Originally Posted by
DanK
Let me second that. If you don't, you will either be locked into a proprietary system or will have to swap plates when you have more than one clamp.
If you go to a reputable online store like B&H photo and search for carbon fiber tripods, you will find more brands than you would want to see. The way I handled this was to sort on price and then make a list of the features of moderately priced models from reputable brands like Oben, Sirui, Benro, and Slik, among others. Some sites, like B&H, have a detailed list of specs for every entry, so you can rapidly see the range of features.
Keep in mind as you look at them that some will have heads included, while many, including most of the better ones, won't. If you consider those that have heads included, be careful to check whether they have arca-swiss compatible clamps, as Manfred wrote. Manfrotto generally doesn't, but many brands do.