D-Handle with included Farpoint Dovetail Adapter

Product Overview

This kit pairs a closed D-shaped carry handle with the Farpoint Dovetail Accessory Adapter (FDA), the quick-release base that clamps onto a D-size (Losmandy-style) dovetail bar. The grip is a closed loop, much like a suitcase handle, so the hand passes through it and the tube’s weight is taken by the bar instead of by the focuser or the corrector cell. The clamp tightens with a knob, so the handle goes on and comes off without tools and sits anywhere along the bar. CNC-machined in the USA; the complete kit weighs 0.69 lb (313 g).

Who It’s For

This is a good match if you…

• Carry a tube any distance and want a closed grip the hand cannot slip out of.
• Run a D-size (Losmandy-style) dovetail and have no FDA base yet.
• Prefer a suitcase-style loop to the open hook profile of the L-handle.
• Want a handle that unclamps in seconds so it clears the saddle once the tube is mounted.

Key Features & Design

• Complete kit: both the D handle and the FDA quick-release adapter are included.
• Closed D loop: a full hoop grip, so the hand is enclosed rather than resting in an open hook.
• Quick-release knob: tool-free on and off, with no hex keys needed to fit or remove the handle.
• Positions anywhere along the bar: the clamp holds on the dovetail taper rather than in a hole, so the handle can sit over the balance point.
• 0.69 lb complete: light enough to leave fitted during transport.
• CNC-machined in the USA: aluminum construction cut to a repeatable profile.

Mechanical Design

The FDA does the holding. Its body straddles a D-size bar and a knob draws a clamping jaw against the dovetail’s angled edges, so the grip comes from the taper of the bar itself rather than from a set screw pressed into one flat face. That is why the adapter holds at any point along the bar’s length and can be slid to the tube’s balance point by feel. The D handle then bolts to the FDA’s accessory face, and the same face takes the other accessories in the range — the open L-handle, or a ball head camera adapter for piggyback imaging — so the base stays on the bar even when what sits on top changes.

Recommended Uses

• Lifting an SCT or refractor tube from its case onto the mount saddle.
• Carrying a tube across a field or down stairs, where a closed grip keeps the hand captive.
• Moving a tube between storage and an observing pad at each end of a session.
• Leaving an FDA base on the bar and swapping between a handle and a ball head camera adapter.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

The FDA base clamps to D-size (Losmandy-style) dovetail bars only; the narrower V-size (Vixen-style) bar is a different profile and the adapter does not span it. The handle mounts to the FDA accessory face, which is shared across the Farpoint FDA range — the L-handle kit is the open-hook equivalent of this one, and the D handle is also sold on its own for anyone who already owns an FDA. Tell us your telescope and the dovetail bar on it and we’ll confirm the fit.

Good to Know Before You Order

• D-size bars only. The FDA base spans the D (Losmandy-style) profile and does not clamp the narrower V-size Vixen bar.
• The FDA is included here. Owners of an existing FDA generally buy the D handle on its own rather than this kit.
• The handle occupies space on the bar. Where the saddle clamps over the same stretch, the handle comes off by the knob and refits afterwards.
• D-grip or L-grip. This is the closed suitcase-style loop; the open hook profile is the L-handle version of the same kit.
• Kit weight is 0.69 lb (313 g). Left fitted, that weight rides on the tube.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to install?

The FDA clamps over the dovetail bar and tightens with a knob, so fitting takes seconds and needs no tools. The handle arrives on the adapter, or attaches to its accessory face with the supplied hardware.

Is the dovetail adapter included?

Yes. This kit includes both the D handle and the Farpoint Dovetail Accessory Adapter.

Will it fit my dovetail bar?

The FDA base clamps to D-size (Losmandy-style) bars. Narrower V-size (Vixen-style) bars use a different profile.

D-handle or L-handle — what is the difference?

Both attach to the FDA. The D handle is a closed loop, like a suitcase handle; the L-handle is an open hook the hand enters from the side.

Can the handle be moved along the bar?

Yes. The clamp holds on the dovetail taper rather than in a hole, so it can sit anywhere along the bar, including over the balance point.

Bottom Line

In short: a closed suitcase-style carry handle and the FDA quick-release adapter in one 0.69 lb kit, clamping anywhere along a D-size dovetail bar and coming off without tools.