Accessories are a GoPro's best friends. Sure, the basic out-of-the-box setup works fine and will get you places. But if your goal is to make videos worth watching and sharing, then why limit your options? We edit a lot of GoPro footage and based on hundreds of projects, the following accessories do make a big difference for your video.
1. Wasabi Power Battery
Never run out of juice. These batteries are nearly identical to the pricier ones that can be purchased from GoPro. For around $25, you get two batteries, a wall charger and enough power to track your adventures all day. Now you won't miss that awesome sunset that made the trip so special. Get spare batteries. (along with extra memory cards btw)
Great for: long hikes, day-long activities
2. XShot 2.0 Camera Extender
Single most important accessory to own. Not just because it's great for selfies, it is. But also it'll make your shots a lot more interesting. A helmet view can quickly get boring - you may think you are going fast, but on camera it won't look that impressive. Instead film from an extender, you or your board will appear in the foreground with the valley down below. The shots will have more depth, and the sensation of speed will carry through. Now we get it, that was an epic ride!
The XShot is lightweight and compact (it collapses to about nine inches long) - so it's easy to travel with. At maximum length, it extends up to 37 inches, longer than many other products (such as Quikpod). You capture more of the background and aren't obstructing every shot with your *pretty* but blown-up face.
Great for: Ski trips (more dramatic movement), Weddings (get above the crowds),...
Note: the extender in this video is actually shorter than the XShot 2.0 - expect even more blue sky!
3. GoPro Anti-Fog Inserts
For the water aficionados among us, as you may already know, underwater cameras can attract fog! The GoPro gets hotter than its environment, condensation does its thing and of a sudden your videos look a lot less HD! There's an easy fix, simply insert a few Anti-Fog pockets in the camera housing to prevent your lens from getting foggy as you use it.
Great for: Scuba diving, Wakeboarding, Rainy conditions
4. GoPro Roll Bar Mount
We have used this successfully on everything from mountain bikes to race cars. It is sturdy and mounts very firmly, meaning that the camera stays put. One thing we really like about this is that it comes with 3-way pivoting arms. When we use this in cars, this is incredibly helpful when you are trying to get the perfect angle for your video.
Great for: Mountain biking, kitesurfing, car racing
5. GoPro Grab Bag of Mounts
This “grab bag” of mounts offers a good assortment of buckles and mounts to enhance the use of your GoPro Hero. It is especially helpful when you are tired of getting the same angles from your camera. With these mounts you can achieve certain camera placements that would be otherwise impossible. Many of the mounts come with various hinges, making them customizable. The most useful part may be the sticky mounts. These are incredibly versatile and very, very sticky.
Great for: Everything (that's the point)
6. GoPro Floaty Backdoor
A must have if you intend to film in water. It comes with a small lanyard and a small mount to use the lanyard with. It is heavy duty enough to float your camera (with different mounts) and your backpack. While this is all great, there are two salient features that really make this product stand out. First it comes with extra waterproof backdoors (an extra one for the Hero3+ plus an extra one for older models). That way you don't need to compromise your original backdoor. Secondly, it's almost impossible to lose visually. It is bright orange and easily sticks out. Can't lose your camera anymore... unless maybe if you are riding Maverick or something crazy scary.
Great for: Water fun
7. GoPro Head Strap Camera Mount
Perfect for capturing the perfect P.O.V. scenes. This particular head strap from GoPro is affordable and high quality. While it is adjustable we recommend that you set it to fit tightly to prevent it from slipping off. I recently used it during a recent Kayak trip. Over the course of three hours, it did not meaningfully bother me. Indeed, by the end I forgot that I was wearing it.
Great for: Hiking, sailing (but not so great for extreme sports)
8. Adjustable Chest Mount Harness
This is one of the few accessories on our list that is not made by GoPro. However, in our experience, Genneric’s chest mount is an excellent value. It is affordable and completely adjustable. First and foremost, it secures the camera tightly to the users chest (as expected). But due to its customizable nature, you can get the fit so well that you will barely notice that you are wearing it. Also, as opposed to a head mount, a chest mount offers different, interesting perspective, as it is closer to the ground.
Great for: Surfing, wakeboarding
We hope this list was helpful. If you have suggestions or need help with your GoPro videos, just ping us: human@videopixie.com
