I like the Manfritto line of tripods. They offer light but sturdy tripods. There are some good tripods that cost less. Really Right Stuf offers a good tripod. If you fly a lot and want to take your tripod with you, look for one that folds down very short. It will fit in a backpack or suitcase. Look at either B&H or Adorama, they carry an exstensive line of tripods. Both companies offer good advice. Shutterbug magazine had a good article on travel tripods last year. Travel tripods are study but collapse to a shorter length than regular tripods. Carbon fiber tripods offer somewhat less weight, but higher cost. When I bought mine tripod, I went with regular aluminum because I felt carbon fiber ones were not that much lighter and I felt the difference was not worth the added cost. I bought mine 7 years ago, so things may have changed.
Think about what type of ball head you want. If you shoot birds in flight, a gimbal head is a good way to go. They are not cheap.
If you have any more questions, send me a private email and I will answer them for you.