Best GoPro Pole Mount, Top 5
Don't Say Cheese
The 'Selfie Stick' as we have come to know, is a device sometimes found in the hands of people who love to show the the rest of the world that they can perform an impression of a duck in front of a landmark of some sort.
However the devices we have on review are intended for so much more than this. Their design is so you can show the rest of the world the amazing feat you performed using specifically your GoPro as well as how much of a boss you really are. Whether this is Hiking in Tibet, Scuba Diving in Borneo or Snowboarding in Whistler.
For this reason they are best referred to as Go Pro Pole Mounts, as this makes them sound more like a piece of professional photography equipment, rather than an assistive device for performing social media updates. These Pole Mounts have been chosen because of their fit for purpose design and attention to detail. They are all heavy duty devices designed to accompany you on your next outdoor adventure. They are more at home with a snowboarder in Japan on a powdery slope rather than just on a sidewalk in Manhattan in front of a bull, but would serve the purpose adequately none the less.
As we are looking for the best gopro pole to use specifically with the Hero Cameras you will find they all use the proprietary 3 pronged mount. Some come with adapters for the standard 1/4" -20 mount used by conventional cameras to get a bit more use .
This is a small but excellent extract of what's available. If you find a GoPro pole mount that deserves a mention please feel free to add it to the comments section below.
GoPro 3-Way Grip, Arm, Tripod
First up is GoPro's own offering, The 3 way is, as the name suggests, able to be used as 3 devices in one. It can be used as a Grip Handle and a Tripod. But most importantly for the purpose of this review can be used as a pole mount (or extension arm).
'Arm' is possibly the best description as it has a couple of 'elbows' for bending into a desired shape. The arm can be extended to 20" or compressed to 7.5". This articulated arm collapses and detaches from the handle completely so the Grip handle can be used by itself. The tripod component can be detached and placed inside the handle for convenient storage and portability.
The GoPro 3 Way sports waterproof construction so it isn't a problem if the mount see's some form of hydrated action, but you should always wash in fresh water after to avoid corrosion. In this GoPro have made another quality product. Some feel it's a little on the expensive side but makes up for it with the extra 2 devices included.
GoRad Gear Animus Telescoping Extension Pole
The Animus is one of 2 Pole Mount in this review with an impressive Lifetime Warranty. GoRad Gear is a small company focused on a small product line of quality products. Accordingly the material of choice for this pole is anodized aluminium, with twist locks for securing the telescopic pole at the desired length.
The GoRad Gear Animus is capable of extending from 17" to a whopping 40" making it of of the largest reaching camera extension poles in this review. As a demonstration of quality it comes finished with a CNC'd aluminium mount and thumbscrew for attaching the GoPro. There is also a conventional 1/4" -20 mount for non GoPro branded cameras.
A rubber grip helps you hold and control the mount and an attached wrist strap for added security. The nylon carry bag with shoulder strap showing off the company logo is another nice detail.
Sandmarc Pole - Black Edition
Sandmarc Action Gear have a comprehensive range of accessories to suit the GoPro. One of them is the Sandmarc Pole - Black Edition. The 'Black' shares a fairly similar feature set to the above GoRad Animus which is nothing to be sneezed at. 17" to 40" pole extension, anodized aluminium construction, twist locks for securing the length, CNC'd aluminium camera mount and thumb screw, wrist strap, waterproof, lifetime warranty. Its all there.
Although unlike the aforementioned Animus there is no included carry bag. The grip and twist locks construction are unique to Sanmarc's camera pole mount and the weight a little lighter than the Animus.
GoPole GPE-10 EVO
This camera pole mount sets itself apart by being the only extension pole in this line up with a built in flotation device. Needless to say the GoPole EVO is a waterproof unit, but it takes it one step further. Once the pole is set at the desired length, the entire shaft of the pole is watertight meaning the unit doesn't get waterlogged, a nice touch.
The GPE-10's extension range is on the lower side of things, 14" min to 24" max, but this is still plenty to capture your action. One of the great things about this pole is the inclusion of an attachment for your wireless remote, meaning the whole rig can be operated using 'one hand operation.
Weighing in at only a half ounce with wrist strap and 1/4" -20 mount for conventional cameras rounds off the package.
SP Gadgets Remote Pole GoPro-Edition (39")
This pole is the daddy of the pole mount arena. SP have a line of quality GoPro accessories on the market including the Remote Pole GoPro-Edition. This poles claim to fame is, as the name suggests, the integrated remote pod on the front on the stick. The pod holds the remote securely in-place and offers protection from bumps and knocks. The rubber handle feels solid in hand and the dual diameter grip allows good control of the rig. Because of the solid construction the remote pole weighs a hefty 17 oz.
For attaching there is a wrist strap plus a hole at the base of the grip for the included caribina, to clip onto a belt or backpack when your not filming.
The operation of the telecopic shaft is fairly simple. The shaft is 'unlocked' by turning the head anti-clockwise, then locked by turning clockwise. Once this has been mastered, pole length can be changed very quickly on the fly. Range extends from 23" up to 39".
Comparison
Name
| Length
| 1/4" -20 fitting
| Water Proof
| Remote Holder
| Weight
|
GoPro 3-way Grip, Arm, Tripod
| 7.5" to 20"
| N
| Y
| N
| 10.6 oz
|
GoRad Gear Animus
| 17" to 40"
| Y
| Y
| N
| 9.2 oz
|
Sandmarc Pole - Black Edition
| 17" to 40"
| Y
| Y
| N
| 8.5 oz
|
GoPole GPE-10 EVO
| 14" to 24"
| Y
| Y
| Y
| 5 oz
|
SP Gadgets Remote Pole
| 23" to 39"
| N
| N
| Y
| 17 oz
|