I use three Gitzo... older models that didn't have the anti-rotation leg feature of the newer models. Yet somehow I manage to loosen and tighten them.

The majority of tripods today use a twist type leg lock, similar to the Gitzo. And for tripods that will be carried and used in the field, personally I think that's the best type of leg lock. Other types(levers or thumbscrews are the primary ones) are more prone to wear, getting out of adjustment, jamming with dirt or failing and protrude to catch on things like branches, cuffs and sleeves. The twist type are resistant to dirt and water getting in, self-adjusting for any wear and they vert rarely fail. Not to mention, if needed I can still buy parts to repair 25 year old Gitzo models... while other brands have come and gone and replacement parts are unavailable.

The "trick" to using the twist type leg locks is to always work from the smallest to largest... loosening/extending/retightening the smallest diameter first.... then the next up in size... then the next (if needed... two of my three Gitzo have only 3-section legs... one is an extra tall that has four section, though I very rarely need to extend the smallest segment). Then when folding up the tripod, use a reversed procedure, working from largest diameter to smallest. That's worked for me fine for 20+ years, even with the older tripods that don't have the leg anti-rotation feature.

One tripod that's currently enjoying popularity, uses level locks and is quite compact is the Peak Design, available in carbon fiber or aluminum and is only available with an integrated head (Arca-Swiss quick release compatible). For me it's got a somewhat limited load rating (20 lb.) That's not surprising seeing it has 5-section legs. When there are a lot of sections, the lowest ones get pretty spindly in order to fit in the next size up. I avoid 5- and 6-section (or more!) tripods.

The Peak Design also is a bit short for my liking. Including the head in it's lowest position, it's just over 51"... and raising the head to it's max only adds about 9" to that. I'm not very tall (5' 9"), but my smaller Gitzo tripods put the camera mounting platform at 65" without any center column (6" of that is the head and a leveling platform below it). Approx. two more inches from the base of the camera to the viewfinder eyeport of the camera positions it comfortably for me, 2 or 3" above my eyeline. I can shoot without stooping at all, even when aiming the camera upward. And that's when using with the ballhead. I also use gimbals on them, which position the camera slightly higher still. And, again, for max stability those two tripods don't even have a center column. (My extra tall Gitzo does have a center column, though I rarely use it because even without it goes 7 ior 8" higher than my other gitzos, to at least 72"... and another 8 or 12" with the center column. I need a step stool to shoot with it at full extension!)

But if the Peak Design "fits you", it might be a good call: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1495136-REG/peak_design_tt_cb_5_150_cf_1_carbon_fiber_travel_tripod.html/specs

Aside from the Gitzo, one of which is my main, go to tripod... I also have several old Bogen/Manfrotto (same company as Gitzo, actually... also Sachtler, Joby, OConnor tripods... LowePro bags and more). The Manfrotto (or Bogen) heads I've got have all had to be modified to use Arca-compatible quick release. And two of those tripods have required some repair (leg locks on both, plus the head loosened up on one). My oldest is a Bogen from sometime before 1980... and is a real beast of a tripod. Close to 20 lb., I used it for a long time with large and medium format film cameras, as well as my SLR gear. I just got tired of hauling it around and bought my first Gitzo 20 some years ago (the other two are similar age, but were used when I bought them more recently). I still have a couple Manfrotto monopods and 4 or 5 "basic" aluminum Manfrotto/Bogen tripods (older models similar to today's MK055X Pro) that I've picked up for $10 to $15 used. The used Gitzo were a bit more money (though about 1/3 the price of buying new). But, hey, I can never pass up a bargain and you can never have too many tripods!

Most Manfrotto heads rely upon some secondary set screws underneath the platform the head sits upon, to lock the head in place. You have to loosen those before you can unscrew the head from the main 3/8" mounting bolt.

Gitzo tripods do not have any means of similarly locking a head in place, but do have a 3/8" main mounting bolt (that's the standard used on most tripods).

I use a high quality Kirk BH-1 ballhead on one of my Gitzo tripods and a cheap Smith-Victor BH8 on another. Both are heavy duty heads rated for 50 lb. and have stayed on the tripods just fine... never loosened up. Might be a good idea to put a bit of blue Locktite on the bolt, though I haven't done so. (Don't use the red, high strength Locktite.)

Neither Gitzo nor Manfrotto were offering heads with Arca-Swiss compatible quick release platforms, back when I got the tripods. That's one reason I went with other brands. (AFAIK, both now offer some heads with Arca QR compatibility... but pretty sure both still offer proprietary QR too, that aren't interchangeable with anyone else's.)

Incidentally, Manfrotto and Gitzo are owned by the same parent company. A British firm called Vitec Group owns both brands, as well as Joby, Sachtler, O'Connor, and Vinten tripods... plus Avenger stands, Lowepro camera bags and a wide variety of other photo gear.