In choosing quality, IMO, you also have to look at the build and reputation of the manufacturer to judge whether a premium price is worth spending for you.

Before my Gitzo I had bought a carbon Induro (aka Benro). It "looked" decent, but it definitely wasn't built as robustly as the Gitzo. I ended up taking it back because the center tube cracked as a result of the mounting base coming unglued from within it. I *almost* lost my camera off the edge of a cliff while taking some photos.