The Manfrotto's are fine, robust stands. I've used several for years, with no problems. I have both with- and without air cushioning. I think 'without' is good enough.
The intention of the air cushioning is not to provide a sort of shock-mounting of the mics during a recording, but simply to prevent equipment (or finger) damage from sudden, rapid, telescopic collapse of a pole section, because its screw had been improperly tightened. Such could happen in the heat of the fray, on hurriedly readjusting or dismantling a rig...or if other people start meddling to "help". With the cushioning, the subsidence is a tad more genteel and leisurely :-)....but I think all that is more pertinent when working with heavier lighting equipment rather than mics.