Whether it is capturing that crazy hill climb or just taking in the scenery, every UTV owner has had that moment that they wished they had caught on camera. An action camera like a GoPro is a great tool to preserve those memories and share them with their friends or the world. As versatile as the GoPro and other action cameras are, you can never reach their full potential without some must-have accessories.
3BR Powersports External Power Kit
If you only buy one accessory for your GoPro, this should be the one. The GoPro has a ton of great things about it. However, the battery life is severely lacking, especially if you are filming at higher resolutions and framerates, or if you are casting the device to your phone or tablet. Older GoPros will deplete their battery within 30 minutes if you’re using your phone to control them via WiFi. Newer ones will last a bit longer in our experience, but not by much. Stopping and changing out batteries is not only inconvenient, but it’s sometimes not even possible during the heat of the moment. Not to mention, having multiple spare batteries can get expensive quick.
3BR Powersports has solved this problem by creating a way to power your GoPro externally, while still providing the weather resistant protection that action camera is known for. They offer their X~PWR system for GoPro cameras all the way back to the GoPro Hero 3, all the way up to the current generation GoPro Hero8 Black
If you have an older GoPro, such as the GoPro Hero3, Hero3+ or Hero4 cameras, then the original X~PWR is the perfect choice for you. It comes with a new case for your action camera that allows you to attach their patented B-CAPPed USB power cable. The standard USB end can then be plugged into any standard USB power source, which will power your device continuously instead of draining your camera battery. This means that your GoPro’s SD card size is now you’re limiting factor, which is up to nine hours of footage.
3BR Powersports also has coverage for those that have newer GoPro models, such as the Hero5, Hero6 or Hero7 Black. They offer two different options for these cameras, the X~PWR-H5 and the X-PWR-H7.
The X-PWR-H7 also uses an external frame mount like the original, but in this case instead of the plastic frame like the OE, 3BR uses a black anodized aluminum housing. This housing accepts their weatherproof USB-C cable that plugs into any standard USB power source. If you’re feeling especially creative, the housing is designed to accommodate 52mm lens filters. It also comes with a shoe adapter for other camera accessories, lens cap and storage bag to add value. One thing to note is that if you are running the GoPro Hero7 White or Silver, the H7 will not work
The X~PWR-H5 will work with the Hero5, Hero6 and Hero7 Black. This is an even more budget friendly version of the X~PWR, which provides only the essentials you need to externally power your GoPro. You continue to use your stock GoPro case and instead just remove the door of your action camera cable access cover and plug in their B-CAPPed USB power cable. They provide a pivot post which attaches to the camera frame that acts as a cable retainer. Once again, the weatherproof USB-C will then plug into your standard USB power supply.
Finally, if you have the latest and greatest GoPro Hero8 Black, then 3BR offers the X-PWR-H8. The design is similar to that of the H7 and features a rugged black anodized aluminum case and cable retainer provides protection against the harsh environments. The all-weather external power kit allows your camera to be plugged into an external USB power source for continuous power.
GoPro Jaws Flex Clamp
Sometimes permanent or semi-permanent mounts are not the best of options. While they offer the security of your camera not flying off never to be seen again, sometimes they can stifle your creativity when you want to move your camera quickly from one location to another. This is where the GoPro Jaws Flex Clamp shines.
The Jaws Flex Clamp is an official GoPro accessory and will work with all GoPro cameras on the market, along with most other action cameras that use the same mounting system. The Jaws system clamps down securely onto any object from only a quarter of an inch up to two inches in diameter. It utilizes a very strong spring back design, along with a rubber strap to keep everything securely in place.
It can be used with or without the included “gooseneck”. The gooseneck makes aiming your camera easy, with both up and down movement, along with side to side. Pretty much any angle that you can dream up, you can accomplish with the Jaws. The gooseneck can also be removed from the clamp to be used as a hand held grip if you’d like. If you’re trying to mount it into a tight space, you can mount your GoPro directly to the clamp itself without the gooseneck.
We highly recommend using the Jaws Flex Clamp with a newer generation GoPro with image stabilization. Even though the gooseneck stays in place very well, then length of it can introduce noticeable vibration into your video. This isn’t so much of an issue when connecting directly to the Jaws clamp directly. There are imitations of this product on the market, but we’ve found them to be vastly inferior to the official GoPro product and not suitable to being used on a UTV.
Mob Armor Action Camera Bundle
The Mod Armor Action Camera Bundle comes with some of the most critical accessories to mount your GoPro or similar style cameras. The centerpiece of their system is their Claw Mount. With a simple claw adjustment knob and a locking ball pivot, the Action Cam Claw mount is ideal for mounting your GoPro to interrior safety handles, roll-cages and just about anything else you can grip all the way up to 2″. There is also the Action Cam Pivot Magnetic Mount, which is great for awkward positions and tight spaces where you need to get that perfect angle. The bottom features a 90lb magnet, with a rubberized bottom. For tight spaces, the Action Cam Direct Magnetic Mount is perfect for attaching your camera to any steel surface. This is a flat surface mount that only allows forward and back movement to point your camera up or down.
The Mob Armor Bundle also features a very well made carrying case with foam cut outs for each accessory included, plus a bonus cut out for the camera itself, along with spare battery slots.
Daystar Pro Mount Action Camera Mount
The Pro Mount Action Camera Mount from Daystay is a great camera mount for semi-permanent action camera installations. The clamp of the Pro Mount is made from anodized 6061 Billet Aluminum. The two piece construction is bolted together to sandwich the tubing and uses a kevlar-infused polyurethane isolators to mitigate vibration from the machine. The Daystar product comes with four different isolators measured for 7/8″, 1.5″, 1.75″ and 2″ tubing. These popular options cover just about every popular application on the market today.
The camera mount itself utilizes a very nice uniball design, so that the camera can be swiveled and then tightened to lock into place. This uniball utilizes a standard 1/4″-20 camera screw, so you’re not just limited to a GoPro. If you don’t have a 1/4-20 GoPro tripod adapter, they can be purchased separately. The Pro Mount Action Camera Mount is made in the USA and backed by a lifetime warranty.
RAM ATV/UTV Handlebar U-Bolt Mount with Action Camera Adapter
If you’ve ever used a Ram Mounts product before, then you’re already familiar with their quality and nearly endless configurations. Ram Mounts has come up with this ATV/UTV Handlebar U-Bolt Mount with Action Camera Adapter as an all inclusive package. The base portion of the mount has a high grade aluminum casting that connects to a high strength composite adapter. This adapter can attach to any tubing with included stainless steel strap hose clamp that is encased in a rubber sleeve. The strap hose clamp works for tubing from 1.57″ to 3.15″.
The Ram Mount also comes with a u-bolt mounting option with two different sizes of zinc u-bolts. The u-bolts attach to the aluminum base. Depending on which u-bolt you choose, you can use them to mount to any rail from .5″ all the way up to 1.25″. We’ve used this same attachment to mount to the square tubing of the grab bar without issue as well. The double socket arm is made of marine grade aluminum and attaches to the ball of the tube mount and the ball of the camera mount. By loosening the knob of the arm on the side, you have a near limitless range of motion in which to position the camera. Tighten the knob back down and you are ready to record the action. Ram Mounts are made in the USA and backed by a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer.
Neewer 50-In-1 Action Camera Accessory Kit
If you’re wanting a boatload of accessories for a bargain price, it’s hard to beat the Neewer 50-In-1 Action Camera Accessory Kit. It is packed full of useful accessories, along with some that you’ll likely never use as well. There are so many accessories included in the package, you will likely never be able to get them all back into the included carrying case once you open the package for the first time.
Included in the kit includes a suction cup mount, expandable selfie stick, minature tripod mount, head strap, chest strap, wrist strap and bar wrap mount that works for anything from 3/4″ to 1.4″. Also included are a variety of 3M adhesive backed fixed mounts, angle adapters, a floating handle grip, a 1/4-20 tripod adapter, a hook buckle, a helmet extension arm and various tethers.
One of the items we have gotten the most out of is the minature tripod mount. The legs of the tripod are easily bent and shaped to level your action camera easily. You can even wrap the legs around a small tree to get that perfect shot. The selfie stick is surprisingly robust and expands from around 6″ up to approximately 3′. The suction cup mount, though not as high quality as an official GoPro mount, works pretty well too. However, the material is no as heat resistant as the official GoPro mount, so don’t leave it attached the windshield of a car with the windows rolled up on a hot day. It will melt. We’ve also gotten great use out of the 3M adhesive backed fixed mounts, along with the variety of angle adapters.
