Best Tripod for GoPro (2026) – Pocket, Grip and Flexible Picks

Best Tripod for GoPro – Quick Picks

The GoPro Shorty is the best tripod for GoPro for most people, the 3-Way 2.0 is the pick for vlogging reach, and the Xenvo SquidGrip is the flexible wrap-around option.

• Best pocket tripod: GoPro Shorty. Folds to 4.6 in, extends to 8.9 in, no adapter needed.
• Best grip and extension arm: GoPro 3-Way 2.0. 8 in folded, 19.5 in extended, built-in ball joint.
• Best flexible tripod: Xenvo SquidGrip. Wrap-around rubber legs, metal ball head, GoPro adapter included.

GoPro Tripod Comparison Table

The three GoPro tripods differ most in height, how they hold on, and how they mount the camera. These are the makers’ published figures:

How We Chose These GoPro Tripods

We kept only tripods that at least two independent GoPro tripod guides recommend and that have their own in-stock Amazon US listing. We read Improve Photography, FixThePhoto, TheSweetCamera and Suzi Pratt’s travel mount guide, then the makers’ spec pages and owner threads.

From our notes: The product all three of those roundups agree on besides the Shorty is the JOBY GorillaPod Action Tripod, the flexible tripod one r/gopro thread calls the only answer. When we went to its Amazon US listing, it was listed as currently unavailable, with no date for a restock. We did not want to send you to a dead end, so the flexible slot went to the Xenvo SquidGrip, which FixThePhoto and TheSweetCamera both rank and which is in stock. If the GorillaPod Action returns, it is a fine alternative.

We also dropped the GoPro Volta and MAX Grip + Tripod (only one independent guide each) and the UBeesize Tripod S, because the two guides that recommend it link to different listings.

The 3 Best Tripods for GoPro

Each pick below covers what it does well, what owners complain about, and who should skip it.

GoPro Shorty Mini Extension Pole + Tripod: best pocket tripod for GoPro

3.0Best Tripod Spec Score out of 5

• Stability5/10
• Portability (weight and folded length)10/10
• Working height3/10
• Build (materials, leg locks, head)5/10
• Value7/10

Unbeatable to carry and recommended by every guide we read, but 8.9 in of height, a lockless pole and owner reports of cracked hinges hold back stability and build.

How we score

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What we like

• Folds to 4.6 in and fits a jacket pocket
• Extends to 8.9 in for selfies and group shots
• Uses GoPro mounting fingers, so no adapter is needed

What we don't like

• Owners on Reddit report snapped legs and hinge cracks after about a year
• No lock on the pole and no rubber on the feet, so a worn Shorty stays loose

What owners and reviewers say from 5 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Small and convenient enough to carry everywhere
• Lets you aim the camera straight down without tipping over

Common complaints

• Tripod legs snap or crack at the hinges after heavy use
• The pole has no lock, so once it wears loose it stays loose
• No rubber on the grip or feet

Read on: r/gopro: Tripod for downward pointing GoPro · r/gopro: Tripod Mount help · r/gopro: Shorty loose · r/gopro: Ulanzi MT-09 mini tripod vs GoPro Shorty · r/gopro: GoPro Shorty vs longer 3rd party sticks for travel

Who it's for: Travelers, hikers and snorkelers who want a stand that lives in a pocket for time-lapses, group shots and selfies. Key caveat: it only reaches 8.9 in, the pole has no lock, and owners report hinge cracks after heavy use.

The Shorty is the one tripod every guide we read recommends. GoPro lists it at 4.6 in folded and up to 8.9 in extended, with a kick-out tripod for stable shots on level ground. It uses the GoPro mounting fingers, so it needs no adapter, and GoPro’s own guide calls it waterproof.

Owners like how little it asks of you: one r/gopro owner says the camera can point straight down without the tripod tipping, which makes it good for overhead and POV shots. The complaints are about wear. One owner says their Shorty broke after a year, with hairline cracks at the tripod hinges, another says the legs snapped, and a third notes there is no lock on the pole, “so once it’s loose, it stays loose” (r/gopro). Treat it as a light-duty pocket stand.

GoPro 3-Way 2.0: best grip and extension arm

2.7Best Tripod Spec Score out of 5

• Stability4/10
• Portability (weight and folded length)7/10
• Working height5/10
• Build (materials, leg locks, head)6/10
• Value6/10

The most reach and the most uses of the three, but a top-heavy arm on a small tripod and a swivel some owners can't tighten keep stability low.

How we score

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What we like

• Three mounts in one: grip, 19.5 in extension arm and tripod
• Integrated ball joint tilts and swivels the camera 360 degrees
• Waterproof, with captive hardware so parts can't get lost

What we don't like

• Small tripod tips easily unless the load is balanced; one video reviewer says a slight breeze knocks it over
• Some owners report a swivel tightener that won't hold the angle

What owners and reviewers say review themes from 24 owner reviews, plus 5 posts and reviews we read

Praised for

• Its tripod is far steadier than the original 3-Way's
• Handy all-in-one grip, arm and tripod for travel

Common complaints

• The tripod tips unless the camera is balanced over it
• Swivel tightener that barely holds the camera's weight
• Legs stiff to pull out and uneven, so the tripod can tilt

Read on: r/gopro: Has anyone tried out the new 3-way? · Walmart: GoPro 3-Way Grip 2.0 customer reviews (24 reviews) · GoPro Hero Facebook group: 3-Way 2.0 swivel tightener problems · GoPro Community: 3-way legs are uneven so tripod is tilted · 4-T Tech: Is the GoPro 3 Way 2.0 any good? (owner video review)

Who it's for: GoPro vloggers and families who want one accessory for handheld follow shots, selfies at arm's length and a quick tabletop tripod. Key caveat: the small tripod tips easily unless the arm is balanced over the legs.

The 3-Way 2.0 is a grip, a folding extension arm and a tripod in one. It collapses to 8 in and reaches 19.5 in, and an integrated ball joint lets you tilt or swivel the camera without moving the mount. Captive hardware means no loose parts to lose in the sand.

On r/gopro, owners of the first version say the 2.0’s tripod is far more stable. The trade-off is balance: a Walmart reviewer writes: “The tripod legs tip easily unless the load is balanced but that issue becomes pretty easy to mitigate.” Meanwhile a 4-T Tech video review says the slightest breeze or uneven ground knocks it over, with legs stiff to pull out. In a GoPro Facebook group, owners also report a swivel tightener that barely holds the camera. Buy it for handheld reach first; use the tripod on flat, sheltered ground.

Xenvo SquidGrip Flexible Tripod: best flexible tripod for GoPro

3.2Best Tripod Spec Score out of 5

• Stability7/10
• Portability (weight and folded length)6/10
• Working height3/10
• Build (materials, leg locks, head)8/10
• Value7/10

Wrapped legs and a metal ball head make it the steadiest on uneven ground, but it weighs about 1 lb and its legs are only about a foot long.

How we score

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What we like

• Grippy neo-rubber legs wrap around trees, chairs and lamps
• All-metal ball head can point the camera straight down
• GoPro adapter and phone clamp included

What we don't like

• About 1.01 lb, heavy for a GoPro support
• Legs only about 12 in long, so it doesn't add much height

What owners and reviewers say from 4 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Legs are strong but flexible and hold their shape
• Useful everywhere, from sports self-recording to hiking

Common complaints

• Few owner complaints surfaced; the GoPro reviewer at TheSweetCamera says the phone clamp doesn't hold phones securely

Read on: r/Bowling: Recommendations for tripods for self-recording · r/rollerblading: Advice for an action cam solution to record myself · CouesWhitetail forum: owner comment on the Xenvo SquidGrip · Frontier Sound FX: Hiking and camera gear list

Who it's for: Hikers, cyclists and skaters who want to wrap a GoPro around a tree, chair or lamp for angles a rigid tripod can't reach. Key caveat: at about 1 lb it is the heaviest here, and one GoPro reviewer says its phone clamp holds phones less securely than it holds a GoPro.

The SquidGrip trades height for grip. Its textured neo-rubber legs wrap around a lamp, chair or tree, and an all-metal Ball Head 360 can aim the camera straight at the ground. The Amazon listing includes a GoPro adapter and a phone clamp. Xenvo lists it at 1.01 pounds, heavy for a GoPro support, and its legs are about a foot long.

Owners we found use it far beyond GoPro: one bowler uses it for self-recording, a member of a hunting forum calls the legs strong but flexible, and a hiking blogger says it holds a phone gimbal. We found no repeated owner complaint. TheSweetCamera’s reviewer says the phone clamp holds phones less securely than the GoPro mount does, so for a phone we’d pick a dedicated clamp.

Do You Need an Adapter to Put a GoPro on a Tripod?

It depends on the camera: GoPro-made tripods use the mounting fingers, GoPro HERO13 Black screws straight onto any tripod, and older GoPros need a fingers-to-1/4-20 adapter. GoPro says the magnetic latch joins the built-in fingers and 1/4-20 threads, giving HERO13 Black three ways to mount.

This matters because the most common question on r/gopro is how to put a GoPro on a tripod someone already owns. If your action camera has no 1/4”-20 thread, buy a sturdy branded GoPro tripod mount adapter: one owner says a cheap one “just fell apart” the moment the GoPro went on. The Shorty and 3-Way 2.0 skip the problem by using the fingers, and the SquidGrip includes an adapter.

Problems Owners Run Into, and the Fix

Most GoPro tripod complaints come down to three things: the camera drooping, the tripod tipping, and pocket tripods wearing out. The video below shows the tipping problem on a 3-Way 2.0.

The camera droops or swings after a bump

A recurring r/gopro complaint is a GoPro that won’t hold its angle and, after a bump or two, ends up filming the sky. The usual cause is a thumb screw that isn’t tight enough. One owner’s fix: “Put a small dab of grease on the threads and you should be able to get them much tighter by hand” (r/gopro). Mounting the camera upside down (and flipping the footage in camera) also stops it fighting gravity.

The tripod tips over

A GoPro is light (the entry HERO weighs only 86g), so a small tripod has little weight holding it down. Keep extension arms short and centered over the legs, set up out of the wind, and on rough ground wrap flexible legs around something solid. Our guide to stopping tripod shake in wind covers more fixes.

Pocket tripod hinges crack or loosen

Shorty owners report cracked hinges and a pole that stays loose. Fold the legs gently and expect to replace it if you use it daily.

Pocket, Grip, Flexible or Full-Size – Which GoPro Tripod Type?

Choose a pocket tripod for travel, a grip-arm for vlogging, a flexible tripod for odd angles, and a full-size tripod for eye-level shots.

1. Pocket (Shorty): time-lapses on a table, a group selfie, snorkeling; it slips into any backpack pocket.
2. Grip and arm (3-Way 2.0): follow-cam footage and selfies at arm’s length; GoPro’s MAX Grip + Tripod (9 to 22 in) suits 360 cameras.
3. Flexible (SquidGrip): trees, chairs, fences, uneven rock.
4. Full-size: eye level or overhead time-lapses. None of the minis here reach it, so pair the GoPro with a regular tripod; our best hiking tripod picks and carry-on tripod guide cover light options.

Verdict

We would carry the GoPro Shorty every day, add the 3-Way 2.0 if you vlog, and pick the Xenvo SquidGrip when there is nothing flat to stand on. Whatever you choose, tighten the thumb screw and keep the camera balanced over the legs, and that sunset time-lapse will still be pointing at the sunset. If you also film at a desk, our mini tripod for desk video calls guide is the next read.