Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 vs Vanguard Alta Pro 283CT ... ?

So i've been looking at tripods for a while, I want to get it right the first time so don't mind spending a little bit more.
Selection criteria were mainly low-weight and high-height, namely <2kg and >170cm, then cost has to be factored in (and as long as it holds 4kg min, any more is a bonus).
It's weird how everything goes in circles, I'm about to close the loop and buy something finally, but just can't decide between the last 2 options.

At first, I loved the Manfrotto Carbons, but the 190-series were too low (tallest were just short of 160cm, I'd prefer more though), although the price and weight were right.
Gitzo was out from the start, namely for the price, the cheapest are over $600 and still not 'perfect'
The Manfrotto 055CX ones looked perfect, tall enough (170-180cm), light enough (1.6-1.8kg), holds enough (7-8kg), but the prices around here are extortionate, $600 in a shop, even online/import/grey-market you couldn't do much better than $500.
I looked around a bit more, checked out some Velbon and Vanguard that are stocked locally, but they only carry the cheaper-models, and I couldn't find cheaper (or even at all) online for Aus delivery.
At this point I'm thinking I'd settle for the Manfrotto MT294A3, Aluminium but still light enough, just carries a bit less and is a bit shorter.

Then I find on ebay in the UK, a guy selling a 'refurb' 055cxpro3 for the equivalent of $350 shipped. I missed out on it for lack of cash then it sold, but after some more searching I found a whole heap of people in Korea or Hong Kong selling them for $350-400 shipped. Looked reputable enough, even if without warranty. I'd though about it enough and pretty much decided that this would be my future tripod, the construction and weight, size, and the Q90 horizontallable-column looks really nice.

Meanwhile, as a general rule, I've never bothered with B+H and Adorama, I checked the price on a CPL once and they asked $70 for shipping to Aus for a $100 filter that would fit in a $3 bubble-envelope.
But then the circle came around again, and I'm looking for either Kirk or RRS L-brackets to go with the to-be-purchased tripod. After searching and searching, I'm making the call that either of these are simply Unavailable in Australia, full-stop. So I check out B+H, they've got the Kirk L-bracket for $140, plus $70 for the shipping, still cheaper than anywhere else even when including the rip-off shipping. While I'm there, I see that they've got the 055CXPRO3 for only $304; even with the shipping total, that's 35% lower than anywhere in Aus. All up with the L-bracket, ballhead, tripod, lens-plates and quick-releases, they still only want the same $70 shipping.

I was about to pull the trigger when I notice that the Vanguard 283CT is around the same price, $330 or so.
The specs are almost identical: both carry 8kg, Vanguard to 170cm, Manfrotto to 175cm, V 136.5cm column-down, M to 140cm, V packs to 64cm, M to 65cm, V weighs 1.70kg, M 1.78kg, both have bubble-level (M on column-top, V on leg-tops, but Wimberly C-12 has it on the QR plate anyway)
The Vanguard also has the rotating centre-column, but they take it a step further, lockable at any angle from 0-180 degrees, not just 0 or 90 like the Manfrotto. Other minor differences are the leg latched, screws vs clips, I'm used to screws on the Aluminium-borrow one i'm using atm, but clips I don't mind either (screws on the Vanguard look like they'll take less-volume and pack neater though, and won't catch on things as easily).

So now I'm leaning towards the Vanguard, for the extra $30 you also get a carry-bag and stone-hammock for stability, but I envisage just leaving them at home when travelling and hiking. For almost exactly the same specs and price, the multi-angle column looks like it's worth the extra bit of scratch.
I know Manfrotto has the 'good' name and a lot of people swear by them (those who can't afford Gitzo, that is), but then how much are you paying for reputation/name?
Has anyone used either of these models?
Any comments pro/con about either, or just either brand in general, quality etc?


ps, linky clickables:
http://www.manfrotto.com/055-carbon-...section-tripod
http://www.vanguardworld.com.au/inde...1-4-15-86.html


(And the rest of the kit is just about concrete, Arca-swiss Monoball P0, Wimberly C12 and P10, Kirk 7D L-bracket and LRP-1 long-plate for macros, if any of that is relevant...)