On April 9th GoPro released its latest accessory for their GoPro cameras a new extension pole called the “El Grande”. I was very curious about this new GoPro accessory, I added it to my cart so I could test it out and make a review. I would just like to state that GoPro nailed it and this is quite possibly the best GoPro pole on the market today.

Now Poles and extension are commonplace and the market is flooded with many styles from every manufacturer that makes accessories for the GoPro Hero camera. I own several extension poles myself and I found myself asking “why do I need another one?”. What sparked my interest was two things, first was the claim by GoPro that the El Grande pole could attach easily to the Karma Grip and support the weight and the fact that the El Grande pole uses the buckle mount system instead of the traditional mount that most GoPro poles use.

GoPro El Grande First Impression

Upon opening the box I was quite pleased with the aesthetics of the GoPro El Grande, it is a sharp looking pole in full out GoPro style. It is robust and solid but still very light in the hand. The El Grande can extend from 15 inches to 38 inches with a simple twist/lock system. The El Grande has a nice rubber coating covering the entire pole allowing for a good grip with one or two hands even in wet conditions.

What really sets this extension pole apart from the other poles I use is its ability to support the weight of the Karma Grip when fully extended without bowing, other poles that I mounted my Karma Grip on bowed very easily and I was nervous with my expensive Karma Grip hanging off the end. Another really nice feature is the 360-degree ball head at the end of the pole that allows you to position your GoPro to the perfect angle easily without having to remount your camera. The El Grande extension pole is waterproof, so using it while surfing or snorkeling will not damage it in any way. The GoPro extension pole can be attached to the GoPro Seeker backpack to capture a nice over the shoulder view when hiking.

One interesting thing I noticed about the El Grande Pole is the 1/4 tripod screw on the bottom. This will allow you to mount it on a tripod to get some extra reach. This was surprising as GoPro tends to steer clear of traditional camera mounting systems.

I highly recommend this extension pole to anyone interest in adding one to their GoPro gear. Even if you own a pole already, this will make a great addition to your GoPro camera bag.

U.S. Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pHjlYU

Canadian Amazon: http://amzn.to/2oOTqQF

You can watch our YouTube review of the GoPro El Grande extension pole here.