Any other cheaper (but still good) saddles for EQ6R - Forums

Topic starter

4 days ago

I am looking to upgrade the standard saddle of my EQ6R.

Best quality seems to be the Dual Saddle Plate XL from ADM but it’s quite expensive (close to 400 eur including shipping).

📷 image.png

What other solutions are out there?

I found the Primaluce version but got a reply from them today confirming me that it is compatible ony with AZ-EQ6R.

📷 image.png

Then Geoptic sells the adapter plate but I cant find any reviewes so I am not sure if it is any good. It’s cheap (approx 40 eur) and then I will need to add the saddle (approx 160 eur and still not sure if it is compatible)

📷 image.png

Has anyone found a good, reliable and cheap good combnation purchased within Europe?

Sebastiano

Well Written Respectful Engaging

Tony Gondola

Frequent contributor

Exemplary contributor

4 days ago

As an EQ6 owner myself, I have to ask? What’s wrong with the stock saddle?

sebaromano

Topic starter

4 days ago

Hi Tony,

This video gives a good explanation. I consider this upgrade NOT a “must” but a nice to have especially if loading the mount with something like a 10” RC to reduce risk of flex and have a better grip.

Since I don’t consider this upgrade a “must” I don’t want to invest too much money if possible, hence my question in this post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ-egFak5ZU&t=235s

Helpful Respectful Concise Supportive

Eric Gagne

Frequent contributor

4 days ago

Just curious. How would a new saddle give you a better grip than your current vixen/losmandy one ?

Eric Gagne

Frequent contributor

4 days ago

Also, where do you get your price on the adm ? It’s about 210 GBP at First Lights Optics, how could shipping almost double that ?

SonnyE

Frequent contributor

4 days ago

Eric Gagne · Mar 25, 2026, 09:30 PM
Also, where do you get your price on the adm ? It’s about 210 GBP at First Lights Optics, how could shipping almost double that ?

VAT and other baloney, probably.

When my AVX died an untimely 3rd death I almost replaced it with an EQ6R. I was ready to click the big button. Then the CFO chimed in….

“Wait until February.” This was November…. 🤬 4 very long months of the prime Nebula season. ARGH!

So, I shopped. I kept running across that L word. Finally, I decided to go to the L site and I liked what I saw. By the time February was near I had everything figured out. And the L factory is about 25 miles down the road from me. So I picked mine up at the factory and got to meet the folks there.

And the CFO got over her $ticker $hock eventually. It’s not good to make me wait… But I have exactly my forever mount.

Engaging

Bill Cavnaugh

4 days ago

I went with this one and it is very easy to install.

Craig Towell

4 days ago

One issue with OEM saddles, and one that I encountered with the stock Sky-Watcher saddle, was cone error brought about by imperfect machining and coating causing the dovetail not to sit perfectly flat. This leads to a slight change in the orientation of diff spikes before and after the meridian flip. I upgraded to an ADM saddle and dovetail and the problem is reduced significantly, however there is still a very slight mismatch in very long spikes either side of the flip as seen below, but not as bad as it was before the upgrade.

📷 IMG_1792.jpeg📷 IMG_1793.jpeg

Well Written Helpful Insightful Respectful Engaging

Brian Puhl

IOTD Staff

4 days ago

Not sure you’re gonna find a much bigger load than I’m running. Initially, I did have some issues with it slipping over time, but I added an extra screw to the bottom of the losmandy plate to catch it just in case. After the second round of cranking down on the bolts, and probably bedding the plate into the paint, I haven’t had it slide since. If I did have issue, I would only go for the ADM plate. It’s just too important of a piece and I can’t risk a 6 inch frac falling to the ground over a ‘cheaper’ product.

Well Written Helpful Concise Engaging Supportive

Tobiasz

4 days ago

For my Avalon M Uno, I bought the Geoptik Dual Saddle and I like it very much. The build quality is superb and I use the vixen dovetail as a cable tunnel for my mini pc. I bought the saddle used for 100€ and for this price it is a steal.

Well Written Respectful Concise Supportive

sebaromano

Topic starter

4 days ago

Tobiasz · Mar 26, 2026, 12:51 PM
For my Avalon M Uno, I bought the Geoptik Dual Saddle and I like it very much. The build quality is superb and I use the vixen dovetail as a cable tunnel for my mini pc. I bought the saddle used for 100€ and for this price it is a steal.

Perfect and thanks Tobiasz for sharing your experience with the Geoptik version. That is the type of feedback I was looking for in this post.

Respectful Supportive

SonnyE

Frequent contributor

3 days ago

Brian Puhl · Mar 26, 2026, 11:40 AM
Not sure you’re gonna find a much bigger load than I’m running. Initially, I did have some issues with it slipping over time, but I added an extra screw to the bottom of the losmandy plate to catch it just in case. After the second round of cranking down on the bolts, and probably bedding the plate into the paint, I haven’t had it slide since. If I did have issue, I would only go for the ADM plate. It’s just too important of a piece and I can’t risk a 6 inch frac falling to the ground over a ‘cheaper’ product.

Hi Brian, I did the bolt trick for a number of years. But now I have one of these

under my bottom (clamped) Losmandy plate. It works great as an adjustable stop when balancing or anytime the scope is removed.

I originally got it to undermount my DSLR for comet imaging. Then removed the camera mount to use it as an adjustable stop. Helps put the telescope back where it came off of.

Well Written Helpful Respectful Concise Engaging Supportive