How to safely attach a GoPro to your car or truck
Magnetic mount for three-legged monsters Adrian Kingsley Hughes
I would have the “How do you fit in GoPro to your car or truck,” she pointed to a cheap suction cup mount and told them to have fun.
But the problem with this is that it’s a quick route to chaos. If – or more likely when – the GoPro flies off the car, the best you can hope for is that you have a GoPro. Worse, it could go through someone else’s windshield, hit a passerby, or damage something or someone.
And that someone or something could be you or yours or your stuff.
I always work to minimize the risk to others and their property, and the risk to myself and my property. For this reason I only use high quality mounts like these 3-Foot Monster Pro.
Yes, I know it may seem strange, but in the world of travel and adventure vloggers and YouTubers, mounting a GoPro on a vehicle is common.
Not only is this a great way to capture footage of the area you’re in, it’s also a great way to capture what’s known as b-roll footage (footage that is intertwined with the main footage to support the story another way of creating perspective, creating tension or emphasizing a point).
Now the 3 Footed Monster Pro is big and expensive (and backordered very often). But it’s a quality mount. The magnetic base is strong and is good for attaching to ferrous surfaces like body panels, street lights and just about anything magnetic you can think of.
Perfect for the GoPro or other action cams Adrian Kingsley Hughes
The magnets have spring shock absorbers that do an excellent job of minimizing vibration, and the mount is more than enough to attach a GoPro or other action camera to your car or truck (there’s also a mount for a smartphone, although I wouldn’t recommend it ). Use your best daily driver smartphone for this).
It’s also a good idea to clean the area you’re sticking the magnets of dirt and grime. As a result, the magnets not only stick better, but also reduce the risk of damage to the paintwork.
The springs act like tiny shock absorbers Adrian Kingsley Hughes
Well, as good as this mount is and as reliable as it has been so far – it has never let me down – I still wouldn’t be happy with just relying on the magnets.
It is a good idea to attach the mount to the vehicle with strong cords or straps. I use 550lb Elongation at Break Paracord because I have plenty of it and it’s cheap and very reliable.
But there is a right way and a wrong way to attach the mount and camera to the car.
The wrong way is to dangle it from a side mirror. If the mount comes loose (which is very unlikely with a magnetic mount as magnets are always magnets) it will dangle and swing uncontrollably causing all sorts of chaos.
DO NOT tether your action camera mount to an outside mirror. When it comes loose, it swings around uncontrollably Adrian Kingsley Hughes
The correct way is to attach it at both ends. Here I wrapped the cord around the car door so the bracket wouldn’t move much even if it should come loose.
Here I wrapped the cord around the car door to keep the bracket from moving or swinging around if it came loose Adrian Kingsley Hughes
Here are a few suggestions:
- On the door/wing
- On the roof
- On the hood facing forward or backward toward the occupants
- Under the car (careful this can be tricky and if you hit the camera you may damage the camera or the vehicle)
Note that there is a high probability that you will go up and the camera will get dirty and muddy, and rocks can fly up and hit the camera at high speed. This can be harsh on cameras, and that’s why I don’t recommend using your smartphone.
My GoPro after a few minutes of driving around! Adrian Kingsley Hughes
I’ve driven the mount for a few miles over bumpy and wet country roads and it hasn’t moved at all.
Do:
- Use a quality mount
- Clean the paint before applying
- Secure the mount with a cord or strap
- Make sure the surface you are attaching the mount to is ferrous (magnetic) metal
- Check frequently that the mount is secure
Not:
- Don’t rush or take shortcuts
- Do not use poor quality mounts
- Do not use a mount that shows signs of wear or damage
Finally, do not: do not use suction mounts on a vehicle. Once a suction cup has come loose, it doesn’t stick back on like a magnet. And I’ve seen several cheap mounts with multiple suction cups fail within minutes of attachment, spilling expensive cameras in the process.
to examine alternatives
OK, but what if you don’t want to spend $250 on a mount? Maybe you will only use it a few times? Do you have options?
Yes.
SUREWO Magnetic Action Camera Mount for GoPro – Three magnetic feet make this a solid mount for under $50
Base stand kit with magnetic mount – A very small, low profile mount that comes with a very nice swivel head
ULIBERMAGNET 60lb Magnetic Camera Mounting Base – A solid, sturdy magnetic mount
Pellking Magnetic Camera Mount for GoPro – This uses two magnetic feet instead of three, making it a better solution where space is limited
Now you can have fun!