Key Points
- Our choice for the #1 Best Overall Go Pro Accessory is: GoPro Karma Grip
- GoPro is an incredibly versatile and durable action camera
- That versatility is a double-edged sword as the features that are included out of the box are fairly generic.
- Purchasing accessories can help you make the most of your GoPro by giving you a level of customization most cameras don’t have.
- Some types of accessories you may want to consider include mounts and tripods, aquatic accessories, power sources, and memory and data storage.
GoPro is one of the most widely used action cameras on the market today. When it first hit the scene, it was a revolutionary piece of technology. Now high-quality, high-resolution video could be captured in even the most extreme conditions. Technical advancements, such as GoPro’s signature wide-angle lens, gave people the ability to take photos and videos everywhere, which was unimaginable at the time.
Then in 2009, a revolution happened. Apple introduced the iPhone 3GS, the first iPhone with built-in video capabilities, and every other smartphone manufacturer followed suit. Now everyone had a camera in their pocket and the point-and-shoot video camera market was set up for a crash.
GoPro was able to weather the storm, thanks to the niche qualities of its product. Known worldwide as the camera that can survive anything, GoPro leaned into that reputation. Their cameras have become waterproof by default, the casings have become hardier, and the accessories have become more diverse, allowing for the little action cams to adapt to any situation. After reviewing the options, here are our top picks for best GoPro Accessories:
$119.95Buy on Amazon- Stabilization gimbal
- Provides smooth footage
- Built-in controls
- Lightweight and compact
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12/04/2023 02:00 am GMT
$29.99Buy on Amazon- Versatile GoPro mount
- Great POV footage
- Lightweight
- Fits easily over most coats
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12/04/2023 01:42 am GMT
$49.99Buy on Amazon- Super bright LED light
- Output up to 200 lumens
- Up to 6 hours on one charge
- Waterproof
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12/04/2023 01:42 am GMT
Buy on Amazon- For underwater recording
- No tools are required for attachment
- Color correction for a variety of situations
- Rugged impact-resistant glass.
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$24.99Buy on Amazon- Spare battery for GoPro
- Holds up to a 1720mAh charge
- Extends your GoPro recording time
- Easy to transport
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12/04/2023 01:48 am GMT
$15.29Buy on Amazon- 128GB micro-SD card
- Fast enough for 4K
- Includes adapter for standard SD ports
- Affordable enough for multiple purchases
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12/04/2023 01:48 am GMT
$29.95Buy on Amazon- Versatile, lightweight tripod
- Flexible legs wrap around most objects
- Comes with GoPro mount
- Supports standard cameras too
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12/04/2023 01:48 am GMT
$20.99Buy on Amazon- Holds camera and accessories
- Pre-cut foam interior
- Water-resistant
- Perfect for travel
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12/04/2023 01:48 am GMT
History-Computer’s Top Picks for Best GoPro Accessories
#1 Best Overall GoPro Accessory: GoPro Karma Grip
- Stabilization gimbal
- Provides smooth footage
- Built-in controls
- Lightweight and compact
GoPros come equipped with built-in image stabilization but in some conditions, it isn’t enough. The Karma Grip can lend a hand in extremely choppy conditions. Gimbals have quickly become a must-have accessory in action photography and for good reason. A good gimbal can provide shake-free video footage, even in the bumpiest of conditions. Gimbal-based stabilizers like this little grip help the camera stay fixed on one axis, even if the camera operator is moving around a lot.
The GoPro Karma Grip only weighs about a pound, making it compatible with other GoPro mounts. This also makes it easy to hold or fix to a GoPro backpack. It’s equipped with controls that allow you to start and stop recording, make adjustments to the camera angle, and also tag footage while you’re on the go. The battery for this gimbal maxes out at around two hours, but that should be sufficient for most situations.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It is light and compact. | The battery life is only about two hours long. |
| The built-in controls give you ultimate mastery of your image. | The controls aren’t intuitive and require some practice. |
| It provides excellent, smooth footage. |
Best for Extreme Sports: Chesty Performance Chest Mount
- Versatile GoPro mount
- Great POV footage
- Lightweight
- Fits easily over most coats
Chest mounts generally outperform head mounts in terms of pleasing camera angles and steadiness of shots. The Chesty Performance Chest Mount is padded, adjustable, and flexible enough to fit over just about any ski jacket. The shoulder straps will ensure that Your GoPro is secure no matter what kind of slopes, bumps, and jumps, you tackle. Weighing in at a mere five ounces, this camera mount is also breathable so it will never feel cumbersome. This mount provides stable footage from a viewer-friendly point of view. We recommend it over a helmet mount in just about every situation.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It provides a better point of view than head mounts. | Its size makes it difficult to pack when traveling. |
| Attachment to your body helps the GoPro feel light. | The straps can get caught on branches fairly easily. |
| Its flexible straps will fit most body types and go over most coats. |
Best for Low Light Conditions: GoPro Light Mod
- Super bright LED light
- Output up to 200 lumens
- Up to 6 hours on one charge
- Waterproof
This little GoPro Light Mod LED light provides four brightness settings, the highest of which gives up to 200 lumens of output. That puts it on the same level of light output as the best headlamps on the market. The Mod’s casing is a solid carbon fiber, which means it is waterproof up to 33 feet, making it perfect for a shallow scuba dive. It’s also good for a long hike or overnight rock climb. It comes with a rechargeable battery that will last you about six hours. The strobe feature makes it a good beacon in emergency situations. So you aren’t just buying a camera accessory, you are also buying a piece of survival gear.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Its LED lights provide an output of up to 200 lumens. | It is only compatible with the most recent models of GoPro. |
| The light provides up to six hours of illumination on one charge. | |
| It is waterproof. |
Best Underwater GoPro Accessory: PolarPro DiveMaster Filter Kit
- For underwater recording
- No tools are required for attachment
- Color correction for a variety of situations
- Rugged impact-resistant glass.
These high-end filters, like the PolarPro DiveMaster Filter Kit, are similar to ND filters for your DSLR. They are meant to counteract the odd color casts and neutralize the contrast issues that always seem to pop up during underwater shooting. GoPro’s signature fish-eye look comes from their development of cameras that function extremely well in submerged conditions. This filter kit lets you more accurately capture the things that you see when you’re shooting your scuba or snorkeling session.
These filters provide a bit more vibrancy, which is important given the muddled blues and greens that are always present in the water. The red DiveMaster lens filter is ideal for blue water, whereas the magenta is great to balance out the green. There’s also a handy snorkel filter that’s perfect for skimming just under the surface. These are an essential part of any GoPro accessory kit that is meant for underwater shooting.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Attachment to the camera is easy and requires no tools. | They are small and therefore easy to lose. |
| They provide color correction for a variety of situations. | |
| Each one is made from rugged impact-resistant glass. |
Best for Additional Power: GoPro Enduro Battery
- Spare battery for GoPro
- Holds up to a 1720mAh charge
- Extends your GoPro recording time
- Easy to transport
The Enduro battery was designed for the GoPro Hero11 but it is also compatible with the Hero 10 Black and Hero 9 Black. Unfortunately, it isn’t compatible with any of the other older GoPro models. However, if you have a newer model, this will increase your runtime by giving you a 1720mAh battery capacity. This is a crucial accessory for those who want to record videos for an extended period of time.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It holds up to a 1720mAh charge. | The battery is only compatible with the most recent models of GoPro. |
| It is easy to recharge and reuse. |
Best for Additional Data Storage: SanDisk 128GB Memory Card
- 128GB micro-SD card
- Fast enough for 4K
- Includes adapter for standard SD ports
- Affordable enough for multiple purchases
This 128GB card has enough storage capacity to handle high-res 4K HD files. It also performs well with high frame rates, reading footage at about 160MB per second. Providing 128GB of storage for under $25 is a pretty good bargain. It’d be ideal for content creators who use their GoPro to capture a lot of footage.
The affordable price tag also makes it ideal for GoPro users in general. We recommend that people using their GoPro in extreme conditions buy a couple of these cards and swap them out periodically. That way if something happens and you lose the GoPro, you won’t also lose the entire day’s footage.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It is fast enough to handle 4K footage. | It is very small and therefore easy to lose. |
| SanDisk is a reputable brand, which means you won’t have to worry about lost footage. | |
| It is affordable, which means you can buy multiples for jobs that require a lot of data. |
Best GoPro Tripod: Joby GorillaPod Action
- Versatile, lightweight tripod
- Flexible legs wrap around most objects
- Comes with GoPro mount
- Supports standard cameras too
The flexible design of this tripod allows it to grab and wrap itself around just about any object. This makes it a versatile tool in any situation and as a bonus, even makes it easier to carry. The GorillaPods are equipped with articulating legs that allow them to hold onto and wrap any object of appropriate size.
They are also flexible enough to hold your GoPro steady in nearly any position. Designed specifically with action cameras in mind, this model comes equipped with a GoPro mount but can be adapted with a standard mount for other cameras if necessary.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It is extremely versatile. | Its short legs aren’t ideal for ground placement. |
| A GoPro mount is included with the purchase. | |
| It is light enough to carry but heavy enough to support standard cameras. |
Best for Traveling: Surewo Surface Waterproof Case
- Holds camera and accessories
- Pre-cut foam interior
- Water-resistant
- Perfect for travel
Not only does this Surewo case have a waterproof surface, but it also provides padded protection for your GoPro while offering a handy place to secure your other accessories. GoPros are designed to be tough little cameras, but without a proper case, you could be adding unnecessary wear and tear and shortening your camera’s life.
The Surewo Surface case has a pre-cut foam insert that provides handy and secure compartments for your camera, up to three spare batteries, a hand-held grip, and some smaller mounts. Not only does it provide protection, but also organization. The importance of organization is often overlooked, but it can save you valuable seconds when you need to get the shot.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It is spacious enough for a camera and several accessories. | It is not submersible. |
| The pre-cut foam insert makes it easy to organize your gear. | |
| It is water-resistant. |
How to Pick the Best GoPro Accessory: Step by Step
©Vladeep/Shutterstock.com
There are literally hundreds of GoPro Accessories and the ones you need will, of course, vary depending on what you’re using your camera for. However, generally speaking, the majority of GoPro accessories can be broken down into four main categories.
- Mounts and Tripods
- Aquatic Accessories
- Power Sources
- Memory and Data Storage
Let’s review each of these categories in more detail.
Mounts and Tripods
Choosing the right accessory depends on your own individual needs, and that goes double when choosing the right way to mount your GoPro. In situations where you want that traditional first-person POV GoPro look, you’ll want a wearable mount. Whether it’s a shoulder, head, or our recommendation, chest mount, these wearable accessories will give you the ability to get the footage you want hands-free. That will allow you to concentrate on the moment and really live it, rather than watch it through your camera’s viewscreen.
There are a lot of mounts specifically made for vehicles if that better suits your needs. Handlebar or pole mounts allow you to attach a GoPro to your bike. For motor vehicles, a suction mount tends to do the trick. Flexible tripods are very versatile and can be adapted to most situations, and a gimbal is a great choice when you are walking.
Aquatic Accessories
GoPro is the perfect underwater camera, and if that’s what you’re using it for, you want to make sure you have the right aquatic add-ons to help you get the best possible footage. Aqua filter packs can help you with color correction in extreme conditions underwater.
Cameras need light and diving isn’t always conducive to that. In those cases, an underwater light can be indispensable. Most late-model GoPros are waterproof down to 33 feet, but if you ever need a camera when you’re deep-sea diving, you should consider a scuba-suitable housing unit. A few of those can provide protection to your GoPro all the way down to 197 feet.
Power Sources
You don’t always have the luxury of charging a camera when you’re out in the middle of nowhere on an adventure. Spare batteries are the obvious and straightforward solution to this dilemma. Power packs and portable chargers are also great accessories to pick up, especially if you may be in the wild for an extended period of time. If you will be in and out of places that allow you to charge, you may want to pick up a dual battery kit so that you can simultaneously power up multiple batteries at once.
Memory and Data Storage
Along the same lines, the nature of the GoPro means you might be using it in a situation that doesn’t afford you the luxury of uploading your footage to a computer right away. Video files, especially HD ones, are enormous and can really eat into your available memory. It’s a good idea to pick up a spare card or two so that you don’t have to worry about offloading footage or lugging around a portable hard drive when you’re out in the field.
What to Know Before Buying GoPro Accessories
©aquapix/Shutterstock.com
A couple of microSD cards and some spare batteries should probably be on everyone’s list, but after that, the accessories you choose depend greatly upon what you plan to do with your GoPro. More than likely you’ll need some kind of mount or adapter so you can attach the camera and let it record.
GoPros are designed to cut out unwanted noise like wind, but if you want quality audio, you’ll need to invest in a decent external microphone. A good light can also go a long way, especially if you are someone who films at night, or in dark conditions a lot.
Plus, while most late-model GoPros are water-resistant down to 33 feet, you may need to invest in a quality waterproof case if you’re going any deeper than that. A flotation device is also a must-have for aquatic adventurers. These little devices can prevent your GoPro from winding up at the bottom of the sea.
Using GoPro Accessories: What it’s Like
The right GoPro accessories can make a world of difference when it comes to capturing quality footage in extreme conditions. Mounts, lens filters, external lights, and other add-ons help you get the most out of your GoPro by enabling you to shoot in different conditions while maintaining consistent quality.
GoPro cameras open up opportunities for adventurous content creators looking to capture their death-defying experiences. However, they also give normal people access to an incredibly durable, high-quality camera at an affordable price. No matter which of these types of photographers you are, the right accessories can help your GoPro achieve its greatest potential.
Summary Table
| Accessory | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| GoPro Karma Grip | Light and compact, built-in controls, provides excellent, smooth footage. | Battery life is only about two hours long, controls arenât intuitive and require some practice. |
| Chesty Performance Chest Mount | Provides a better point of view than head mounts, attachment to your body helps the GoPro feel light, flexible straps will fit most body types and go over most coats. | Its size makes it difficult to pack when traveling, straps can get caught on branches fairly easily. |
| GoPro Light Mod | LED lights provide an output of up to 200 lumens, provides up to 6 hours illumination on one charge, it is waterproof. | Only compatible with the most recent models of GoPro. |
| PolarPro DiveMaster Filter Kit | Attachment to the camera is easy and requires no tools, they provide color correction for a variety of situations, each one is made from rugged impact-resistant glass. | They are small and therefore easy to lose. |
| GoPro Enduro Battery | It holds up to a 1720mAh charge, it is easy to recharge and reuse. | Only compatible with the most recent models of GoPro. |
| SanDisk 128GB Memory Card | It is fast enough to handle 4K footage, SanDisk is a reputable brand which means you wonât have to worry about lost footage, it is affordable which means you can buy multiples for jobs that require a lot of data. | It is very small and therefore easy to lose. |
| Joby GorillaPod Action | It is extremely versatile, a GoPro mount is included with the purchase, it is light enough to carry but heavy enough to support standard cameras. | Its short legs arenât ideal for ground placement. |
| Surewo Surface Waterproof Case | It is spacious enough for a camera and several accessories, the pre-cut foam insert makes it easy to organize your gear, it is water-resistant. | It is not submersible. |
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Horizonman/Shutterstock.com.
