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GoPro Sticks with a Difference

These aren't your everyday run-of-the-mill GoPro selfie sticks. Each offers something unique that sets it apart.

Collage created using TurboCollage software from www.TurboCollage.com

By David Coleman | @havecamerawilltraveldc
Last updated about 4 months ago // Categories: Mounts & Grips
Tags: GoPro HERO4 Black, GoPro HERO4 Session, GoPro HERO4 Silver, GoPro HERO5 Black, GoPro HERO5 Session, GoPro HERO6 Black, Travel Photography

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I’ve recently been trying out some GoPro sticks that are a bit different from the run-of-the-mill ones.

Much of the time, a stick is a stick is a stick. Put a camera on the end and hold it out. If you’re pointing the camera at yourself to make it a selfie stick, having it extended gets your distorted arm out of the frame. If you’re pointing it away from you, the stick gives a higher or wider perspective. And in many cases, any basic stick will work just fine.

Foretoo Selfie Stick for GoPro,19”Waterproof Hand Grip Adjustable...
Foretoo Selfie Stick for GoPro,19”Waterproof Hand Grip Adjustable...
  • 【 Easy twist to extend 】 It allows monopod to extend from 7" to 19". Comfortable strap with...
  • 【 Compact design & Lightweight 】 Selfie stick can extends in 3 separate lengths so you can choose how...
Check Price on Amazon

But there are also some out there that offer something a bit different. Some of the differences are in construction. Some are in features. Here are some examples of what I mean.

All of these work with any of the GoPro cameras, including the HERO8 Black.1

UKPro Carbon Pole 40

Most camera sticks are made of either plastic or low-grade aluminum. UKPro is a California company that focuses on GoPro accessories at the premium end of the market, and the thing that sets the Carbon Pole 40 apart from most others is that it’s made of carbon fiber. That makes it lighter and stiffer than equivalents made of plastic or aluminum, the same reasons I prefer carbon travel tripods.

UKPro Carbon40 GoPro Stick

It’s part of UKPro’s Pole Mount System that includes dual and pivot mounts as well as something they call the Space Station, which lets you mount up to four GoPros together (facing in different directions). It’s a telescoping pole that extends the same way that many tripod legs do these days, with twist locks. As with any twist lock system–or pretty much any other telescoping system lock, for that matter–you do have to be a bit careful about sand or grit getting in there and fouling things up, but with a bit of care and rinsing that’s not too much of an issue.

UKPro Carbon40 GoPro Stick

There are four sections. It collapses down to 14 inches, making it easy to throw in a backpack, and fully extended it reaches 40 inches. It weighs 0.6 lbs. And it has a very substantial and handle grip that’s easy to grip even with cold and wet hands or with gloves (and it’s bright red to spot it easily if you drop it in snow or in the water).

Despite the company name, it’s made in USA (with some foreign-made parts).

UKPro Carbon40 GoPro Stick

UKPro sent one to test out, and lately, it’s become the one I’ve found myself reaching for most.

In hand, it feels like the premium product it is. It folds down very small, and I’ve found the twist locks to work well. Do you really need a carbon fiber GoPro stick? In many cases, perhaps not. But there are times you appreciate the extra rigidity and minimal weight to carry when traveling. It’s available at Amazon.

Underwater Kinetics UK Pro POLE CARBON 40, 40 inches, Atomic Red
Underwater Kinetics UK Pro POLE CARBON 40, 40 inches, Atomic Red
  • extends from 14" to 40"
  • standard GoPro attachment, and universal 1/4"-20 mount included
Check Price on Amazon

Spivo Stick

The Spivo Stick is put out by a Canadian company, Spivo. (It’s also made in Canada.) The name has been tweaked more recently, and you’ll now often seen it named the Spivo 360.

Spivo Stick - GoPro Stick

The headline feature of this one is that it pivots 180° with each click (push it twice and you get the 360° of the name). There’s a button on the handle that you can push to have the camera do a whip rotation to face the other direction.

It’s really designed for times you might want to quickly switch from filming yourself in the action to filming your surroundings. Think of surfing or snowboarding, for example, where you might want to catch yourself in the frame but also want to show where you’re going, but where it’s not practical to manually rotate the camera around with your hands.

Spivo Stick - GoPro Stick

The button on the handle spins the dial at the other end that the camera mounts on. It’s a quick, whippy spin 180°, and while it isn’t quite as snappy as a single-frame cut you can get in post-editing the footage, it does mean that you can minimize missing any action, and the transitions can easily be trimmed out in editing. The rotation is only in a clockwise direction; that is, every time you click the button, it rotates 180° clockwise.

Spivo Stick - GoPro Stick

It’s made of lightweight plastic, and it’s waterproof. (It doesn’t float, but here are some that do.).

It’s a mechanical mechanism, so it works just as well underwater as above water. It comes with a wrist strap. It comes in three versions: Small (12 inches), Medium (18 inches), and Large (26 inches). They’re not extendible.

Spivo sent me the Medium to check out, and it’s a good comfortable size to work with while still being long enough to provide a good working distance from the camera. It’s available directly from Spivo.

A similar alternative is this one from Meinuoke.

Underwater Pistol Swivel Handle Grip Pole - 180 Degree Rotating Camera...
Underwater Pistol Swivel Handle Grip Pole - 180 Degree Rotating Camera...
  • Any Camera. All smartphones, Any Adventure.
  • Swivel your device 180° (Back to Front Quick Switch)to capture every angle and have fun showing how...
Check Price on Amazon

GoPro 3-Way

The 3-Way is one of GoPro’s own branded accessories, and it’s one of the most versatile options. It’s also well-made, as most GoPro-branded accessories.

Fully collapse, it’s a handle. Extended, it becomes a selfie stick. And you can then splay some small legs on the bottom and use it as a lightweight tripod/monopod (with realistic expectations of its stability, of course).

gopro-3-way-mount

If you’re after a versatile solution to several problems, this is a good option. That versatility makes it especially well-suited to taking with you when traveling.

You can find it at GoPro.com, Amazon and other major retailers. You can also find less expensive third-party versions.

GoPro 3-Way Grip, Arm, Tripod (GoPro Official Mount)
GoPro 3-Way Grip, Arm, Tripod (GoPro Official Mount)
  • 3 in one design: Can be used as a camera grip, extension arm or tripod for ultra versatility and a...
  • Handle doubles as a grip: The handle can be detached from the arm and used as a lightweight camera grip
Check Price on Amazon

MicroJob Flow

I’ve reviewed several waterproof float poles for GoPros separately. My favorite is the MicroJib Flow.

It’s different from most of the other waterproof float poles. It’s very compact when retracted (about 6 1/2 inches / 17 cm) but extends out to 23 inches (58 cm). So it’s more like a standard handle grip/extension pole, but the difference, in this case, is that it still floats, which is the unusual part, and important if you don’t want your GoPro to end up at the bottom of the ocean. So it’s a great option for anything from swimming to surfing to boating to snorkeling or diving.

Extendable GoPro Floating Hand Grip + Waterproof Camera Pole Mount 6.5-23'...
Extendable GoPro Floating Hand Grip + Waterproof Camera Pole Mount 6.5-23"...
  • Extends from 6.5 to 23"
  • Ergonomic Grip
Check Price on Amazon

  1. They will work with the 360-degree cameras, the MAX and Fusion, but the unusual perspective of those cameras might include some of the stick in the frame, depending on how you’ve angled it. The MAX has a feature that eliminates that. ↩

Images and product information from Amazon PA-API were last updated on 2020-11-13 at 20:08. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on October 9, 2020

Categories: Mounts & Grips
Tags: GoPro HERO4 Black, GoPro HERO4 Session, GoPro HERO4 Silver, GoPro HERO5 Black, GoPro HERO5 Session, GoPro HERO6 Black, Travel Photography

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GoPro News & Deals

New Smart Remote GoPro will be announcing the new Smart Remote for the HERO9 Black on December 17, 2020. The HERO9 Black isn’t compatible with the previous version of the Smart Remote.

HERO8 Black firmware v2.0 now available. Enables webcam mode; enables Display Mod compatibility; expands HyperSmooth 2.0 High and Boost availability to more video settings; general bug fixes. Update through the mobile app or manually.

GoPro Launches New Live Streaming Service for GoPro PLUS. GoPro has launched their own live-streaming platform for PLUS subscribers. It’s a pretty bare-bones offering for now, with livestreams shared with a dedicated URL. This is alongside their efforts to make the HERO8 Black useful as a webcam when connected to a computer (via USB plug-in-play, not requiring the Media Mod accessory with HDMI out). New firmware adds that functionality for Mac users, and the Windows version is in Beta.

New GoPro Zeus Mini Video Light. GoPro has released released a new video LED light designed to complement their GoPro cameras. It’s tiny, waterproof, and has a built-in magnetic swiveling clip. It’s waterproof down to 33 feet (10 meters), has four levels of brightness, and includes a diffuser to cool the color temperature to 5000K. GoPro claims that the built-in battery lasts up to 6 hours (presumably at the lowest brightness setting, although they don’t specify). It’s available now and priced at $69.99.

DJI Osmo Action firmware update adds live streaming. DJI has released a firmware update for the Osmo Action (v. 01.08.00.10) that adds live streaming support, so you can upload directly to platforms like Facebook and YouTube (it goes through the DJI Mimo mobile app). They’ve also improved the in-camera video stabilization. You can find the new firmware here.

New Underwater Housing for GoPro HERO8 Black from Isotta. Isotta, an Italian brand specializing in underwater housings, has announced a new high-quality underwater housing for the HERO8 Black. It’s an aluminum housing depth-rated to 650 feet (200 meters), has a one-handed open/close switch, double o-rings, and can be used with filters. There’s also a dual-handled tray to go along with it. And like all their housings, it’s in their distinctive red. Priced at $450, it’s only for those who need a highly specialized piece of underwater kit. It’s available for preorder from underwater specialists Backscatter.

Light Mod Now Shipping The Light Mod, one of the three new GoPro accessories, is now shipping. It’s a standalone light that is waterproof, rechargeable and compatible with all GoPro mounts. It was originally announced along with the HERO8 Black, but it hasn’t been available until now. It’s priced at $49.99, and you can find them at GoPro.com.

GoPro MAX Now Shipping. The new 360° camera, the MAX, is now shipping.

GoPro HERO8 Black and Max Unveiled. The new GoPro cameras and accessories have been unveiled. I have a rundown of the highlights of the HERO8 Black here.

DJI Osmo Action vs GoPro HERO7 Black. I’ve posted my detailed hands-on comparison of the Osmo Action and the HERO7 Black. There’s a lot similar between the models, but once you start digging down into the details there are differences that can help in choosing between them. And each has strengths the other doesn’t have. You can find my review here.

GoPro HyperSmooth vs DJI RockSteady. The new DJI Osmo Action also has built-in electronic stabilization to smooth out video. They’re calling it RockSteady (GoPro has HyperSmooth). I’ve been out testing them side-by-side. You can see the results here.

GoPro Deals page. I’ve put together a dedicated page on GoPro deals. So if you’re looking for cheap GoPro deals, check it out.

DJI Osmo action 4K Camera. Best known for their camera drones, DJI has released a new 4K action cam that’s taking direct aim at the GoPro HERO7 Black. It shoots up to 4K60 video and 12MP stills, includes electronic stabilization, has high-dynamic range video at 4K30, voice commands, a touchscreen on the back and another smaller live view screen on the front, and is waterproof down to 36 feet (11 meters). It’s priced at $349, and they’re now available at B&H Photo.

Comments

  1. AvH says

    January 4, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    so, I am new to the camera world and have received a GoPro hero 4 silver. naturally I want to purchase a bundle to go with it. I’ve been scouring amazon but most of the reviews are pretty bad. do you have any recommendations for good quality bundles?

    Reply
    • David says

      January 6, 2017 at 2:58 pm

      I’m afraid I haven’t really tested the bundles much. I tend to buy accessories individually. It ends up being more expensive, but it also means you can get exactly what you want, and you can choose items that are better than the versions included in most of the bundles. Sorry that’s not much help to you, but I don’t really have much experience with the various bundle offerings.

      Reply

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About Me

I’m a professional travel & location photographer based in Washington DC and traveling all over. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between.

I’ve owned and used every GoPro since the HD HERO and particularly like finding new and different ways to use them to capture photos, video, and time-lapse.

You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com.

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