Hi Dominic,
I’ve used a Vixen Polarie for some years and am quite happy with it. The reason I went with the Polarie is that I was something of an early adopter and at the time the market was more limited than it is now.
STRENGTHS.
- Solid and well built.
- Tracks well.
- There are only a couple of thumb screws to tighten and these are not really fiddly
POTENTIAL ISSUES.
- For longer exposures or longer focal lengths you will need to purchase the polar alignment scope which is an optional extra.
- The polar alignment scope does not have an illuminated reticle so you may have to obliquely shine a torch down it. Having said that, there does appear to be a new version out which works differently with an app.
- Unlike some newer offerings it does not have polar alignment adjustment screws so you have to adjust the tripod head which can be a bit awkward as it is likely out of balance. However with practice it does become relatively simple.
At some point I will likely make a permanent mount in the garden for it. Probably just a post with a suitably aligned top piece. Then all that will be necessary is to clamp the Polarie to the post when I want to use it and it won’t need any further alignment. This should resolve most of the issues.
Lastly, there is a further thread here with additional discussion and an expanded version of this post.
Regards,
David.