I saw a question in my GoPro Enthusiasts Facebook group earlier this month from Megan, who wrote, “Just bought my first GoPro5! It came with a Floaty, Supercharger, and The Strap. Any recommendations on must-have GoPro accessories…”
Well, Megan, and anyone else wondering the exact same thing, it does depend a lot on what you plan to do with your GoPro but there are a few basics that you want to be sure and pick up if you’re a brand new GoPro owner, no matter WHAT you plan on shooting.
Some product links in this post are affiliate links, and VidProMom will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking our links. Read my disclosure policy here.
GoPro Accessories
I have direct links to everything I mention here in this post. I have links to Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and of course, Amazon. So you might want to check all 4 retailers to compare prices.
The newer GoPros do come with some mounts and things right out of the box, like the Frame mount, buckles, thumbscrews, sticky mounts – but beyond that, there are some basics I recommend.
So let’s talk GoPro Accessories and the 5 Accessories Every GoPro Newbie Needs! I had a hard time choosing just 5, but here goes:
#1. Extra Memory Cards
I would say at least one extra card, 32 GB or 64GB. It doesn’t have to be fancy but it does need to be one of the microSD cards that works specifically with GoPro cameras. So it actually does have to be a little bit fancy.
SanDisk Extreme PLUS 32GB –
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3D94ETx
Target: http://rstyle.me/n/ctkfmgcdbvp
Best Buy: http://bit.ly/2yKcN0p
Walmart: http://bit.ly/2z7JQ1I
SanDisk Extreme PLUS 64GB –
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3um7S2Q
Target: http://rstyle.me/n/ctkfn9cdbvp
Best Buy: http://bit.ly/2y3NdGO
Walmart: http://bit.ly/2xn4TbM
The brand new Hero6 is particularly more troublesome with regard to memory cards, but on their microSD Card Considerations page, GoPro recommends SanDisk Extreme, Extreme Plus, Extreme Pro with a Speed Class of 30, so it will have a U with a number 3 inside of it. So you’re looking for SanDisk Extreme – not Ultra, which is a common mistake. This will work the Hero6 on down the line, so your Hero5, Hero5 Session – those will work fine with this card as well.
Of course, you need to have at least one memory card to record anything with your GoPro. However, having an extra is handy in case the first one fills up with all your epic footage. Then, you have a standby ready to go and you don’t miss anything. It’s just always a good idea to have a backup because you can’t really do anything without a memory card.
#2. Extra Battery or PowerPack
Your GoPro will come with one battery, and it will last two to two and a half hours, depending on your settings. So extra batteries are great, as long as you keep them charged and remember to bring them with you.
I also love my portable chargers, I have two from GoPro, but I hear lots of recommendations for the Anker brand portable chargers as well. You keep these suckers charged, and then you can plug anything into it to charge it up. I use these more to keep my phone charged, but there are multiple USB ports here so you can use them on more than one device at a time.
I know the GoPro Power Pack says that it will charge a GoPro 4 times over before the Power Pack itself needs to be charged again.
GoPro Portable Power Pack –
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3oaHTdw
Target: http://rstyle.me/n/ctkgcfcdbvp
Best Buy: http://bit.ly/2yQoaGi
Walmart: http://bit.ly/2y3oxye
Anker Portable Charger: https://amzn.to/2WkAPzn
So if you pick up an extra battery, plus a battery charger, and a power pack, you could actually plug the charger into the power pack and charge that battery while you’re using your GoPro, and it’s like a revolving door of juice.
#3. Floating Hand Grip
Selfie sticks are doable if you really need them, but they are a pain to carry around! I use a handgrip to hold my GoPro anytime I’m using it.
You don’t want to handle the camera in your hands if you can avoid it because the GoPro has multiple microphones and they pick up the sound of just your fingers gripping the camera. It turns out to be really loud and annoying in your footage, so if you put your camera on a handgrip, then you’re not really touching the camera as you shoot.
GoPole Bobber –
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3COyGvo
Target: http://rstyle.me/n/ctkgf9cdbvp
Best Buy: http://bit.ly/2z6UUvU
(NEW) GoPro Handler with Quick Release Base –
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3m8IFVz
Target: http://rstyle.me/n/ctkgrncdbvp
GoPro 3-Way Grip-Arm-Tripod –
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zVbLwQ
Target: http://rstyle.me/n/ctkgx3cdbvp
Best Buy: http://bit.ly/2i4EYz9
Walmart: http://bit.ly/2y5yRpd
I like to use a floating grip because I figure, if you’re going to get one, you might as well get one that floats, and this one from GoPole is bright yellow. It’s called The Bobber and when you drop it in the water, it flips upside down and bobs, like a bobber, and it’s really easy to see.
GoPro has a floating handle called The Handler and it got a redesign in 2017, so instead of having the 3 prong mount thing, it has a Quick Release Base so you can slide a regular GoPro buckle in there and you can get it on and off the grip quicker that way.
GoPro’s 3-way handle is like a handgrip and selfie stick and tripod all in one and I use this a lot as well. I mostly use it in the handgrip position but you can extend it for a selfie-angle or pull these legs out for a very unstable tripod. The 3-Way Handle DOES NOT FLOAT though.
#4. Jaws Clip or Flexible Tripod
If you’re not planning to carry your GoPro around a lot, and you’ll be keeping it more stationary, I LOVE my Jaws Clip mount.
This is one of the first accessories I ever bought years ago, and I had to duct tape it together but it still works great. The clip part is really robust and you can secure it to just about anything.
Or a flexible tripod would work great too. You can bend the legs to secure it around whatever.
GoPro Jaws Clamp –
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CXeabV
Best Buy: http://bit.ly/2yMzWze
Walmart: http://bit.ly/2gDddNZ
Joby Gorillapod for with GoPro Adapter –
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3igbazv
Best Buy: http://bit.ly/2yP8BPa
Walmart: http://bit.ly/2yLVWKS
Bower Xtreme with GoPro Adapter –
Target: http://rstyle.me/n/ctkg8ccdbvp
#5. Water Repellant for the Lens
This is one of those things you don’t think you need until you shoot in or around water and realize you can’t use any of your footage because it has water drops all over it. So I’m adding it to my list in hoping that you will avoid learning this lesson the hard way!
There are a couple of options here. One is Rain-X, which you can pick up at your local auto supply store. I had keep a little bottle of this and then I heard about X-Clear.
X-clear is a plastic sticky thing you put on your lens cover and it’s hydrophobic, so the water drops are scared to be near it. I think that’s what hydrophobic means.
But it also protects the lens cover from scratches and stuff, so it’s a great little product.
XClear: https://getxclear.com/ (used to be called GoClear)
And this company called GoSpot sent me this bottle of water spot repellent, which I haven’t had a chance to try yet. But goes on a lot like Rain-X – the instructions say to clean your lens, apply the GoSpot onto the housing or lens cover, let it sit for 2 minutes, and dip it in the water to rinse. And the package says to apply every 30-45 minutes for best results.
GoSpot on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3D95sb1
RainX on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ojXLua
I’ll put a direct link below to these and everything I mentioned here in this video.
Related: Which GoPro Software Under $100 is Worth Buying?
Time to Try Out Your GoPro Accessories!
So those are my top 5 recommended accessories for all GoPro newbies, no matter what you’re planning to use your GoPro for. Now if you are in fact planning to use your new GoPro for something very specific, like surfing, skiing, attaching it to your dog, or attaching it to your kid, or whatever, then, by all means, pick up the mount or accessory you need for that exact thing.
If you’re into these types of recommendations, then check out my Ultimate GoPro Enthusiasts Wish List which is an organized page of recommendations and a list of gear and accessories that I either have, recommend, or wish that I had. I’m keeping this page up to date with direct links to the lowest prices I can find so you can bookmark it for later, or maybe even share it on Facebook for all your GoPro-loving friends and family.
