Welcome to the forums Paul.
As many have said on here over time. The best scope is the one you'll use most.
And if you're already worried about transporting/carrying and the general ergonomics of working with a large scope then it may not be the best thing.
Working with an 8" in my backyard I can get pretty decent views of dsos and planets. Thats with a street light shining directly into my backyard. *curse those power wasters*.
Sounds like you're no stranger to the skies, so you probably know fairly well what you want out of a scope.
The rest goes to gut feel.
Good luck!
