Review on SIRUI AM-254 Carbon Fiber Camera Tripod, Load Up To 12Kg/26.5Lbs,10-Layer Carbon Fiber by Johnny Chambers

I [urchased the AM-225 over the holidays and have been satisfied for now. I had previously owned the Sirui T-005x which is Sirui's cheaper entry level aluminum tripod. Despite serving its purpose, the stability on that tripod left me looking towards a different option.My setup consists of two Fujifilm cameras (X-T2 & X-H1) with an assortment of their lenses (10-24, 18-55, 50-140, 23 1.4), so I only reach 4.12lbs at the heaviest combination: X-H1 + 50-140mm + B-00k ballhead. With a max load of 13.2lbs, the AM-225 keeps me right at 1/3rd of load capacity. I am considering the AM-254 for additional stability (26.5lb load capacity), but my primary concern is weight savings because I use my gear while backpacking/hiking over long distances. For weight comparison purposes, the AM-225 + B00K ballhead comes in at 31.5oz on my scale which beats out my T-005x that comes in at 36.5oz.Between the T-005x vs AM-225, I've noticed an improvement in vibration dampening and overall stability, despite its lightweight. This of course is hard to quantify, but based on the sharpness my recent tripod stabilized photos, there's nothing to complain about.Another positive is how compact the tripod folds up. Because there isn't a center column extension built in, the legs of the tripod fold together in a much more compact position. The trade-off is a slightly lower max height (47in) and a slightly longer retracted height (16in). Personally, I don't mind the slightly longer retracted length as the compactness allows easier stowage in the side pockets on my backpack.That being said, I haven't fully put the AM-225 through it's paces and I haven't used it during harsh or inclement weather. TBD on how it holds up, but so far so good.