Before I bought my first bodysurfing handboard, I knew I wanted to film my epic rides but was not sure how it could be accomplished. I discovered some
What is a bodysurfing handboard GoPro mounting insert? It is a small, high-density insert on the deck of your handboard that is designed for securely mounting your GoPro to your board.
The rest of this article shows you exactly what it looks like, where it is located on your handboard, and how it is used.
What does a GoPro insert mount look like?
Above is an image of A GoPro mounting insert on a Slyde Wedge handboard. It is a thin, rectangular, high-density notch.
The dimensions of the GoPro mounting insert are approximately .90″ x .30″ x .5″. It is designed to fit the FCS GoPro mounting plug, which your camera attaches to.
The angled screw is not broken. In fact, it is designed that way to firmly secure the plug to your board. The angled screw applies pressure to the inserted plug mount, which holds it in place.
Where is the GoPro insert mount built into your handboard?
The GoPro mounting insert is located on the “deck” or top side of a handboard. For the Slyde Wedge, the GoPro mounting insert is centered just behind the “nose” or front of the board. It is about 2″ from the tip of the nose and roughly 3″ from the side rails.
I have noticed this to be a popular location for most bodysurfing handboard manufacturers. Garage
Does the board location of the GoPro insert mount matter?
The placement of the insert mount does impact your filming angle. You will have a much different POV experience depending on the board location of your camera.
Since the GoPro mount is located at the front of the board, you will have a clearer shot of the wave as you bodysurf. If your GoPro mounting insert was placed towards the tail end of the board, it would capture a different viewing experience. Your hand would be in the shot with the wave, which provides a cool filming angle.
The nose placement for mounting your GoPro allows for amazing selfie films. This type of filming angle is not possible if the GoPro mount was located at the tail end of the board.
Benefits of a built-in GoPro insert mount
If you plan on filming yourself while you bodysurf, I recommend getting a board that has a built-in GoPro insert to keep your camera safe. GoPros are very expensive and it would suck to lose it in the ocean. The built-in mounting insert provides the safest and most secure way of keeping your GoPro connected to your handboard.
Can a GoPro insert mount break?
The GoPro insert mount is designed for impact and wipeouts. This is a high-density insert that is well-designed so the integrity of this feature should never be compromised.
However, there is one surefire way that can cause your insert mount to fail, which is over-tightening the screw. This can strip the threads rendering it ineffective. If this happens, you will never be able to use it again.
But I’m worried about losing my camera…
I totally agree. I was worried about losing mine as well. I discovered that there are few potential ways you could actually lose your camera while using t
- Not tightening the insert screw enough to keep the GoPro mount in place
- Over tightening the insert screw, which strips the thread
- Not tightening the GoPro mount thumb bolt enough
I have not lost my camera using the GoPro mounting insert. You need to always make sure the insert screw is tight enough so the FCS GoPro mount plug cannot be physically moved but not so tight that you strip the thread.
The closest I have come to losing my filming equipment is during wipeouts where sometimes the camera will be pushed forward or backward. I’m assuming this is due to the integrity of the thumb bolt connection.
Even though I fasten the thumb bolt tight, it is still no match for the power of the wave during a wipeout. I never actually lose my camera. It remains stuck to my board but the filming angle gets repositioned.
GoPro insert mount material
The insert mount is notched into the foam core of the board and is typically glossed over with a smooth laminate finish so the FCS GoPro plug mount can easily fit into the opening. For Slyde handboards, there is a metal screw used to secure the mounting plug in place. Note that materials used may differ by manufacturer.
What do you need for the GoPro insert mount?
In order to utilize the GoPro mounting insert feature, you will need a few accessories to attach your camera. I have listed what you need below:
- FCS GoPro mounting plug
- FCS fin key
- GoPro thumb bolt
- GoPro camera / casing with GoPro interlocking connection
The first accessory you will need is a GoPro mounting male plug. This is the piece that has a rectangular shape plug that fits into the insert opening. It also has the GoPro interlocking connection structure.
You will need a fin key to tighten the angled screw. This is the only tool that fits the size of the screw. An Allen wrench should also work but I’m unsure of the size.
The thumb bolt locks the camera casing and camera mount together. The ergonomic design makes it fairly easy to fasten.
Lastly, you will need your GoPro or GoPro compatible camera case. In the image above, I am using a Proshot case.
How does a GoPro insert mount work?
Mounting your camera using the insert mount and accessories previously mentioned is an easy process. I created a video tutorial on installing a GoPro camera to the built-in insert mount on a Slyde handboard so make sure to check that out if you are interested in learning how to do it.
Do you actually need this built-in feature?
The built-in GoPro mounting insert feature is nice to have but not necessary. You can easily install adhesive mounts on the deck of your handboard for your GoPro. However, you can only install adhesive mounts for certain handboard types and adhesive mounts are not as strong as the built-in mounting insert feature.
Can you use other waterproof cameras?
You can use any camera that is compatible with the GoPro mount. Your camera case needs to have the same interlocking connectors as the GoPro.
Look at the image below for a better understanding. Notice how the two pieces fit together like a puzzle.
Which bodysurfing handboards have the GoPro insert mount feature?
There are a few bodysurfing