3 foot monster magnetic mount Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
i could call it “how to fit in” go pro for your car or truck,” pointed you to a cheap suction mount, and told you to have fun.
But the problem with this is that it’s a fast track to disaster. If — or more likely, when — the GoPro gets blown off the car, the best you can hope for is that you’re down to the GoPro. Worse, it could go through someone else’s windshield, hit a pedestrian, or damage something or someone.
And that someone or something can be you or yours or your belongings.
I always work to minimize risk to others and other people’s property, and minimize risk to myself and my property. This is why I only use good quality mounts such as 3 Footed Monster Pro,
Yes, I know, it may sound like an odd thing to do, but in the world of travel and adventure vloggers and YouTubers, attaching a GoPro to a vehicle is a common practice.
Not only is this a great way to capture footage of the area you’re in, but it can also be a great way to capture B-roll footage (footage that accompanies the main footage to support the story) connected, offering a different point of view, creating tension, or highlighting a point).
Now the 3 Footed Monster Pro is bigger and more expensive (and often on back order). But it is a high quality mount. The magnetic base is strong and does a good job of fixing to iron surfaces such as car body panels, street lights, and pretty much anything magnetic you can think of.
Perfect for gopro or other action cameras Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
The magnets hold spring shock absorbers that do a great job dampening vibration, and the mount is sturdy enough to hold a GoPro or other action camera in your car or truck (there’s also a holder for smartphones, though I don’t recommend Using your best daily driver smartphone for this).
It is also a good idea to clean the area where you are going to attach the magnets from any dirt and grime. Not only will this allow the magnets to stick better, but it will also reduce any risk of damaging the paintwork.
Springs act as little shock absorbers Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
Now, as good as this mount is, and as reliable as it has been so far– it’s never let me down– I still wouldn’t be happy relying solely on magnets.
It’s a good idea to attach the mount to the vehicle using strong rope or straps. I use 550lb breaking strain paracord Because I have loads of it, and it’s cheap and very reliable.
But there’s a right way and a wrong way to mount and secure a camera in a car.
Hanging it from the wing mirror is the wrong way. If the mount comes loose (which is very unlikely with a magnetic mount because magnets are always magnets), it’s going to wobble and wobble uncontrollably and cause all kinds of ruckus.
Don’t mount your action camera on the wing mirror. If it comes loose it will swing uncontrollably Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
The right way is to apply it on both ends. Here I’ve wrapped the rope around the car door so that even if the mount comes loose, it won’t move much.
Here I’ve wrapped the rope around the car door so the mount won’t move or feather in case it breaks Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
Here are some suggestions:
- on door/wing
- on the roof
- on the hood facing forward or rearward towards the occupants
- Underneath the car (be careful, this can be tricky, and if you hit the camera you could damage the camera or the vehicle)
Note that it is very possible that you mount and camera is going to be dirty and muddy, and that rocks may fly up and hit the camera at high speeds. This is something that can be harsh on cameras, and so I wouldn’t recommend using your smartphone.
My GoPro after a few minutes of driving! Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
I put in a few miles on rough and wet rural roads with the Mt., and it didn’t move in the least.
Doing:
- use a quality mount
- clean paintwork before application
- Secure the mount with a cord or strap
- Make sure the surface you are mounting on is a ferrous (magnetic) metal
- Check that the mount is secure often
No:
- don’t rush or take shortcuts
- Don’t use poor quality mounts
- Do not use a mount that is showing signs of wear or damage
Do not finalize: Do not use the suction mount on a vehicle. Once the suction cup is broken, it will not hold back like a magnet. And I’ve seen many cheap mounts with multiple suction cups give way within minutes of being attached, spreading expensive cameras in the process.
options to consider
OK, but what if you don’t want to spend $250 on a mount? Maybe you’re only going to use it a few times? Are there any options open to you?
Yes.
Now you can go have fun!











