GoPro mount showdown

Welcome to the GoPro mount showdown a battle between the GoPro head mount vs Chest mount vs BerleyPro action Hat.

I’ve been a video blogger since 2016 creating an extensive volume of fishing videos for the FishingMad YouTube channel. I’m a technology enthusiast and have keenly followed advancements in action cameras and mounts to ensure I’m capturing the best viewing experience for followers of my channel. Whilst we marvel at the exciting advancements in action cameras every year, we see little innovation on improvements for mounts which play a vital role in what we capture and the anglers we capture them on.

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I have been experimenting a lot in recent years with the 3 main action camera mounts. The head mount the chest mount and the berlyepro action hat. This article will detail the pros and cons of each mount helping you with your mount decision making. Please keep in mind I am a vlogger for a fishing channel and some of the pros and cons may differ to your specific area of expertise.

GoPro Head mount review

I have been using the GoPro head mount for many years now and still find it to be one of the best options to capture a real POV experience. The camera moves as you do to capture what’s important at that point in time. There are no obstructions so you can capture everything well, however quick movements with your head can make the footage shaky and difficult to watch. You do become conscious of this and keep your head movements to a minimum. This is becoming less of a problem with the latest action camera image stabilisation.

The GoPro head mount retails for $34.95 from most Australian retailers.

Pros

The video isn’t in a static fixed position and captures the best viewing angles.
POV gives viewers an experience just like they are there.
No obstructions in the way of capturing clear footage.

Cons

As your head moves you can capture shaky footage some of which can be unwatchable.
Unable to wear a hat and I get sunburnt on the forehead and face.
Can get a little uncomfortable when used for long periods at a time.

GoPro Chest mount review

I have also been using the chest mount for many years and it provides a good steady content capturing but I have struggled to use its footage taken in production due to some basic flaws when capturing fishing footage. The angles are quite static and when you catch a fish a large portion of the screen is taken up by your hands and the reel leaving the viewer wanting more. This may be very different if you were using the chest mount when riding a bike or walking.

The GoPro Chesty retails for $59.95 from most Australian retailers.

Pros

Stable viewing
Allows you to wear a hat and not get sunburnt.
Comfortable to wear.

Cons

Static viewing experience
Poor viewing angles in fishing videos catching a fish means that all viewers see is your hands.
Clothing choices can be difficult and wearing a life jacket gets in the way.

BerleyPro Action Hat review

I have been using the action camera hat since it was released. I was really excited by the design which provides a non-static real POV experience whilst not getting sunburnt. However, in my first few sessions with it, I either had the camera pointed a little too low which captured the rim of the hat or a little too high which missed vital parts. It really does take some time and preparation before every use to ensure the camera is fixed in the exact right spot to minimise both.

The GoPro head mount retails for $49 from most Australian retailers.

Pros

Great design
Stops you from getting sunburnt and also allows for usage of a face shield.
The video isn’t in a static fixed position and captures the best viewing angles.
POV gives viewers an experience just like they are there.

Cons

If you wear it like a normal hat the camera angle is too high, and you miss critical details.
Easy to record the rim of the hat and need to crop all your videos during video editing.
Difficult to store you can’t put it in a case like I do when the head or chest mount is attached.
As your head moves you can get shaky footage some of which is unwatchable.

GoPro head mount vs Chest mount vs BerleyPro action Hat Conclusion

As you can see there is no right or wrong answer here on the GoPro mount showdown. All 3 mounts serve a purpose whilst all suffering from some disadvantages. I find that I use all 3 mounts on various occasions. However, I do use the chest mount the least. It’s by far the most comfortable and practical but it gives a poor viewing experience with static views that are often filled with large hands reeling in a fish.

Feel free to visit our review on the latest GoPro and how it stacks up in the market.

The hat is an excellent option but much care must be taken on every use and when swapping over batteries to ensure it’s fixed at exactly the right angler. A few percent down will capture the rim of the hat.

Thanks for visiting our GoPro mount showdown. If you feel this review is missing any key information or needs any corrections made, then please let us know by emailing our team at enquiries@fishingmad.com.au with specific details in the email. Thank you

You can see more about these mounts directly on the manufacturer’s website. GoPro Head Mount / GoPro Chest Mount / Berleypro Action Hat

GoPro mount showdown