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Your guide for picking the best GoPro mounts for every type of shooting

GoPro cameras (or action cameras, whether that’s GoPro, DJI or Insta360) are arguably the most versatile cameras out there. You can wear them, you can shoot handheld, you can mount them on a bike, car, snowboard, helicopter, wall, tripod, guitar… you get the idea. You can mount them pretty much on anything.

The ability to mount your camera in different ways is the whole purpose of owning an action camera in the first place. Otherwise, you might as well shoot on your smartphone like the rest of the world does. But when everyone’s shooting their boring handheld phone content, you can really stand out with some creative angles captured on action cameras.

The key to capturing successful action camera shots is always the mounting. And for the best mounting, you need the right accessories. This is where it gets a little tricky, because there’s just about a million different mounts out there, and it can be difficult to choose the right mounts for the type of shooting you’re doing. So here’s the ultimate accessory guide to GoPro cameras (and other action cameras that are using similar mounting system). In this guide, we’ll focus on mounts, but keep an eye out for part 2 where we’ll cover all the lens mods, batteries, Media Mods etc. And if you’re shopping for a new GoPro camera, make sure to read our Ultimate GoPro Buyer’s Guide.

We’ll start by talking about about Genuine GoPro mounts vs. third-party accessories, my personal favorites, and then give you a quick overview of all the different GoPro mounts. If you want to jump to a specific part, here are links to each section.

Genuine GoPro mounts vs. third-party accessories

One of the first questions many GoPro users have is this, should you spend more money on genuine GoPro accessories or can you buy cheaper third-party mounts? Personally, I use both. If you compare them side-by-side it’s obvious that GoPro’s mounts are made from high-quality materials and they’re significantly more durable. Most of their mounts also come with a limited lifetime warranty, which doesn’t surprise me because they seem like they’ll last a lifetime. I have a GoPro suction cup from 2012 that’s been attached on airplanes, race cars, helicopters and pretty much anywhere you can stick a suction cup, and after 12 years of use it continues to work just as well as it did when it was brand new. Also, it has never failed or fell off, even at 100mph speeds.

I also have third-party mounts that work just fine. The build quality is usually cheaper and can be a little flimsy. They’re not always as durable and reliable. But for casual shooting they’re totally fine. My rule of thumb is to only use authentic GoPro mounts whenever I can’t risk of the mount falling off or breaking – such as attaching the camera to a car, going underwater, skiing in deep powder etc. When I’m shooting touristy stuff handheld or capturing casual family content, I’m totally fine with cheaper third-party mounts.

My personal favorites

The go-to accessories for anyone shooting on action cameras highly depend on the activities they’re doing, but even with a large collection of different mounts I’ve found myself regularly going for the same handful of mounts time after time.

Suction Cup

To be honest, I would’ve never invested money in a suction cup if it didn’t come included with my first GoPro camera, the HERO2, over 10 years ago. It was sold as a “motorsport edition” and came with a suction cup, so I figured why not. I wasn’t expecting much, but I’ve used it more than I ever thought I would.

Any type of shooting with cars? Use a suction cup. Shooting with planes or helicopters? Suction cup. Shooting a timelapse in your backyard? Stick the suction cup on your window.

I really think it’s one of the most underrated mounts, and while it’s not going to help you with mountain biking or during a beach day, it’s incredible for any type of shooting where you have a smooth flat surface available. I don’t know what they made this thing out of, but it feels like a legit industrial-grade suction cup and as long as your surface is clean and smooth, this thing will never fall off.

GoPro Suction Cup – Check Price on Amazon

Volta Battery Grip – extra power in a tripod grip

Another product that I wasn’t really interested in at first, but after using it on a video shoot I had to buy my own. Volta features an external battery pack in the form of a handheld grip, which also works as a remote and folds out to a small tripod. It has a 1/4 20″ thread on the bottom so you can also attach it to any actual, larger tripod. That combined with the extra battery power it provides makes it the perfect setup for timelapse shooting. It also comes with a USB pass-through door, which allows you to plug Volta into your camera and keep your setup waterproof, or at least water resistant. I wouldn’t fully submerge it, but I’ve shot plenty of overnight timelapses in the rain with no issues.

GoPro Volta – Check Price on Amazon

270pro Backpack – for those floating drone-style shots

If you’ve ever seen a video that looks like a drone shot, but was actually shot on a 360-camera like the GoPro Max or Insta360, I can guarantee they used this mount. 270 poles are basically very long extension poles designed for action cameras and 360 cameras. What makes them great is that they fold to a compact size of 15″ / 40cm, but when fully extended you’ll get nearly 9ft (270cm), allowing you to raise your camera high up in the air and do those drone-like maneuvers. They’re made out of carbon fiber making the mount lightweight and easy to handle, and the narrow mounting fingers make it perfect for 360 cameras.

This is the rare type of 3rd party mount that’s a leader in its own category simply because GoPro doesn’t make a similar mount.

270pro Backpack – Check Price on Amazon

Shorty – collapsing mini tripod / camera grip

Shorty is the perfect mount for quick run & gun shooting when you want to keep your setup as small as possible. It’s my choice whenever I want to fit the camera in my pocket, but still be able to comfortably shoot video or maybe hand the camera to my 3-year old son. It also opens up to a mini tripod, allowing you to set it up on flat surfaces, perfect for capturing yourself.

GoPro Shorty – Check Price on Amazon

Jaws – the crazy strong clamp mount

This is one of the classic GoPro mounts I’m sure you’ve seen before. It’s a pretty basic mount, but just like my Suction Cup, I’m happy I’ve bought a genuine GoPro Jaws mount because of its build quality. It’s crazy strong and comes with a flexible arm, although you can also attach your camera directly on the clamp part if that’s what you want.

This has been a good mount when mounting my camera on random poles. I’ve used it on a boat, on a stroller, attached to a tripod leg and attached to an edge of a roof when I was shooting a 6-month long timelapse video. It’s weatherproof and held up great.

GoPro Jaws – Check Price on Amazon

The Bite Mount – the best POV perspective, although you’ll look pretty dorky

Ever see those point of view -style videos where you’re watching it from someone’s perspective but they have both hands free because they’re not holding the camera? This is the mount for that.

Many people think using a head strap is the way to go for POV filming but the bite mount is much better. Not only does it give you a more natural angle because the camera is closer to eye-level, the bite mount allows you to quickly pop the camera in your mouth, capture the shot, and then take it out until you’re ready for the next shot.

This is used by a lot of surfers and the bite mount even has a mounting buckle on it, allowing you to snap the camera to another mount that has a quick-release buckle. So on a surfboard you can capture the shot and snap the camera to the adhesive mount on your surfboard when you’re not actively filming.

This thing is not just for surfers. It’s great for literally any sport, be that golf, soccer, basketball, or skateboarding. It’s also great for family content because you’ll have your hands free to play with your kids while capturing their reactions. Cooking, gardening, driving, pretty much anything where you want to capture POV and want both hands free, this is the perfect mount for that.

GoPro Bite Mount – Check Price on Amazon

GoPro Accessories – Full List

Head Strap

This results in decent POV footage, but as I stated above, it’s not as good as the bite mount. The angle from a headstrap mounted camera is a bit tilted down and doesn’t match the perspective of your eyes like a bite mount would. It’s also a bit silly-looking and not the most comfortable mount. I’ve done some video shoots where the director asks the talent to put on a head strap with a GoPro, and let me tell you, the talent is never too happy about strapping a camera on their head.

It’s a good mount when you need your hands free and can’t use the bite mount, for example when you need to narrate what you’re doing. Although for that type of POV footage another good alternative would be the chest mount. The head strap also isn’t the most discreet mount, and you’ll really stand out like a Teletubby with a camera sticking out on the top of your head.

It’s worth noting there are two versions of the GoPro head strap. The old version with the black straps and the newer version with grey straps. They’re mostly the same with the exception that the new version is made of higher quality, water resistant material and has the thumbscrew located on the left side for new GoPro models. The old version also works with all GoPros, but it has the thumbscrew on the right side, which will block the battery door on HERO 8 and newer cameras.

GoPro Head Strap 2.0 – Check Price on Amazon

Chesty – the classic chest mount

This one straps the camera on your chest with a chest harness. Great for a lot of sports like mountain biking, skiing, or any activity where you want lower-angle POV footage with both of your hands-free. If you’re doing any kind of cycling, this is a must-have. The same goes for fishing.

Just like the head strap, the chest mount is not the most discreet mount. It’s very visible and stands out quite a bit, which is usually fine while doing sports, but if you’re trying to keep a low profile and not stand out, this might not be the best mount.

Pro tip: for mountain biking or similar activities, mount your camera upside down. This allows you to tilt the camera for a better angle, capturing the ideal POV while you’re leaning forward on your bike.

GoPro Chesty – Check Price on Amazon

3-Way 2.0

GoPro’s 3-Way mount works as a handheld grip and as a tripod with the ability to extend and tilt for self-capture shots. As the name suggests, the current model is an updated version of the OG 3-Way mount. They’re both good mounts and the 2.0 version includes some improvements over the original design.

I think the 3-Way mount used to be one of the most popular mounts with older GoPro cameras. The ability to extend the stick and tilt it in a way that you get a selfie shot without too much of the mount in your shot made this mount very popular with older cameras that didn’t have the widest field of view. On newer cameras the ability to tilt the stick out of the view isn’t as necessary anymore, since you don’t really even need a stick to capture decent selfie shots. All you need is a Shorty mount, or you can simply just go handheld with the camera itself.

I like the 3-Way mount, but it’s a bit big and bulky. For self-capture shots I usually go with the Shorty instead, but I know some people prefer the bigger 3-Way mount for a better grip.

GoPro 3-Way 2.0 – Check Price on Amazon

Flexible Grip Mount Featuring Gear Ties

This is one of the newer mounts GoPro has added to its lineup. The main idea is that you take the rubbery gear ties and wrap them around an object, making this a good mount for situations where none of the other traditional mounts work.

The mount consists of a quick-release mount and two gear ties. Gear ties are rubbery sticks you can twist and tighten around objects, so it makes it a good option for mounting your camera on any unusual objects. A fence, trees, pillars, even bikes and sports equipment are just some examples where I would use this mount. The gear ties are just generic gear ties, so if you ever need to replace them, you can get a replacement pair from Walmart or Home Depot, making them easy to replace.

GoPro Flexible Mount – Check Price on Amazon

Boom – A carbon fiber arm

The Boom mount comes with lightweight cabon fiber arms and you can buy it either with a Suction Cup, Adhesive Mounts or a Bar Mount for bikes. This is a good mount for motorsports, cars, motorcycles or maybe bicycles, but it’s not the easiest mount to operate. Using the Boom mount requires an allen key to tighten and secure the mount, and it comes with a bunch of separate parts you don’t want to lose. Not my favorite mount, but it’s a good option for specific use-cases.

The cool thing about Boom is that you can combine multiple boom mounts together, so it allows you to build custom rigs for your camera. It also comes with a triangular adapter piece, so you can build a triangle-shaped camera arm for extra stability.

GoPro Boom – Check Price on Amazon

The Handler

The Handler is a floating hand grip, designed for any activities that happen in the water. Surfers, divers or just casual beachgoers are the ones who 100% need to invest in this. One of the best parts of owning a GoPro is the waterproofing and ability to capture underwater shots, but if you drop your camera in the water with a regular mount, it will sink and be gone forever, buried next to my pair of prescription sunglasses somewhere on the bottom of the pacific ocean, after a rogue wave came and washed them off my face.

Trust me, no one plans to lose their camera, until they do. If you’re shooting in the water, buy yourself a Handler.

GoPro Handler – Check Price on Amazon

Max Grip + Tripod – also known as the invisible selfie stick

Another extending hand grip that works as a tripod, but this one is specifically designed for 360-cameras. For those that are not familiar, you may have seen the type of videos where it looks like someone is using an invisible selfie stick. That’s Max Grip.

For invisible selfie stick to work with a 360 camera, you need the mount to be slim without any mounting buckles extending too wide below the camera. That’s why mounts like El Grande or 3-Way 2.0 don’t work for clean 360 footage. And while the Max Grip is the perfect mount for a 360 camera, be that GoPro Max or an Insta360, you can always use it with regular GoPro cameras as well.

GoPro Max Grip – Check Price on Amazon

El Grande – Big Extension Pole

El Grande is a basic extension pole that extends to 38″ / 97cm and collapses down to 15″ / 38cm. I own it but rarely use it because it’s pretty big and bulky even when collapsed all the way down.

It is very sturdy and durable making it good for activities where you want to extend the camera far away from yourself while keeping the camera securely mounted. Skateboard filmers like this mount a lot because it allows the filmer to stay back, while getting the camera really close to the action. Similar use cases would be dirtbiking or any motorsports where you need to maintain a little bit of distance to your object, but you want to get the camera as close as possible.

El Grande is a bit heavy so it’s not very travel-friendly. It has a quick mounting buckle on the top which allows you to quickly snap your GoPro in place, but it also means it won’t work as an invisible selfie stick for 360 cameras because the mounting buckle is visible in your shot. You can use it for 360 cameras, but the view below the camera won’t look very clean.

GoPro El Grande – Check Price on Amazon

Extension Pole + Waterproof Shutter Remote

This new mount is basically the improved version of El Grande. It feels lighter and more compact, collapses to a smaller size (10″ / 25cm) and extends to a longer range (48″ / 122cm). It also has a few different mounting options for your camera on the top of the stick – you can choose between a 1/4 20 screw mount, 360-degree ball joint mount with the quick release buckle, or the traditional GoPro fingers. Using the fingers allows you to use this mount with a 360-camera and get a clean, invisible selfie stick -style shot, which you cannot do with the El Grande -mount.

Another improvement is the waterproof shutter remote. It feels like an afterthought with the way it’s attached with a simple velcro strap, but it’s nice to have with a pole this long. Otherwise you’ll need to reach

GoPro Extension Pole – Check Price on Amazon

Sleeve + Lanyard

Not exactly a mount, but the rubbery sleeve + lanyard is a great accessory to have on travel days or during any activities where you need to keep your camera nearby without carrying any bulky mounts with you.

The rubbery silicone cover provides some extra protection on your camera while leaving both displays open, and it connects to the lanyard part with a quick-release buckle, allowing you to snap it on and off easily. The bottom of the rubber sleeve is open, which allows you to mount your camera on other accessories while having the rubber sleeve on your camera.

The annoying part? You’ll have to remove the sleeve every time you want to swap batteries or SD-cards. It’s pretty easy and effortless to put on and take off, so this is not a huge issue for me personally.

GoPro Sleeve + Lanyard – Check Price on Amazon

Handlebar / Seatpost / Pole Mount

Got a bike, motorcycle or a scooter? This is your mount. It also works with ski poles, or any pole-shaped object really. This is a good example of what a true GoPro mount stands for – when you crank it tightly on your bike, I can guarantee it’s not going anywhere. You could mount this on an airplane and it would stay in place, no doubt. It has a nice 360-degree rotating base for your camera, allowing you to turn your camera to the perfect angle and lock it in place.

The Handlebar / Seatpost / Pole Mount comes with large and small rubber inserts, allowing you to attach it to a variety of poles with different diameters. The official specs list it compatible with poles that are between 0.35″ to 1.4″ (or 9mm to 35mm), but I would say you can attach it to poles much larger than that. If you need something larger, then look into the Large Tube Mount.

GoPro Handlenbar Mount – Check Price on Amazon

Large Tube Mount

The Large Tube Mount is essentially the same thing as the handlebar mount but a bigger version of it. It’s ideal for vehicle roll-cages and other larger posts that are between 1.4″ and 2.5″ (3.5cm to 6.35cm). And just like the Handlebar mount, this mount allows you to really tighten your camera so tightly that the world could end and your GoPro would still be at the same angle you set it up to.

GoPro Large Tube Mount – Check Price on Amazon

Helmet Front + Side Mount

Another very self-explanatory mount. If you ride motocross or do any sports with a full-face helmet, this allows you to mount the camera to the side of your helmet. The reason for mounting the camera on the side rather than on top of your helmet is to get an angle that more closely represents what your eyes are seeing. Putting the camera on top of your helmet often requires you to tilt it too much downwards to see your bike or whatever you’re doing, and with the downward tilt you lose the perspective of where you’re going, causing the camera to mostly stare straight down. Not a good angle for any kind of activity.

You can also use this mount to attach the camera in the front of your helmet, but that’s honestly something you can do with a regular adhesive mount. And whether you’re mounting it to the front or side, this mount uses the same curved adhesive mount that comes with every camera. They’re very durable and usually last a lifetime once you’ve properly attached it.

GoPro Helmet Front + Side Mount – Check Price on Amazon

Vented Helmet Strap Mount

One place where the traditional adhesive mount doesn’t work is a vented bicycle helmet. For those, you can get a vented helmet strap mount instead. It has a flat part in the middle and two adjustable straps on both sides, allowing you to tightly attach it on top of your vented helmet. It doesn’t give you much freedom regarding placements or camera angles, but for these types of helmets it might be your best bet for helmet-mounted cameras. If you’re not a fan of the look, consider using a Chesty instead.

GoPro Vented Helmet Strap – Check Price on Amazon

Magnetic Swivel Clip

This is a casual mount for the casual users. It has a rubbery jaw-like mechanism allowing you to attach it on different objects, but it’s worth mentioning the mount is pretty small so the jaw part is also small and won’t attach on anything large. Think of things like a baseball cap or the edge of your laptop screen. The bottom has a magnet, so you can also stick it on a fridge door or any metal objects.

The Magnetic Swivel Clip is good for casual shots, and I wouldn’t use it for any fast-paced action or attach it on any moving vehicles.

GoPro Magnetic Swivel Clip – Check Price on Amazon

Fetch Dog Harness

Ever seen those videos of dogs running like crazy with a GoPro attached on their back? That’s what this mount is for. It’s great for that, but it only gets you that one type of shot and nothing else. Niche mount for a niche audience, but then again who wouldn’t want to see the world from their dog’s perspective?

GoPro Fetch – Check Price on Amazon

Grab Bag

If you need more thumbscrews, quick-release buckles or adhesive mounts, get a grab bag. It also comes with the finger mounts that allow you to rotate your camera 90 degrees, which is very useful in some mounting scenarios.

GoPro Grab Bag – Check Price on Amazon

Curved + Flat Adhesive Mounts

For the folks out there who like their sticky mounts, this will get you three flat and three curved adhesive mounts.

These mounts are hardcore and when properly attached, they’ll last a lifetime. I’ve attached a couple of curved mounts to helmets that never came off even after years of use, and I’ve once “temporarily” attached a flat adhesive mount and struggled tremendously when it was time to remove it. The 3M adhesive on these is seriously badass and unless you’re launching a rocket to outer space, these will keep your camera safe and tightly attached.

GoPro Adhesive Mounts – Check Price on Amazon

Surfboard Mounts

Need to mount your camera on a surfboard? Use this.

The Surfboard mount pack comes with two surfboard adhesive mounts. Unlike the standard adhesive mounts that are black and rectangular, these are white and round, blending in to your surfboard. The surfboard mount also comes with a camera tether, making sure that even in the rare case where your mount gets ripped off in the ocean, your tether will still keep your camera secured. And if you’re worried about losing your camera, I highly recommend slapping on a Floaty before mounting your camera on your board.

GoPro Surf Mounts – Check Price on Amazon

Floaty – Emergency Flotation Device

The Floaty is an orange foam cover for your camera that keeps your camera afloat if you ever drop it in the water. It’s a good choice for all water activities where you might accidentally drop your camera, but it does make changing batteries and SD-cards difficult. A good alternative for preventing your camera from sinking is to use the floating hand grip, The Handler.

GoPro Floaty – Check Price on Amazon

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