Just found this thread... i went through this last year. Finding stable gear is hard cuz cheap materials fail under load. Unfortunately, my first tripod leg locks literally snapped. Safety-wise, it was not as good as expected and almost dropped my R10!

• I eventually got the K&F Concept 64 inch Aluminum Camera Tripod ($75).
• Plus the Neewer USB-C to LP-E17 Dummy Battery Adapter ($25). Total was under $150. peace

In my experience, you gotta be careful with cheap gear cuz I've seen too many cameras drop! I suggest:

• MeFOTO RoadTrip S Travel Tripod: Pro: Stable and fits the budget. Con: Twist locks take time.
• Vanguard VEO 3GO 204AB Tripod: Pro: Very light. Con: Kinda shaky in high wind. Also, the Baseus 30W 20000mAh Power Bank is perfect for the R10. TL;DR: MeFOTO is sturdier for wind. gl!

> I am looking for an affordable, sturdy tripod that is lightweight enough for hiking but stable enough for windy days. Late to the party but I gotta jump in with a warning about those bargain-bin tripods... honestly they can be a TOTAL trap. I once had my setup literally tip over because the legs were too thin and didnt have a weight hook lol. Make sure to check for that hook so you can hang your backpack for stability!! Check out the B&H travel tripod guides or the DPReview forums if you havent yet... they have great technical analysis on this stuff. Plus, there is a great resource at the Cameratimes website that lists compatible power banks for Canon. For your power issue, I compare it like this:

• Multiple spares: Easy to carry but you might shake the camera during the swap.
• USB-C PD: Very convenient but the R10 is sooo picky about which power banks actually trigger charging.
• Dummy battery: Best for 10-hour sessions but adds a lot of cable clutter. IMO, the USB-C route is the winner if you get a high-quality PD bank. Just be careful with cheap cables cuz they wont deliver enough juice, you know? Good luck!!

@Reply #2 - good point! Hanging your bag is a total game changer!! I was honestly so terrified of my R10 falling over during my first trip to the coast that I stayed awake half the night worrying about it. I actually ended up using a mesh laundry bag filled with heavy beach stones as a DIY stabilizer because I didnt trust the wind!! It worked like a charm and cost me zero dollars lol. If youre looking to save cash, these are amazing:

• SmallRig CT10 Aluminum Camera Tripod - it is so light for hiking but feels way safer once you hang a bag on it.
• Gonine LP-E17 Dummy Battery Kit - this is super reliable for those long time-lapses. I love finding these little workarounds because gear is so expensive! Just be super careful with the tripod legs on uneven dirt... I always double check mine like three times before I let go!! It feels so good when you finally get that perfect shot without breaking the bank.

Oh man, I totally get the struggle with the R10 battery life. It is honestly pretty tiny for long time-lapses. > I am looking for an affordable, sturdy tripod that is lightweight enough for hiking but stable enough for windy days. For your situation, I would suggest looking at the K&F Concept 64 inch Aluminum Camera Tripod S210. It is actually really solid for the price and fits right into a hiking pack. But be careful on super windy days... you basically gotta hang your camera bag on the center hook for extra stability!! For the power issue, grab the Neewer LP-E17 USB Dummy Battery Adapter and plug it into the Anker 325 Power Bank 20000mAh. It literally lasts all night for star trails. Total cost is like 145 dollars so youre right under budget. Just make sure the bank is in a secure spot so it doesnt pull on the cable... peace!!

sooo i actually had a light tripod tip over during a hike once and it literally almost smashed my R10... honestly so scary. i would suggest that you dont need a heavy one if you just use weights?

• get one with a center hook
• hang ur backpack for stability it works well tho and saves ur back!! peace