First, I would look at application and rifles. You mentioned shooting and optics so that takes the tripods to a certain diameter to accommodate. How will you lockup the rifle & optics on your tripod? Best is ARCA if your rifle will accommodate it. If not, go Spartan system. The saddles sort of work. I would probably mount a lightweight fill bag rather than saddle but either is not even close to the ARCA or Spartan pin. ARCA and spartan pin also help recoil since the tripod is now part of the recoiling mass. If your pack is hanging on the Tripod apex now you have maybe 50lbs of rifle/tripod/pack weight controlling recoil. It's a nice side benefit.
Once you decide how you will attach, if it's ARCA, no question RRS Anvil 30 is best. Ball heads are ok. If Spartan system, Davros Pro first, adapted Anvil 30 second (plus would work with ARCA easily for multiple varying rifles and optics) then adapted ball head. I have ball heads, Anvil Pro and will be getting the Anvil 30. When I went to buy the Anvil 30 they were upgrading to the new R-Lock system so I decided to wait.
Tripods, RRS is best period. Though not by the margin that the Anvil 30 is over other heads. I have Leofoto, Artcise and Innorel, IMO all are like 80-90% of RRS. RRS is USA made here in Utah, that's worth a lot. They are the standard to judge by no question. Someone please correct me if I am wrong but as far as I know EVERYTHING else is imported and rebranded. Once you step away from RRS, save your money and pick the original import rather than a rebranded and marked up price import. As far as size goes with RRS to pack go 2 series, if weight and bulk is of less importance and you want concrete bench stable, go 3 series. With imported, tube sizes, 40mm main tube is my largest and is roughly comparable to 3 series. My Leofoto/Davros Pro setup I hunt with is 32mm main tube 3 section. If you compare the tube sizes to RRS, the imported of same diameters will be comparable to stability of RRS.
Pick something you can comfortably stand and shoot from even downhill. That means a taller tripod than you would use on flat.
Less sections are lighter, stiffer and deploy faster but are longer on your pack. The have less joints and the lower sections get progressively smaller as you go down. I recently changed to a 3 section Leofoto over a 4 section Artcise after shooting with a buddy that is short. He could extend 3 rather than 4 legs and was like measurably faster deploying than I was. 3x the fourth extension adds up. The 4th section also get noticeably less stable. New 3 section tripod is 1lb lighter with some careful component selections at a little more $ and couple of inches longer pack height.
I would do the compact head not a bowl. The RRS is super slick and integrates the Anvil 30 in a pocket, and it's lighter. There are a lot of details you can dive into that each make a measurable difference on weight and performance but you have to pick a direction to start down.
If I was starting over I would do the Leofoto I have with Davros Pro because there isn't a RRS solution that does the same thing. I would also get a 3 Series RRS w/Anvil-30 for the ARCA stuff.
First photo are 32mm main tubes three on the left, right is 40mm.
Second photo are the two tripods on the right in a Kifaru door Gunner and 22 Mag. I couldn't fit the 40mm Tripod in the Door Gunner, it's snug in the 22 Mag. The Leofoto w/Anvil weighs 3-1/2lbs all in. I plan on putting an Anvil 30 on the larger tripod.