The best travel camera gear

Taking a road trip can be amazing, especially if you do it with people you love. Whether you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime experience, an epic drive across the United States, or just a quiet weekend getaway, you’ll want the best camera to capture moments along the way. The best camera can elevate your vacation photos and videos to a higher quality. It can also help you capture amazing slow-motion footage and most importantly, it provides solid water resistance so your phone stays safely in your pocket. You don’t have to spend a fortune on high-end cameras. Often a GoPro can do the trick.

I travel a lotand I’ll be the first to admit that I carry more camera gear than I need. However, there are only a few things that I use all the time and that’s what I’m recommending here. One of these will likely be all you need for your next trip.

You can’t go wrong with a GoPro. They have excellent image quality, are quite sturdy and their application is quite stable, allowing you to edit your photos and footage to look their best. The main reason I recommend the Hero 10 over one of the cheaper options is because . This lens is interchangeable and records an even wider angle of view. Plus it improves the already excellent stabilization.

I use it not only for shooting scenic views, but also as a control camera, as you can see in the video below.

The newer ones there are a few improvements, but for most people the Hero 10 will look pretty much the same and save you some money.

Read our GoPro Hero 10 Black review.

I have been using 360 cameras for years. They have come a long way. This is the first one I would consider using without a backup action cam. 360 cameras capture everything in a sphere around the camera. Later, with the app, you can choose what to show and how. So you basically record everything and then cut to show only the interesting parts.

One of the coolest tricks the 360 ​​camera can do is automatically remove the selfie stick so it looks like you have a drone following you around. For more see:

Insta360 X3 Action Cam uses 5.7K 360 video, AI Smarts to take all social photos.

It’s a unique and small action camera that I use a lot. It’s not really a primary camera, but it’s definitely an excellent secondary camera. It’s the size of your thumb – and it’s magnetic. You can hang it on your shirt while wearing the included magnetic pendant, or attach it to something metal, or use one of the countless smart mounts. The case that recharges and controls the camera even has a built-in tripod. The footage is wonderfully stabilized and looks a lot better than you’d expect for something so small.

Because of its size, it can record perspectives that other cameras can’t, like the train POV model in the video below.

Read our Insta360 Go 2 review.

You get price notifications for Insta360 Go 2

For most people, the GoPro Hero 10 Black is all they need. If you don’t mind spending a little more, the newer Hero 11 improves on the 10 in a few minor ways. First, there’s a new image sensor. The main difference is that it is more square. So if you often post vertical content to, say, TikTok or Instagram, but still want to be able to post standard horizontal content to YouTube, this makes it easier to do both without significant quality loss.

You can read more about it here:

GoPro Hero 11 Black Hands-On: Super large sensor adds value for everyone.

If you don’t want to invest in a new camera, or don’t want most of one (fairly), consider a gimbal. You can really improve the quality of your videos with a gimbal. They smooth out your hand movements as you walk around and can do smooth, professional-looking pans and tilts. They are an absolute must if you mostly use your phone. I have an OM 3 but the 5 is the current model and is easier to connect to your phone.

Read our DJI OM 5 review.

You get price notifications for DJI OM 5

If you record a lot of video, your camera and phone memory will fill up quickly. Cloud storage is one option, but if you’re carrying a laptop, consider a small portable hard drive. I have one of these and they seem incredibly small for how much they can hold. They are also relatively healthy.

Read our list of the best external hard drives and SSDs.

Receive price alerts for SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD

Selfie stick

I don’t have a strong recommendation for this one, other than to say that selfie sticks are great (when you’re not in crowds, that is) and you should find one that you like. Even I, who have what a friend describes as “terribly long arms,” ​​find great use in a selfie stick. They allow me to capture photos and videos that would be impossible otherwise, especially with a 360 camera that automatically erases the stick from the final image or video.

I recommend getting one with tripod mount screws on both ends, which gives you more options on what you can mount and how you can mount the stick itself. Likewise, make sure you have one that can hold all your cameras and phones.

Remote for camera

I find them super comfortable, but depending on how you record, it might not. It’s a simple Bluetooth remote that lets you control when the camera starts and stops recording, along with changing modes, settings, and more. Granted, you could use your phone’s camera app instead, but I feel like I’ve spent half my life trying to get cameras to connect to their apps, so sometimes the remote is easier. Sometimes the remote doesn’t connect either. Either way, it’s a hassle. Oh, good.

Tripods and other stands

One last thing. Tripods and stands. You probably don’t need a full-sized tripod, few people do. However, a small bendable model can be super handy, allowing you to mount the camera on almost anything and take a great photo with you in it. I had good luck with the Joby GorillaPods. I have an older version of this one.

Also check the suction cup and dashboard mounts. I have a small dash and a small windshield so it was much harder to find something that would work. So what I use probably won’t work for you. In general, I would recommend mounting the camera as high as possible if you can for better visibility.

I’ll finish with my favorite, an antenna stand. Unroll your antenna and mount this mount. When paired with a 360 camera, it allows you to get an exciting and unique view of your adventure. i have one of these and put a selfie stick on top of it, plus a 360 camera to capture drone-like footage of me and my car in Grand Teton National Park. However, how well this works will depend on your particular vehicle.

Read more: The best tripod for photography and video in 2023

In addition to covering TV and other display technology, Jeff takes photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips and more. Check out Tech Treks for all its tours and adventures.

He wrote a bestselling science fiction novel for city-sized submarines and a continuation. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.