want to spend more than a couple hundred dollars on a setup. I could spend more if I got binoculars, because I could get probably $300 for my eyepieces and barlow.

I do really like binoculars, and I know a good high-powered pair on a tripod can be as good or better than a small telescope. I love viewing with both eyes.

So... I'm just looking for advice on large binoculars and tripods that work well with them, for a reasonable price. I'll pay a little extra for more quality, but I'm not rich at all.

Hi Luca,

For me to use binos as a primary instrument I would also need a bino mount of some kind and I prefer those expensive binos with the angle prism diagonal eyepieces to avoid neck cramps on extended viewing sessions (I know there are those mirror devices available, but read on.)

A small refractor on an alt-az mount has a diagonal for no neck cramping, is easy to transport and store, eyepieces in all price ranges, powers and fields of view are available (allowing seeing deeper objects with more detail and contrast), and components can be upgraded individually (diagonal, ep, ota, ...)

While an equatorial mount is superior to an alt-az in tracking, an alt-az is quicker to transport and set up, which I've found very important living in a university residence hall.

Most surveys rate a short tube refractor as the most used scope. There's also a big used market for small refractors and accessories if you want to try something without making a commitment to new.

I chose a small refractor on an alt-az mount for it's flexibility and convenience. My 7x42 binos complement this nicely.

David