Another vote for Manfrotto 190

Head is personal taste and what you will be using it for you really need to try out the ball heads and the pan and tilt see which suits you best.

Anything but a Benbo Octupus - Jeeeeeeez I had one of those at the weekend to take dragon fly shots etc.  The legs definitely multiply when you try to use it I am sure there were more than 3 ! I gave up with it but my colleague perserved he said it was good once you got used to it

And every one said, 'If we only live,
We too will go to sea in a Sieve,---
To the hills of the Chankly Bore!'
Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, And they went to sea in a Sieve.

Edward Lear
http://www.nonsenselit.org/Lear/ns/jumblies.html