How do you hold your EPs between use at night?

Do you use an EP tray, or a table or just put them back into the case? How about a waist case, anyone use them, I have one but have not used it.
Myself I use a EP Tray table (in photo) that I made and a tray on the back of my Stardust chair that I made. I find them to be really handy and makes for less trips to the EP case. Normally I choose 3-4 EPs for starting and them decide on which ones are best for the night.

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Or I use the chair with the tray attached.

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Pockets.

Have used tables, trays, rack on side of rocker, covered box on rocker, and waist case.

For the last several years observing has been with a dedicated observing jacket with four cargo pockets. For ep's and only ep's.

I never observe with more than 4, or 3 and a barlow. Specific pockets for specific sizes.

The ep's are always at hand, can not be knocked over (even at public outeach events), are out of dust and dew, and dry off between use.

This is obviously one of those YMMV things.

I either put them back in the case, and drape a towel over the case, or put them in a very loose pocket.

I live in an area of very high humidity, and often the dew starts forming on telescopes, tables, etc before it's even dark. If I used a table like yours, Floyd, I would have little puddles of water collecting on my eye lenses within an hour!

Doug
Midway, FL

In florida nobody uses trays or tables more than once.
Most of the people I observe with,return their ep's back to the case usually under a shelter. Dew heaters are usually used also.

I personally use the waist case. I love it.
I use only 1 1/4 ep's and I don't use a dew heater.
They work out perfectly for planetary ep use. I can't understand why they have not caught on.

I carry 6- bo/tmb's, 1-13mm type 6 and 1-35mm ultima.
2 nebula filters, a set of color filters,a red led light and misc. stuff alan wrench etc.
The rest of my ep.s I keep in a lowes metal case.

afaik I am the only one thats uses the waist case at the Chiefland astronomy sight. Joe 8)

My assistant holds them for me...

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My overall settup is considerably cruder than yours. It's either the refractor on a tripod mount or the dobsonian, and my chair an old LL Bean hunting stool. My main eyepiece case is a $4.00 six-pack cooler from walmart with a plywood insert with 1.25 and 2 inch holes much like an eyepiece tray (loosely based on one that was written up on cloudy nights). It has a white top and orange handle (and presumably changes temperature very slowly with the lid down). I usually oberve alone, and just set the cooler on the ground next to the stool. I really like the cover, which cuts down on dust and acts as a dew shield, but opens quickly for switching to other eyepieces.

Wow...3-4 eyepieces for observing 8O I have a Quantaray pluck foam aluminum hard shell large camera case from Ritz Camera (13" x 18" x 6.5"). In it, all standing upright in foam slots are 29 eyepieces, 2 barlows, and a stack of filters. The suitcase goes with the scope. Usually have a small table or chair where the case sits open and I pluck what I want and need and is best for the target and scope combo at hand.

Everytime I try to just walk out without the case and like 4 eyepieces, all I end up doing is going in and out the house for others and end up with 10 or more outside. So I just gave up and the case comes with.

...and sometimes 3 scopes come out with me too

Hey Floyd,
As you know I observe from some pretty weird locations from the equator to inside the Artic Circle. Through the years I’ve tried a lot of different methods of carrying and holding EPs. For most ‘normal conditions’ I tend to use a vest with large mesh pockets but I keep caps on both ends of my EPs (and/or bolt cases). For slightly more inclement places I have a couple waist carriers, again I use caps on both ends. They also work well at sites where you have to keep moving.
In cold climates like my recent trip to Northern BC, I use a small cooler with custom EP holder. Toss in an iron oxide heat packet which absorbs any moisture and provides a small amount of warmth which helps in -40 temperatures.
In hot & humid areas (Cambodia, Marshall Islands, etc.) I tend to use a heavy duty case that seals. (Pelican, Zero Halliburton, etc.) I do add a couple ¾” dia. x 12” desiccant tubes to keep the humidity down.
Like Bill P. at home I take a couple cases out. Since I usually have at least 2 or 3 scopes out, it’s easier to just take a bunch of EPs out. Where I live in the Colorado Rockies there’s not much trouble with humidity. I have a pair of TeleVue cases I seem to keep coming back to at home. Good size, easy to carry, easily arrangeable for different configurations. At home I also use the trays on the telescope/pier to hold the 3 or 4 most used EPs.
CS, Bill

Hi Mike,
I keep most of my EPs in the case too and only keep out those that are in use, 3-4 usually.