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Best GoPro Accessories For Traveling (Ultimate Guide)

Best GoPro Accessories

Ultimate GoPro Accessories Guide 2020

Travel Photography Gear

I’ve been traveling with a GoPro camera for 9 years. Here are the best GoPro accessories & mounts to help you share unique travel adventures from around the world.

When I left for Latin America to begin a new lifestyle of long-term travel, the original GoPro Hero camera was packed in my backpack.

Since then I’ve owned all versions, including my current GoPro Hero 8.

As a professional travel blogger and travel photographer I’ve been using a GoPro to record travel experiences in all sorts of crazy situations where a regular travel camera just won’t cut it.

My adventure travel images have been featured by GoPro on their social media accounts a number of times, and I seriously can’t imagine traveling without it!

Today I wanted to share a behind-the-scenes look at some of the best GoPro accessories and custom mounts I use to make the most out of traveling with this amazing little camera.

Best GoPro Accessories (2019)

GoPro Travel Accessories

RAM Socket Arm & Clamp

GoPro Accessories Fiji

Off-Roading Fiji

RAM Mounts

GoPro has its own selection of mounting accessories. However, I’ve found that some are not ideal for many reasons. The little plastic arms are a pain to adjust on the fly, and limited in their movements.

There are better options out there. Like a RAM mounting system.

RAM mounts use a 1″ rubber ball & socket system for super quick, easy, and secure adjustments on the fly. You can interchange the pieces to mount your GoPro in any way you could imagine! I’m a minimalist, and only pack accessories with multiple uses.

My RAM System:

This amazing clamp & suction cup setup allows you to attach your GoPro to pretty much anything. Tree branches, chairs, fences, doors, windows, cars, water guns, motorcycles, bikes, luggage racks, etc.

GoPro has their own clamp & suction cup mounts, but I prefer this RAM system. It’s cheaper, lighter, and more secure!

GoPro Accessories Diving

Scuba Diving with GoPro

Red Underwater Filter

If you plan to do any SCUBA diving or snorkeling with your GoPro, I highly recommend picking up a red filter from Polar Pro. With the new GoPro Hero 8, they only have one for use with the Underwater Housing.

Why a red filter? The color red gets absorbed underwater, so these filters help bring back some of the red, orange, and yellow hues. It makes your footage less “blue”, and more natural looking.

GoPro in South Africa

Would You Jump?

GoPro Sticky Mounts

Whitewater Kayaking in New England

Sticky Mounts

I always keep an assortment of flat and curved adhesive mounts in my kit too. They work great as disposable mounting options for kayaks, helmets, and more.

After attaching one, technically you should let the adhesive set for 8 hours. But they’ll also stay put after only 1 hour — depending on how rough the activity is.

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USEFUL TIP: Sticky mounts are easily removed with a hair dryer & credit/id card.[/su_note]

Safety Leash

A small GoPro camera can cost $300-$400. It’s not something you want to lose. Which is why I always attach a safety leash of some sort. A standard point & shoot camera wrist leash with the ability to cinch shut works great.

I recently used this type of leash to capture some great shots while rock climbing in Thailand. But when extra length is needed, you can also attach thin (but strong) 3mm accessory cord.

GoPro Camera Extender

GoPole Evo for Shark Selfies

GoPro Arm Extension

GoPole Arm Extension on Helmet

Camera Extender (Selfie Stick)

Another useful GoPro travel accessory worth carrying is a hand-held camera extender (aka the selfie stick) which allows you to capture video or photos of yourself from hard-to-reach angles.

There are a few different GoPro selfie-stick brands out there.

Personally, my favorite is the SANDMARC 17-40″ Extension Pole. It’s very sturdy, lightweight, and can extend really long if you want it to (think, getting your whole body in the frame if needed, like for snowboarding).

Another one I own is the GoPole Evo. This smaller telescoping selfie stick is super lightweight, portable, plus it floats in the water!

GoPole makes a pretty cool 2 piece extension arm that can produce some very unique angles if attached to a helmet or kayak.

Now, GoPro has their own 3-Way Extender too, and while it folds up super small, it’s not as sturdy as the others (the arms often bend when you don’t want them too) and the elbow screws seem to go missing, I’m not sure why.

GoPro Surf Mount

Surf Mount & Anti-Fog Inserts

GoPro Accessories Surfing

GoPro FCS Surf Mount

GoPro Surf Mount Accessory

If you plan to do any surfing or paddle boarding, GoPro Surf Mounts are a good investment. However you can also find them for sale in most surf towns, along with the Floaty Back Door.

On a recent surfing trip to South Africa, I installed the more permanent FCS surf mount on my board for about $15. This is great if you own the surfboard yourself, and keeps it nice and low-profile.

Anti-Fog Inserts

The last GoPro travel accessory I want to mention is the anti-fog inserts. These are a must if you’re planning to use your GoPro in or around water.

The special GoPro ones seem to work best, but it’s also possible to fashion some DIY versions with slivers of toilet paper or grains of rice…

GoPro Chest Strap Mount?

While the GoPro Chest Harness is great for all kinds of adventure sports applications, I don’t usually carry one with me on the road. It’s kinda big, and I wouldn’t use it enough.

However there is something smaller and more useful for me, the POV Action Mount which attaches right to a backpack strap.

GoPro Accessories Hiking

Extreme Hiking in Spain

GoPro Tips & Tricks

After 8 years of experience filming with a GoPro, I’ve learned a few things that will improve the quality of your videos & photos.

TIP #1: Keep it steady! Because these cameras are so small, it’s easy to move it around wildly. But slow and steady shots make the best videos. Try to hold on with 2 hands if possible. Always remind yourself to move slow & smooth.

TIP #2: Practice shooting “from the hip”. For example, if I want to shoot a selfie of myself, I know that aiming the camera at my chest rather than my face will result in the best composition due to the wide angle.

TIP #3: Use the Time-Lapse mode to capture great selfie photos. This mode automatically takes a photo every .5 seconds after you press the shutter. You can now move the camera around or change your expression, continuously shooting photos. You’ll end up with way too many — just pick the best and delete the rest.

TIP #4: Just because you own a GoPro does not mean your photos & videos will look exactly like professional ones produced by the company. However, you can now learn their specialized techniques with the release of an amazing new book called GoPro: Professional Guide to Filmmaking.

Have fun with your GoPro, it’s one of the coolest travel cameras available!

GoPro Travel Videos

Want to watch some of my GoPro travel videos from around the world?
Visit My YouTube Channel Here »

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Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful travel accessories.

Book Your Flight

Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find deals. Also read my tips for how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking cheap hotels.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.
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READ MORE TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

I hope you enjoyed my guide to the best GoPro accessories! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

Have any questions about the GoPro accessories I use? What about other suggestions? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!

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