Water sports are great for GoPro videos, after all, and you’re tired of not being able to hold your camera and paddle at the same time.
Well, we’ve got you covered. We have compiled a short list of what we believe are the three best options for mounting your GoPro while you’re out on your iSUP.
SUP or stand up paddle boarding is taking off in such a big way across the world. Whenever you consider the benefits, it’s not difficult to see why. SUP is an incredible way of spending time with friends, getting outdoors and keeping fit.
Just like with other sports – water sports – recording your sessions with a camera together with other complementary accessories is a great way to not only share but also relive your SUP adventure and memories.
At times, having a GoPro camera for paddle boarding isn’t enough. Multiple accessories can change your videos’ quality dramatically. By using several accessories and mounts, there is no doubt that you can open the way to a complete new and fresh perspective.
GoPro Mounts for Inflatable SUP Boards
The following are the best GoPro mounts for paddle boarding:
The Handler
The Handler is simply a floating hand grip that allows more stable footage compared to holding a camera by hand. It is highly comfortable. In features an adjustable wrist strap for the greater security of your camera.
The Wrist Housing
The Wrist Housing enables users to put on their GoPro camera for effortless access whenever capturing footage on the fly. Whenever it’s not recording, you enjoy full utilization of both hands, for example, for paddling out.
The Bodyguard Mount
The Bodyguard Mount is ready for the bodyguards or stand up paddleboards and foam surfboard. You can install it within minutes, as its doing so is very easy. It brings with a camera tether as well as a locking plug for extra security when in heavy surf.
The LCD Touch BacPac
The LCD Touch BacPac is the ideal solution for the surfers that cannot wait to view their latest session footage. With this, you can play back photos and videos directly from your camera, including instant slow-motion and audio playback.
The Standard Housing
The Standard Housing is a lightweight and slim housing as a replacement or spare for your GoPro camera. It has a flat glass lens that deliver maximum image sharpness below and above water. It is waterproof to 40 meters (131 feet).
The Camera Tethers
The Camera Tethers are an additional security layer that are handy whenever you use your GoPro in severe conditions. All you need to do is attach adhesive anchors to your gear. Next, you need to secure Camera Tethers to your camera housing backdoor. Whenever your GoPro is loose, it’ll remain attached to your gear.
The Floaty Backdoor
The working of the Floaty Backdoor resembles an insurance policy. This simple floatation device attaches to your housing backdoor directly thus ensuring your GoPro remains afloat, in all sorts of ocean conditions.
GoPro Surf Camera Mounts
The Surfboard Mounts are a very important accessory when it comes to paddle boarding. Whether you own a single plank or a ten-board quiver, you’ll surely need them. They comprise of an FCS compatible male plug, which you mount on your GoPro by utilizing the FCS center fin socket.
- Perfect for surfboards, kayaks, SUPs, boat decks and more
- Ideal for activities where maximum holding strength is needed
The MyGo Mouth Mount
The MyGo Mouth Mount is designed perfectly to enable you breathe as well as obtain a stable shot. It features a highly comfortable rubber mouthpiece. It also brings with it bite supports for a stable footage. The mount has an air channel for unrestricted breathing. With its low profile lanyard, you’ll surely be able to keep your camera up and close.
The Head Strap and QuickClip
You can wear the Head Strap and QuickClip on your head directly or over your helmet in order to capture footage in a headlamp-like perspective. Just a simple baseball cap is necessary to handle the job as you catch the waves.
Top Tip – Help keep water droplets off the lens by using RainX, a quick spray will help repel water straight off it.
Best Go Pro Camera for Paddle Boarding
You do not have to be a thrillseeker in order to use and own a GoPro. Many people that do ordinary everyday activities utilize cameras to film anything. The best attribute about these cameras is the fact that they are very easy to use. Additionally, they are waterproof and robust.
Depending on your needs, you can settle for different models. The one you settle for also depends on the price you need to pay.
You can also find plenty of GoPro video accessories to assist you take better video footage. It includes mounts that can attach safely your GoPro video camera to your body, stand up paddle board, bike (motorbike and pushbike) or car.
Are you looking for the best GoPro camera for paddle boarding? If yes, then you should settle for the GoPro HERO 5 Black Edition.
- Stunning 4k video and 12MP photos in single, burst and time lapse modes charger not included
- Durable by design, Hero5 black is waterproof to 33 feet (10 meter) without a housing
GoPro HERO5 Black Edition Review
This best GoPro camera for paddle boarding features a specialized SUP/surfboard mounts in order to ensure that your GoPro remains intact whenever you’re out in water. Provided you enclose the camera in its supplied waterproof housing, the camera is usually waterproof up to (40m) 131 feet. Additionally, the camera is shockproof.
The camera normally records .MP4 format utilizing the H.264 codec. All modern computers can read this. Furthermore, it’s the standard for many online video websites like YouTube. The camera has an array of camera modes. Here are some of them:
- Time lapse
- Burst photo
- Simultaneous photo and video
- Continuous photo
- Still photo
GoPro App – From your Android or Apple device, you can control this camera. You can download the apps free. The app can also be handy in playing videos on your tablet or smartphone.
Connections – The camera brings with it a microSD card slot that’s handy for image and video storage. When searching for a microSD card, ensure you choose a class 10 memory card. It’s needed for full HD video recording. This camera has the ability to support microSD card sizes of up to 64 GB.
What is more is the fact that you can utilize the in-built mini-USB slot for connecting your computer in order to play back or transfer your shots. Additionally, you can utilize the in-built micro-HDMI slot in order to view them on HDMI-enabled TV. Nonetheless, for this reason, you need to purchase a cable separately.
SUP GoPro
Not gone one? This is why you need to have one when out on your board.
What GoPro do you use and how do you mount it? Let me know below.
The Best GoPro Mounts for Inflatable SUP
It may be easy to find a mount for a hard board. Hard boards are thinner, and clamps likely work just fine. But you really like your inflatable SUP and how lightweight and easy to store and transport it is. If only a clamp would fit on the thicker material.
Worry not, we’ve got you covered with these handy reviews that we hope will give you confidence and allow you to get the right mount for you to get out and record your SUP adventures!
1. Bodhi Floaty Suction Cup Mount for GoPro – Best Overall
When it comes to recording your sporting adventures, especially on the water, nothing beats a hands-free mount that won’t interfere or be interfered with by any part of your body. But most suction-cup mounts are heavy and lock into place, and don’t work all that great on the water.
Those heavier suction-cup mounts might be good for vehicles, including boats, but when we put them on something that directly contacts water, we find some issues. That’s why we’re excited to show you this suction cup mount that is lightweight and even floats!
That’s right. If, for any reason, the super-strong suction cups come undone, your GoPro will stay above the water for easy retrieval.
Our Favorite Things:
- 3 super-strong suction cups stick better than any other suction-cup mount available
- Extra protection against vibration means you get a super-smooth video
- Durable, waterproof aluminum-and-plastic mount will last in any water and on any water-sporting equipment
- It floats! Never worry about losing your camera to the depths of the waters
Inconveniences:
- The suction cups are seriously super strong, so pay attention to removal instructions to prevent any damage or injury
2. Taisioner POV/VLOG Smartphone Selfie Neck Holder Mount for GoPro – Best Budget
Mounts should be affordable, right? Well, if you have a tight budget and still want to get out and record your SUP adventures, the Taisioner neck holder mount for GoPro is definitely the best option. It won’t drain your wallet, and you’ll have a hands-free mount for your GoPro.
This high-rated, affordable mount rests around your neck for easy carrying. No need to worry about losing your camera on the water while it’s on your person! Don’t worry about a little jostling – GoPro videos are wildly popular even when something causes the camera to jump a bit.
Our Favorite Things:
- Suitable for all action wearable cameras and a variety of smartphones, so your recording capabilities are practically unlimited
- Large, 270-degree angle gives you an excellent viewing experience for your videos
- PBT material makes for a more durable, steadier mount
- Opens in front – pull it or push a button
Inconveniences:
- The hard material may be a bit uncomfortable around your neck after awhile
- If mounting a smartphone, makes phone operation difficult
3. GoPro Chest Mount Harness – Best Wearable
Having a GoPro strapped to your wrist makes it difficult to record while you paddle out into the waters, and it can be inconvenient at best.
What if, while you’re out, your paddle falls into the water? What if you’re on an iSUP for a fishing expedition? Can’t exactly hold the pole and the camera at the same time – at least, not comfortably, and we really wouldn’t recommend it anyway for the hassle.
We like the option of wearing our GoPro. It makes for a steady, stable video, and we don’t have to worry about dropping it. The chest mount harness by GoPro is definitely the best option when it comes to a wearable mount.
Our Favorite Things:
- Hands-free and great for a SUP, catches everything in front of you
- Fully adjustable harness fits adults of any size
- Quick-release mount makes it easy to attach and detach your GoPro
- More immersive type of filming than other mount types
Inconveniences:
- It won’t capture you, making it less than ideal for a yogi who wants a GoPro video of a SUP vinyasa
- Instructions aren’t included, leading to potential user error
How To Mount your GoPro Ready for Paddle Boarding
In episode 7 of GoPro’s Athlete Tips and Tricks series, we go to the tropical waters of Maui to mingle with professional waterman and heartthrob, Kai Lenny. Kai takes time away from surfing Jaws and other big wave magnets to teach us how to best capture the sport of stand up paddling.
He starts with how to properly prepare your GoPro camera for ocean conditions and then dives into the Handlebar/Seatpost/Pole Mount and Chest Mount to cover all the angles. This colorful video is perfect for learning how to capture the moment at the beach, so grab your sunscreen and enjoy!
Buyer’s Guide
Mounting your GoPro for an expedition on your inflatable stand-up paddle board shouldn’t be a challenge, but it can be if you don’t know where to look for the right object to hold your camera.
When you make a search for a GoPro mount, the first things you find tend to be for bicycle or motorcycle handles, clamps that might clip onto a hard SUP, or a lock-in suction-cup mount that works great for the front of your boat but definitely won’t float if anything happens to it.
To make it easier for you to find and purchase the right mount for you to take your GoPro out on your inflatable SUP adventures, we hope our reviews are helpful and have put together some more information to give you confidence in your search.
Types of Mounts
GoPro mounts ideal for stand-up paddle boarding on an inflatable board can have some wacky names and leave you wondering how to find them, or even what in the world they are.
“The Handler,” “The Wrist Housing,” and “The Floaty Backdoor” are just a few mount types we’ve encountered that left us scratching our heads. That’s why we’ve provided reviews with handy links to products – to eliminate confusion and leave you feeling good.
There are innumerable mounts you can find online, but ultimately they boil down to just a few types: A clip, whether flat or round; a suction cup; or a body mount. Body mounts can be for your wrist, chest, neck, head, or even your mouth – although we don’t like that last option, so we haven’t included it.
Only you can decide which type of mount is best for you, but when it comes to a suction-cup option, nothing will beat the Bodhi Floaty Suction Cup when you’re out paddling on the waters.
Safety Concerns
It may be important to find a tether cord for your GoPro if you’re attaching it to your board. While the Bodhi Floaty Suction Cup mount has the strongest suction cups we’ve seen, reinforced threefold, we also understand that sometimes, the unexpected happens.
If you ultimately buy a lock-in suction-cup mount, it’s even more important – a tethering cord will make sure your GoPro doesn’t instantly fall to the bottom of the watery depths, and you’ll be able to recover it safely.
If you’ve gone back to look up mouth mounts, keep in mind concerns with having something in your mouth while you’re engaged in water sports. There are the regular concerns of holding something in your mouth while sporting, plus the option of falling into water while biting onto something – we want you to be careful and safe!
Be sure nothing is going to catch your mount if it’s around your neck. Luckily, the front-snapping design of the Taisioner POV/VLOG neck holder mount allows for easy release, but if you venture out on your own with different topics, pay attention to how they release.
Types of Recording
Tying into the types of mounts, different types of recording yield different types of videos. The way you record is tied completely to the type of mount you’re using, and as we said before, if you’re using what amounts to a selfie stick, you may hit some inconvenience.
To show you what we mean, Jake Rich uses a stick mount on his SUP, and while he has a cool video, he always has a hand occupied. This can create safety concerns in addition to being even mildly inconvenient while on your board.
Another YouTuber who goes by FishAholic Fishing shows another perspective with his GoPro strapped to his chest. The perspective from his camera starts around 2:00 mins as he takes his iSUP out for a fishing trip, showing you what we mean about keeping it hands-free on the water.
Conclusion
Inflatable stand-up paddle boards are easy to store, easy to carry, easy to set up, and easy to use. They’re convenient in many ways and like us, you decided it was the option for you for stand-up paddle boarding. But because they’re inflatable, they’re thicker than hard boards.
As a result of their thickness, clip-type mounts don’t work all that well for setting up your GoPro to record your awesome, watery adventures.
An iSUP is great for all the activities a hard board can do – fishing, yoga, surfing, and more. Whether you opt for a body mount or the awesome, floating suction cups, we hope our reviews are helpful to you in finding the best way to set your camera up for whatever it is you do out there.
About the author: Chris loves the outdoors and has developed a love of gadgets and inflatable toys, from kayaking and paddle boarding to relaxing in his hot tub at home. The founder of WhichInflatable and has been the editor for 7 years.
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