That's an interesting strategy Andy - so many different legs with a head for each. I do now own 2 sets - aluminium manfrotto 055 3 section, which is pretty old and battered, but still functional, and a new carbon fibre 055 4 section. I have 3 centre columns of different lengths with a head on each, and I interchange the centre column/head combo depending on the needs of the trip. My 3 heads are the manfrotto stirrup head, a manfrotto heavy duty ball head, and I have recently acquired a heavy duty geared head.
The stirrup is on a long centre column, that I can mount on the shelf of a hide if needed using a hide clamp, and these days, I tend just to use it for the spotting scope or digiscoping. If I am birding away from hides, it gets mounted on the aluminium legs.
The ballhead was my mainstay, being able to cope with any type of photography (although a bit fiddly to get set right for macro), until I bought the geared head. I still use the ball head, on the carbon legs, when I want a more compact and lightweight set-up for long walks or mountain trips. I generally dont use really big glass on these trips, so the lighter legs arent a problem. I still use the ballhead for the 500mm, as it copes well with the weight and size of the lens, but would use the heavier legs for preference with this lens.
The geared head usually goes with the aluminium legs, although I do use it on the carbon ones sometimes to reduce the weight a bit. This is usually for general/landscape/macro photography when I dont have to walk miles! I chose this head after trying a friend's one and finding it very easy to use, and less bulky than I had feared.
All tripod/head combos are a compromise - I'd be interested in how other people do things.
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