RRS 34L vs Vortex Radian Carbon Tripod

You've not mentioned which RRS tripod you're considering. The one to get in my opinion is the TVC-22i Mk2 SOAR. The inverted legs are a really great feature. I looked at the above RRS (whilst on a trip to the US) and it was a really nice piece of kit but I couldn't source one in Europe when it came time to buy as everywhere was out of stock so went for a cheaper alternative. It's clearly a copy of the RRS but for the money it's very good, though I concede maybe not quite as good as the RRS (or US/European made).

I ended up with a Leofoto SO-322C, MH-60 Ball Head & LSC-50 Lever-Release Hybrid Clamp