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Rating: 
Summary: Possibly the best aluminum tripod.
Review: After fairly exhaustive research, I found this to be the best portable fullsized aluminum tripod. Now, after a few months of use, it has failed to disappoint.
The listed features all function smoothly. In particular, the multiple leg angles often come in handy and operate very effortlessly, while maintaining a solid feel. The outermost setting allows the legs to be spread flat along the ground. Angling the legs out a few clicks requires no special attention at teardown - just fold it back up.
The head can be kept mounted on the center column to switch to either horizontal operation or to insert the top section of the column directly into the tripod base for a lower angle.
In addition, I found that the quick-release leg snaps require much less effort/time to set up and tear down than the double-wing locking knobs found on many other tripods. (Though if you want to fine-tune individual leg length often, their open/closed operation may be a problem - there is no "slightly open, slides down slowly" state as there is with the knobs.)
I personally have not come across the re-tightening issue mentioned in the pervious review, but I keep the snaps very tight, and the tripod comes with the tiny angled socket wrench needed to make these adjustments. (Though I would not trust the little ring on which the wrench comes mounted to the tripod for one day outside...)
The weight (9.7 lbs with the 3047 head I use and would recommend) could, I guess, be an issue, but carrying it around for a few hours at a time on a strap it has never been a problem for me. (I use a strap from a tripod bag I got but have found a pain to actually carry around.) ...Especially considering that anything substantially lighter (carbon) would cost more than twice as much for the same feature set.
The strap attachment point at the top appears to have been redesigned for the better - it is no longer the flimsy loop seen in most images but a solid metal U-shape. This will fit just about any strap hook you would like.
The tripod does get quite chilly in cold weather, (yeah, it's metal) but its "leg warmers" (textured rubber tubes over the top half of the top section of 2 legs) and some thin leather gloves through which you can still use your equipment should really make this a non-issue... you are, after all, out in the cold.
Consider the add-on leg spikes from Bogen if your outdoors also include ice, though I have not found a problem with the stock hard rubber tips on any surface I have trusted the setup with to begin with.
In short, this is the best tripod I could find for the cost, I have never been distracted by it when I'd rather be shooting, and I would only hypothetically look for something else if extreme light weight at any cost became the goal.
Rating: 
Summary: Very good but not perfect
Review: Pros: solid, fairly tall, independant leg movement, center column can be mounted horizontaly.Cons: not light, locks need tightening on regular basis (8mm socket wrench), acts as heat sink in cold weather.
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