I upgraded from a Vanguard 283CT to get something more solid. I wanted a simple tripod without center post.
FEISOL
The first impression is how beefy everything is, and how light. It is the same weight as the Vanguard. The carbon fiber legs, three sections with turn locks are substantial and stiff. The bottom section, the smallest is the same as the largest on my monopod. The locks work well, but they have to be kept clean. I shoot in wet locations and the water and mud wasn't liked.
The base section is solid, the legs just the right stiffness. I didn't get the steel pegs because most of my shooting is on soft ground, but if you set up on concrete or rocks the plastic feet would wear. The mechanism is simple; a wide short lever on each hinge that locks the legs at the angles. There are set screws to tighten things up. The plate is large, my gimbal base disappears into it. There is a 3/8 threaded mount. The base can be swapped for a leveling base or one with an extended center post.
I'm 5'8" tall. With my Jobu-Design JR3 gimbal mounted, at full height it is about 4" too tall. I marked the bottom section with a red sharpie to make it easy and quick to set it up without having to stand on something. So it would be adequate for someone taller than me without the center post.
My shooting style is to walk with my setup, legs extended until I find something, then quickly set up the tripod and shoot. Sometimes I set it up for a longer period, but mostly quick setup and then moving on. It is a quick as it could be. I couldn't shoot my DA*300 on the Vanguard without mirror up and other precautions, and with the 1.4 tc it was blurry. The Feisol is solid enough. I probably will upgrade my gimbal to something heavier to get rid of the final source of vibration.
This isn't a travel tripod. The four section would be shorter by almost 5".
Negatives? The twist locks are, well, twist locks. Two things I have noticed. The material seems to change diameter slightly if the temperature changes. If I take it from home, to the field and extend the legs immediately, as the legs cool to outside temperature the locks become a bit loose. The opposite occurs as well. When I unextend the legs for travel I tighten the locks slightly so they don't flop out. If it is placed in a warm vehicle, the locks tighten up. If the locks are twisted hard, sometimes it requires a bit of twisting and pushing the legs in to loosen the lock. I've taught myself to not tighten them hard when storing the tripod.
There aren't setscrews from the bottom of the base through to fix the head. This hadn't been an issue for me.
I got a tripod and bag. No instructions or tools. Not a real negative, I have allen keys and the internet to find instructions if I want some.
I got it shipped and taxes in for $613 CAD from store.vancouverphoto.net. They were quick to ship and had stock.
Worth it? So far yes. Three ways.
The Vanguard legs were getting loose and didn't respond to tightening which was a nuisance. I would be carrying it extended and the legs would be flopping about. It served me well, and is a great tripod for lighter or shorter applications. It will be going off for warranty repairs, and I hate being without gear.
The Vanguard plus gimbal plus K-3 1.4 tc and DA*300 seemed to set up a harmonic vibration. It was ok with only the 300mm, but the extender seemed to make the whole thing buzz. I'm getting good results from the new tripod. The gimbal and lens plus TC works fine on my monopod oddly enough. In any case the tripod was a problem.
In spite of the extra bulk and weight I find an advantage to having a tripod; I can take movie shots. The Vanguard was too unstable; my videos would have vibration at the beginning and end from me tripping the shutter. Yes, there are tools and ways, but videos are a secondary bonus and I don't carry my remote triggering gear with me. I will take a number of still shots, making sure I get a good one or two, and if the subject hangs around I'll do a video. On the Feisol, it is substantially more solid and the vibrations aren't a problem.