Ultimate Guide to GoPro Hero5 / Hero6 Accessories

With the new design of the GoPro Hero5 also comes a ton of new accessories, like screen protectors, batteries, grips etc. 

I’ve been shooting a ton with my GoPro Hero5 and have been putting together this nice list of all the best accessories for this camera. This list doesn’t have everything yet and I’m still testing out a lot of stuff, but I will continue to update it.

Latest Cameras.

Keep an eye out for any bundles that might include everything you need.

GoPro Hero5 Black – Amazon / BHphoto
GoPro Hero6 Black – Amazon / BHphoto
GoPro Hero5 Session – Amazon / BHphoto

Best Accessories | GoPro Hero5 / Hero6

Best Batteries For The GoPro Hero 5 / Hero 6

Recent firmware has made it so current 3rd party batteries do not work. Now if you want batteries for your GoPro Hero 5 you need to buy the official GoPro batteries. They are the best batteries anyway.

The reason is that while voltage, amps, capacity all might be the same, the batteries could still have a different internal design that affects the discharge rate and heat. When a battery gets hot, it will often drop its power output. If the third-party batteries are not correctly designed to manage heat while matching the GoPro batteries discharge rate, then this could result in camera crashes and lockups. Also, third-party camera chargers could be charging the batteries at a higher charge rate, which also can affect the batteries discharge rate and life. 

I know a lot of people are upset by this, but there are good reasons to not use third-party batteries. Myself and readers of this site have had lots of problems with batteries in Sony cameras and apparently it’s a problem with the Fujifilm XT2 when using XT1 batteries which although matching the same specs, are internally designed differently. 

Official GoPro Hero5 Battery

The official GoPro Li-Iion battery with a 1220 mAh capacity. It’s also compatible with USB-C Quick Charge or Rapid Charge. – Amazon / BHPhoto

Official GoPro Hero5 Dual Charger + Battery

Will charge 2 Hero5 / Hero6 batteries via USB. To get maximum speed you will need a Quick Charge or Supercharger wall adapter. I use this and love it. – Amazon / BHPhoto

Fast Chargers (Supercharge) Your GoPro / Karma Grip

If you’re looking to fast charge your GoPro or your Karma Grip there are a few options. GoPro offers a wall plug with fast charge capabilities. I think to fast charge you need something that puts out 5v /3 Amp. So this got me searching for battery banks that could do the same thing and I found a few that might be better options than the official GoPro Supercharger.

Official GoPro Supercharger

One nice thing about the Supercharge is it has USB C built into it so you can use it for your other devices such as your new cellphones, or even Nintendo Switch that are quick charge capable with USB C. This will also fast charge your Karma Grip. – Amazon / BHPhoto

RavPower USB C 20100mAh Power Bank + QC3.0 USB Charger

I use this as the alternative to the GoPro Supercharger. It comes with an AC wall adapter that also supports QC3.0. Which is Quick Charge which is similar to Supercharge.

With this you can use the wall adapter to charge the GoPro batteries via the charger, or through the GoPro itself. Plus you get a battery bank that can charge on the run. It also has USB-C which will allow you to completely power your Karma grip for over 5 hours when plugged in. – Amazon

USB-C to USB-C Cable

If may need a longer USB C to USB C cables to use the above power bank with your Karma Grip.

• Amazon

RAVPower USB Quick Charger Wall Adapter

RavPower USB Quick Charger with iSmart and QC3.0 capabilities. 

Power outputs capabilities: 5 V/2.4 Amps 9 V/2 Amps 12 V/2 Amps – Amazon

Best Screen Protectors GoPro Hero5 / Hero6

With the integrated touch-screen, you now should consider putting a screen protector on your GoPro, if you’re not going under water a lot.

I personally don’t use a screen protector over my lens cover since it can affect image quality. I hold the belief that I can always buy a new lens cover if something terrible happens to it.

If you ever have trouble with dust when apply a screen protector, get some scotch tape, circle it around your finger with the sticky side out, and use it to pick up the dust between the screen protector and the screen.

Official GoPro Hero5 and Hero6 Screen Protector (5-Pack)

The official GoPro Hero5 and Hero6 screen protector comes with five screens for the front and rear to protector your camera from knicks, dings, scratches and reduces glare. It also comes with a backdoor shield for the frame. – Amazon / BHphoto

Fixget 2 Pcs Screen Protector (Screen and Lens)

This is one the most popular options out there and all the most affordable. It comes with two protector for both the screen and the lens. – Amazon

Afunta Screen Protector Water Proof, Tempered Glass (2-Pack)

The Afunta screen protector has hard tempered glass that better helps protect the screen from screen shattering impacts. – Amazon

Get it with a Lens Protector – Amazon

Best Memory Cards For The GoPro Hero5 / Hero6

The GoPro is very fickle about which memory cards you use. At least the Hero5 was. The Hero6 has all new hardware that with a bus speed that is 3x faster when it comes to offloading footage and is likely more friendly with different brands of cards.

The Hero5 really doesn’t like a couple of memory cards. To find the best cards, I went out and purchased every popular microSD memory card I could find and have been benchmarking them and testing them in camera to see which cards work well and which don’t. 

Best Memory Cards GoPro Hero 5

Best Memory Cards GoPro Hero 6

GoPro Hero5 / Hero 6 Dive Case

GoPro Super Suit

If you want to take your GoPro Hero 5 deep underwater you’ll need to get a dive case. This allows you to go as deep as 196′. It also allows you to attach underwater filters for various water conditions. – Amazon / BHPhoto

GoPro Diving Filters

Two colors are available, red and magenta. The red is designed for clear blue water. The magenta is more suited for green water. The diving filters have an operational depth of 15-70′

Buy one of these if you plan on snorkeling. 

Red – Amazon / BHphoto  Magenta – Amazon / BHphoto

GoPro Floaty

If you’re using the Super Suit in the water while Surfing or something, you might want a Floaty. I used this one for years while surfing or snorkeling and never lost my camera. It will disappear for a while in waves, but always floats back up . . . eventually. While the Grip grip floats, it’s not buoyant enough to fight currents and waves. You will need to attach this to the backdoor the case, not directly onto the camera. Either the Super Suit or the regular case will work. – Amazon / BHphoto

GoPro Hero5 /Hero6 Remote

Voice activation still need some work but, I do find it useful when I want to quickly take a picture when I’m in video mode without having to switch over.

GoPro Hero5/6 Voice Activated Remote – Amazon

This is new since the GoPro Hero5 since that was the first generation to have voice activation. This little remote is has Voice-Activation and has a One-Button control. It has a range of 33′ and is waterproof up to 16′. – Amazon / BHphoto

GoPro Hero5/6 Smart Remote

The smart remote allows you to control all the settings of your camera, works at a range of 600′ and can control up to 50 cameras at the same time. It’s also waterproof up to 32′. – Amazon / BHphoto

Best GoPro Hero 5 / Hero 6 HandGrips

There are a lot of grips out there I have the Karma Grip and the GoPro Hand Grip. I love them both but really love the new Karma Grip, I highly recommend it if you like buttery smooth footage. 

Official GoPro Karma Grip (with case and gimbal)

This is really the best grip out there. It has buttons built-in to allow you to control your GoPro from the grip, and it will charge your GoPro as you go. I also use mine with an external USB C external power bank listed above to massively extend the battery life.

(I’m not sure which firmware this ships with but mid 2017 firmware made this grip so much smoother with panning and they’ve eliminated most bugs. Make sure you update this right when you get it.) – Amazon / BHphoto

Official GoPro The Handler Floating Hand Grip

It’s been great but less expensive options will probably get the job done. Yes, this grip will float, but with the weight of the GoPro it doesn’t float well. Fine for swimming pools and clear water, but I would get a proper floater if you want to take it into the surf. The new Handler has a more visible orange base and a Quick-Release.

Old Handler – Amazon / BHphoto | New Handler – Amazon / BHphoto

CamKix Floating Hand Grip

My brother uses one like this, they are cheap and great if you’re just looking to go to the beach or somewhere where you don’t mind things getting a little thrashed. These hand grips are still not great at floating so get a floater if you plan on going surfing. What’s nice about this floater is the whole handle is a solid color so it’s easier to spot compared to the Official GoPro hand grip where only the bottom cap is orange. – Amazon

Official GoPro 3-Way

This is a multifunctional grip. Works as a standard grip, you can attach an extension arm, or you can use it as a tripod. – Amazon / BHphoto

Official GoPro Shorty

This is new pretty cool, it’s a regular grip like those above, but it can also extend out and be used as a tripod. – BHphoto

Using Tripods With Your GoPro

I actually use my hand grip a lot, however, if I’m traveling with my kid I use a Gorilla Pod. I use it as a handgrip as well as a sort of tripod I can wrap around things like a baby stroller. It was amazing to have when I was traveling all over Japan with the child.

Only thing is, it’s a little big to use as a handgrip but it can work and you can find so many uses for it. I also haven’t tried it out in beach sand, which I imagine would create some problems.

Joby GorillaPod

There are various sizes of these GorillaPods. I use one that’s pretty big and I’ve found unlimited uses for this thing over the years, for all my cameras, not just my small ones.

From mounting small cameras, to mounting LED lights or even speedlights. If you ever have some spare cash, these are great to have, or even great gifts. – Amazon

You’ll need the GoPro Tripod Mount to use and tripod. There are several options.

Joby GoPro Tripod Mount

Fits your standard 1/4″ tripod mount. Joby makes pretty rugged gear so you can trust your camera on this one. – Amazon / BHphoto

Official GoPro Tripod Mount

Official always means more expensive, but that usually comes with some advantages. This new GoPro Tripod Mount comes with a quick release. – Amazon / BHphoto

Official Gopro Tripod Mount With Mini Tripod

This comes with a mini tripod that attaches directly to the GoPro housing as well as a Tripod Mount with the Quick Release. You could also get the GoPro 3-Way instead of this where you’ll also get a grip. – Amazon / BHphoto

GoPro Bike / Pole / Vehicle Mounts

There are a few different methods for attaching the GoPro to your bike, ski poles or whatever cylindrical object you can think you.

New Bike Handlebar Seatpost Mount

 I labeled this new because it came out in 2016 and is GoPro’s latest version.

It seems the biggest difference is it has a mount buckle and a large rubber insert. So if you had a few of these attached to your bike you could quickly and easily move your GoPro around to different positions. – Amazon

GoPro Bike/Seatpost/Pole Mount

This is another way of attaching the GoPro to a pole. This version is all metal with a smaller footprint to mounts in tight spaces. It also has a small rubber insert to keep things from slipping. – Amazon

Bar Mount

The Bar Mount is a fairly universal pole mount. You can use it on role cages, bikes etc. There is no rubber insert so there could be slippage. – Amazon

Old Bike Handlebar Seatpost Mount

This is GoPro’s earlier handlebar and seat post bike mount with various knuckles so you can title the GoPro into various positions. This product hasn’t been getting great reviews, the joints are made of plastic and are prone to break and there is no rubber insert. – Amazon

GoPro Suction Cup Mount

I use this suction cup to stick the camera inside of the window of my car. I don’t know if I trust these things to mount to the exterior. But apparently people do it. – Amazon / BHphoto

GoPro Jaws: Flex Clamp

The Flex Clamp is compatible with all GoPro cameras and can clamp onto anything with a diameter between 0.25″-2″ or (0.6 – 5 cm). 

Clamp and Neck both feature Quick-Release connectors. – Amazon / BHphoto

GoPro Straps / Body Mounts

The Strap (Hand / Wrist / Leg etc)

This comes with the rotating mount, a hand strap, a wrist strap and an arm + leg strap.

It can be used in and out of the water. – Amazon / BHphoto

Official GoPro Head Strap w/ Quick Release

Head Strap with a quick release that supports all GoPro models. It can be adjusted to accommodate all head sizes. – Amazon / BHphoto

Amazon GoPro Head Strap

This is very similar to GoPro original head strap before they added the quick release. I have that original head strap and having a quick release is probably worth the extra couple bucks. – Amazon 

GoPro Chest Mount Harness – The Chesty

I love these for when I’m riding giant eagles through the fjords of New Zealand. One size fits all. – Amazon / BHphoto

CamKix Chest Mount Harness

A cheaper alternative to the GoPro chest mount except this comes in various colors, Black, Blue and Yellow. – Amazon

Complete GoPro Mount Kits

If you’re looking to save a ton of money and don’t mind cheap stuff, check out these Mount Kits. They’re great to have just because you’ll get so many mounts and you’ll never know when you’ll need something. There are so many of these kits on Amazon but they are all very similar.

BlackPro GoPro Mount Kit

Comes with a head strap, chest mount, suction cup, bike mount, etc. It even includes the infamous selfie stick. – Amazon

LifeLimit GoPro Hero5/6 Starter Kit

A lot of the same stuff as the kit above. Both kits get nice reviews. For the price, even if a lot of the stuff is junk, there will still be some stuff that you’ll use, or at least will be nice to have one day if you don’t use this stuff all the time. – Amazon

See more kits here – Amazon

Best GoPro Hero 5 / Hero 6 Cases & Bags

Official GoPro Casey

This is the Official GoPro Case. It has a lot of room with configurable cloth compartments separators. – Amazon / BHphoto

Amazon GoPro Carrying Case (3 Different Sizes)

This case comes in three different sizes to suit your needs, depending on how much gear like to carry, or how many cameras you own. This comes with a durable zipper and a carrying handle. – Amazon

Smartree GoPro Carrying Case

This case is very small and very basic. It will hold your charger, two batteries and your GoPro Hero5 or Hero6. – Amazon

Go Professional Hard Shell Waterproof Flip Case

GPC makes a lot of hard shell cases like this for a lot of different accessories, like cameras or drones. They are very rugged and well designed. Their older case which has been discontinued got great reviews. – BHphoto

GoPro Hero 5 / Hero 6 Replacement Parts

If you lose a part to your Hero5, like a door, a cable, or you need to replace the lens or something, there is hope!

This stuff also exists for the GoPro Hero5 Session as well but the below items will not work for that.

GoPro Replacement Side Door

If you lost your GoPro side door or broke it, you can easily order this official replacement. – Amazon

GoPro Hero5 Protective Lens Replacement

I don’t use the little screen protectors on my GoPro lens because you can easily get these protective lens replacements. I know some karma drone users like to take the lens off their camera before flying their drone to cut down on any glare. Also, the more glass you put in front of your lens, the less micro-contrast you’ll get in your images. So it’s good GoPro sells these replacements for fairly cheap for those who risk breaking or losing them by taking them off. – Amazon

Best GoPro Hero 5 / Hero 6 Accessories | Conclusion

This is some of the best stuff I’ve been using or have found that looks promising. I personally prefer to use GoPro brand gear just because it’s often slightly better and I feel like this matters especially if you’re mounting to your bike or something.

Of course it all depends on what you need and what you’ll be using it for. One thing that does matter though is memory cards and batteries. Be sure to get the recommended cards to avoid problems.

I’ll continue to update this as I learn more about the Hero5 and the new Hero6.