What's the Best GoPro Memory Card?

Your memory card should be as reliable as your camera. GoPro cameras can shoot videos and photos automatically while you ride, surf, drive, ski, skate or engage in virtually any activity. But if your memory card can't keep up with your camera, it means trouble. For the best results with your GoPro, a memory card should have a fast enough "write speed" to capture all the action and enough memory so it doesn't fill up halfway through your adventure. Here are some recommendations about the best SD memory cards for your GoPro camera and some tips on saving money.

2013 UPDATE: Please note that the new Hero3 cameras require a microSD card. The earlier models use an SD card. This page includes recommendations for both type of cards.

(Image: SanDisk Class 10 SD card available from Amazon. See link below)

If you check the official GoPro website, you'll see that they recommend either a 16 GB or 32 GB SanDisk Class 10 SD card for the GoPro Hero2 and earlier models. The card's class is an important distinction because it determines how fast images can actually be written to the card. A Class 10 card has a faster write speed than a Class 4 card, which is what many people purchase because they're cheaper. The speed, however, becomes extremely important if you're shooting HD video or a 10fps burst. The camera can only capture the images fully and correctly if the card can write them that quickly, so you may lose images if you have the wrong card.

If you buy the SanDisk SD card through the GoPro website, you'll pay the full retail price of $79.99. But you can get it for less than half that price by purchasing it through Amazon. (Prices as of this writing. Visit the websites to check for any pricing changes.)

SanDisk is a trusted name in memory cards, but sometimes you can get similar quality for less money if you go with a lesser-known brand. In this case, the brand is Amazon. Yes, Amazon has their own branded memory cards, and customers love them. The AmazonBasics SDHC Class 10 card has an average 4-star rating with over 450 reviews. I own two of these cards and use them in both my DSLR and my underwater cameras with great results. These cards are the same Class 10 speed class as the SanDisk cards and have the same 32 GB of memory, but there's a fraction of the price. The 32 GB card can hold of 1080p video or 2480 18 MP still photos.

As noted above, GoPro sells SanDisk memory cards on their site. For the Hero3, they recommend the class 10 SanDisk 64GB Ultra microSDXC due to its quick write speed. But if you buy the card directly from GoPro, they charge the suggested retail price. Amazon, on the other hand, offers a nice discount, and the card is eligible for free shipping.

SanDisk and Amazon obviously aren't the only SD card brands available. Here are some other choices.

If you're really looking for a bargain, eBay can be the place to go. You'll find plenty of merchants here with low prices. Just be sure to check their ratings and only buy from someone with a lot of positive feedback.

This video clip from GoPro has some great footage of the Hero2 in action.