Searching for a new Tripod

[Aaron KS197]

I am in the process of picking up a new tripod that I can use both for my spotting scope and my binos. I have been reading on the forum about different tripods and what it did was overwhelm me with choices and different features.
I want to be able to use it for sitting all day and glassing or if I wanted to stand (I'm 6'2).
I'm not sure what style of head would be best for glassing a ball head, three-way, or fluid system? What are the pros and cons of each?
I would like to keep the price under $150.
I have been looking at the Vortex tripods and Slik SPRINT PRO III.

Any suggestions or prior knowledge that can be used to help narrow down my decision would be helpful.

 

[glass eye]

I have this tripod in excellent condition with leg cushion protectors. Was thinking of listing it on ebay starting at $200 https://www.manfrotto.com/us-en/190...DDnJqxB3Ite3XJFpNbf7y3pFTqkNFmrhoCNI4QAvD_BwE

 

[Deleted member 16014]

In my experience anything I'm willing to carry regularly is nearly useless when fully extended, unless it's dead calm. If I wanted a tripod for frequent standing use it'd be a heavy mother with a video head. For general use the Slik Sprints are a good value IMO.

 

[glass eye]

In my experience anything I'm willing to carry regularly is nearly useless when fully extended, unless it's dead calm. If I wanted a tripod for frequent standing use it'd be a heavy mother with a video head. For general use the Slik Sprints are a good value IMO.

Hang your backpack on your tripod and that will eliminate a lot of distortion.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Hang your backpack on your tripod and that will eliminate a lot of distortion.

Not enough to matter IMO, wind starts blowing and the pack causes more trouble than it solves. I hang rocks in a stuff sack on mine at times when sitting, low to the ground and wind broken by my legs it doesn't act as a sail.

 

[Seamaster]

Good tripods are vastly more stable than the inexpensive choices but are well worth every cent. A good spotting scope is wasted if it is not stable and has a lot of vibration. I use Manfrotto tripods and heads but the Slik brand is very well thought of also. Good tripods are fairly heavy unless you spend double and get the carbon fiber models.

I like ball mounts for general photography but I do not like them for use with a spotting scope. With a spotting scope I like a fluid head. Once you start buying heads you will want to stick with one brand to make it easier to match the quick-change plates so pick a brand that has options. I may well be wrong but I believe the Vortex brand heads do not use commonly available plates.