The Best GoPro Accessories to Make the Most of Your Rugged Action Cam

Gadgets

The GoPro is an excellent action cam, but you need a good load of accessories to really maximize its full potential. That’s why GoPro sells a heck of a lot of them, from additional mounts and cases to grips and lens mods to a whole host of others. Why so many? Well, people use GoPro to film in a whole lot of situations and while most accessories can handle basic activities like hiking, skateboarding, and cycling, you’re likely to need more specialized gear for trickier activities like parachuting, surfing, or scuba diving.

Obviously, the best GoPro accessories will vary based on the activities you plan to do with the action cam. Someone who wants to use a GoPro for vlogging will need a different set of gear compared to someone planning to film downhill mountain biking or recreational water sports. As such, we included a wide variety of accessories in this list, some of which will be usable in different activities while some will only find utility in very select situations.

While GoPro itself has a lot of accessories custom-built for their action cams, there’s a whole world of third-party outfits that also make GoPro accessories. Some of these third-party accessories are unique designs that let you use the GoPro in new ways, although many of them are just more affordable versions of what GoPro also offers in their lineup. We included both first- and third-party GoPro accessories in this list, as you can find real value and utility in either one.

These are the best GoPro accessories to level up your action cam.

PCTC Screen Protector

Pros

Very affordable
Multiple sheets per pack

Cons

Installation isn’t idiot-proof (but still pretty easy)

Before getting any other GoPro accessories, first thing you want to do is protect the vulnerable parts of your action cam. That would be the lens, the small display out front, and the big screen in the back. This cheap screen protector gives you tempered glass covers for all those three surfaces, allowing you to use your action cam without having to worry about leaving them covered in nicks and scratches. You get multiple sheets of different sizes in each pack, by the way, so you can use this for multiple action cams if you have a few of them in your gear bag.

GoPro The Handler

Pros

More stable than holding the GoPro in hand
Allows the GoPro to float in water
Secure grip

Cons

Similar third-party options available for less

If a small monopod is your preferred way to shoot handheld videos, this GoPro accessory offers just that for the popular action cam. It’s a straightforward accessory: you set up the GoPro on the mount and you use the grip to hold the camera when shooting to enable more stable footage. There’s a lanyard at the bottom that lets you secure it to your wrist, which should help you avoid accidental drops. It’s best feature, though, is the buoyant construction, which causes it to float when dropped in water, allowing you to take your GoPro when fishing, boating, or goofing around at the beach without any worries.

GoPro Head Strap 2.0

Pros

Secure and comfortable grip
Works with many headwear and helmets
Can be wrapped around other objects

Cons

Clip has limited use outside of the head strap

This GoPro accessory lets you mount the camera securely around your head using a headband, while an integrated top strap keeps it from sliding down during intense action. You can remove the top strap if the headband is enough to keep it securely on your head (or if you want to mount it around tree trunks and similar structures), while an adjustable fit allows it to work with different head sizes and helmets. We love the grippy material on the inside part of the headband, which is pretty comfortable on both skin and hair, all while holding pretty securely on hat and helmet materials. The GoPro mount is actually held on the strap using a clip mount, which can also be used separately, so you can clip it to your clothes, the brim of your hat, and other slim objects.

GoPro Clip Magnetic Swivel Camera Clip

Pros

Versatile clip design mounts onto lots of objects
Lets you tilt and swivel the camera
Magnetic clamp

Cons

Doesn’t open wide enough to clamp onto very thick items

We love the inclusion of the clip mount in the Head Strap 2.0 accessory above, but the mount itself can only hold the action cam at limited angles. If you want something more versatile, you can use this larger clip accessory, which can tilt and swivel around, allowing you to position the GoPro to get the perfect shooting angle. We’ve found it to be one of the most versatile mounts for the action cam, as you can, literally, clip it onto all sorts of objects, from straps and furniture to fences and frames of all sorts. There are even magnets on the actual clamp to give it an extra hold when attaching to ferromagnetic surfaces.

GoPro Chesty

Pros

Padded and breathable straps
Adjustable fit and height
Very stable mount

Cons

Cheaper third-party alternatives available
Might require an adapter depending on shooting angle you want

There are many activities where your chest is the best place to mount an action cam. While there are a few GoPro accessories that can do that, our favorite remains this first-party padded chest mount, which uses adjustable straps to let you adjust the fit and the actual mount’s position along your torso. You can tighten the shoulder straps a bit to bring it higher up the chest or lower them to bring the mount down to the top of the abs, giving you a few options to tweak your framing angles. Do note, this mounts action cams at a slightly downward angle (useful for activities like fishing and hiking), so you’ll need to use a separate adapter for mounting it straight ahead if that’s the framing you’re trying to get. We love how easy it is to put on and remove, too, along with the breathable materials that make it very comfortable even during hotter days outside.

Neewer 50-in-1 Action Camera Accessory Kit

Pros

Affordable
Gets you plenty of accessories at once
Decent quality gear

Cons

Not premium build

Much as we love first-party GoPro accessories, building up a decent-sized collection can end up being quite the costly undertaking. All those $20 mounts and $40 cases may sound reasonably affordable, but they do add up after a few purchases. If you want access to a bunch of GoPro accessories at a fraction of the price, you’ll want to go for a third-party bundle like this set, which combines 50 different accessories in one package. That’s right, 50 of them. You get different strap mounts for various body parts, equipment mounts (helmets, handlebars), a suction mount, and a clip mount, along with various adapters, a tripod, a monopod, and even a carrying case for everything. Quality isn’t bad, either, with most people likely to find this good enough for their needs, making this a great starter kit for those new to action cams.

Telesin Selfie Stick

Pros

Locks at any length from one to four feet
Carbon fiber construction doesn’t bend even when fully extended

Cons

Collapses to 12 inches, which is still pretty big

If you need a handheld monopod that can provide greater distance between you and the camera for better selfie framing, you might want to check out this GoPro accessory from Telesin. At its shortest, it measures 12.4 inches long, making it to use for framing different scenes by hand. However, it has a telescoping body that can extend up to 47.2 inches without bending, allowing you to manage framing with your action cam even from four feet away. Even better, you can lock it at any point in between those two lengths, allowing you to extend it to whatever length you need for each situation. Construction is carbon fiber, so this thing is the kind of gear you can keep for the long haul, while a standard tripod hole at the bottom allows you to set it on top of any tripod for quicker transition into a hands-free setup.

Telesin Dome Port

Pros

Allows unique 50-50 framing in the water
Fully waterproof
Floats in water

Cons

Only necessary if you want to do those 50-50 shoots

For people who like to use their action cam in the water, this GoPro accessory puts your camera inside a waterproof case with a clear acrylic dome, letting you capture clear footage without putting your device at risk. Even better, the domed design enables those simultaneous above and below water shots (the dome eliminates circular reflection and improves water sheeting), which has become a popular framing style in social media content. The domed housing comes with a handheld grip, too, so the entire thing will float if they ever leave your hand in the water. Very convenient.

Pgytech CapLock Triple Suction Mount

Pros

Secure way to mount a GoPro on moving cars
Double-ball attachment lets you put the camera at any angle
Secure locking mechanism

Cons

May be too specialized for most people

Need a GoPro accessory to a mount an action cam to the hood or window of your car? This triple-suction mount is the way to go, with its powerful suction cups ensuring it will maintain its hold even with the vehicle streaking at high speeds. Even better, it uses a dual-ball attachment that lets you tilt and rotate the camera any way you want, as well as the outfit’s CapLock system that locks the setup in two places to ensure your camera holds that angle throughout the entire ride. Aside from mounting your GoPro on cars, it can also be used to mount it on any smooth surface like tile, glass, and more, so you can use it for a whole load of shooting situations.

GoPro Media Mod

Pros

Excellent built-in mic
Makes the GoPro a viable vlogging and filmmaking camera
Lets you attach two cold shoe accessories

Cons

Might be overkill for most people

GoPro’s attempt at making their action cam more viable for vlogging and filmmaking, this GoPro accessory adds some key elements that elevate the quality of footage you can capture. For instance, there’s a built-in directional mic designed to highlight voices while reducing ambient noise, a 3.5mm mic port for adding an external mic, two cold shoe mounts for attaching accessories (e.g. LED lights), and an HDMI out if you want to add a wired monitor. It also works with GoPro’s other accessories (as well as compatible third-party ones), so it’s a great starting point for really beefing up the video and audio quality of your action cam recordings.