I spent forever worrying about my camera tipping over too. I finally bought the Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod with SBH-100 Ball Head and it is incredibly stable. It has a hexagonal center column that wont twist, which I love. If thats too heavy for hiking, the SmallRig CT180 Lightweight Aluminum Tripod with Ball Head is much lighter and fits your budget. Both have been super reliable and work well, honestly no complaints.

To add to the point above: you gotta be careful because unfortunately some of the highly rated budget picks are total letdowns. I had issues with a generic travel one that claimed to support 15lbs but wobbled like crazy in a light breeze. If youre going to Maine, youll probably deal with some wind on the coast. I would look at the Sirui T-005X Aluminum Tripod with C-10S Ball Head or the Benro Slim Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod with N00 Ball Head. The Sirui is surprisingly robust for the price but its kinda short. The Benro is easier to pack but feels slightly less premium than I hoped. If you want more technical data, definitely look up The Center Column website. They do actual lab testing on vibrations and stiffness which is way better than just reading random reviews. It helped me realize that most tripods under 100 bucks just arent worth the risk for a Z6ii.

Over the years, I have found that you dont need a special Nikon screw since cameras use the standard 1/4-20 thread. For Maine, you really need a payload capacity that handles at least double your gear weight.

• stick with aluminum
• prioritize a ball head Honestly, just get any travel tripod from Manfrotto. They have great locking mechanisms and are very stable.