An action camera without a floating handle is a camera you will eventually watch sink.
Boards are wet, hands are cold, and the moment worth filming is usually the moment you are least in control of what you are holding.
A floaty grip fixes two problems at once. It keeps the camera on the surface if you drop it, and it gives you something to hold that is not the slippery little body of the camera itself, which is what makes the footage watchable.
We compared ten floating hand grips for paddle boarding, from the official GoPro Handler to seven dollar bobbers, and sorted them by what they are actually good at.
The best floating action cam handles at a glance
| Grip | Type | Price band | Standout features |
|---|---|---|---|
| GoPro The HandlerTop pick | Fixed grip, official | Around $30 | Quick release base, non-slip body, wrist lanyard |
| FitStill Floating Hand GripBest value | Fixed grip | Around $15 | 7 in, under 80 g, 180 degree tilt mount, anti-loss strap |
| SOONSUN 4-in-1 Selfie StickMost versatile | Grip, tripod and pole | Around $30 | Aluminium, 9 in folded to 27 in extended, magnetic legs |
| AKASO Floating Hand GripFor AKASO cameras | Fixed grip | Around $17 | TPE rubber, bright cap, published AKASO fit list |
| MiPremium Floating MonopodDry storage | Fixed grip | Around $16 | EVA grip, watertight compartment, strap and carabiner |
| Sametop Floating Hand GripBest grip feel | Fixed grip | Around $14 | TPE rubber, hollow dry compartment, wide GoPro fit list |
| lekullna Floating Hand GripStrongest tether | Fixed grip | Around $14 | Steel cored coiled safety strap, EVA grip, 180 degree tilt |
| Harwerrel Floating Hand GripMost visible | Fixed grip | Around $12 | 7.1 in, orange cap, dry compartment, floating strap included |
| TEKCAM Accessories KitFull kit | Grip plus selfie stick | Around $12 | Floating grip, extendable stick, suction mount, adapters |
| SHOOT Floating BobberCheapest | Short bobber | Around $8 | 15 cm, 80 g, 1/4 in screw, wrist strap included |
The ten floating grips in detail
- Typefixed floating grip
- Mountquick release base
- Gripnon-slip moulded body
- Extraswrist strap lanyard
- ModelAFHGM-003
Best for: GoPro owners who already have other mounts and want them to interchange
This is the one to buy if your camera is a GoPro and you own other mounts. The quick release base means the camera comes off the grip and onto a chest mount or a board mount in a second, without unscrewing anything.
The body is moulded rather than foam wrapped, which sounds worse and is not. It stays grippy when wet and it has nothing that soaks up salt water and then smells.
You are paying for the fit and the finish rather than better flotation. If your camera is not a GoPro, one of the cheaper universal grips below does the same job. If you are still deciding what to strap the camera to, our life vest comparison covers the chest mount question.
Strengths
- Quick release base swaps straight onto any other GoPro mount
- Floats reliably, which is the one job that matters
- Comfortable non-slip body, even with cold wet hands
- Wrist lanyard included, so a drop stays attached
Weaknesses
- Roughly twice the price of grips that float just as well
- GoPro mount fingers, so non-GoPro cameras need an adapter
- Typefixed floating grip
- Size7 in tall, under 80 g
- Mounttilts 180 degrees
- FitGoPro Hero 13 to 4, DJI Osmo Action, Insta360
- Contentshandle, base, screw, wrist strap
Best for: Anyone who wants the job done properly for fifteen dollars
Fifteen dollars gets you everything the official grip does apart from the badge and the quick release. Seven inches, under 80 grams, and it floats a loaded camera.
The tilting mount is the part worth having. Angled slightly down, held at hip height beside the board, is the shot that actually looks like paddling rather than a selfie.
Fit is broad enough that it survives a camera upgrade, which matters when a grip costs less than a tank of fuel and cameras change every two years.
Strengths
- Floats a full camera without needing extra buoyancy
- Tilting mount makes low angle shots off the board easy
- Wide fit list across GoPro, DJI and Insta360
- Adjustable anti-loss wrist strap in the box
Weaknesses
- No dry storage compartment
- Plain plastic finish, this is a tool rather than an object
- Typegrip, floating tripod, monopod
- Materialaluminium alloy, rustproof
- Length9 in folded, up to 27 in extended
- Legsfoldout, held by magnets
- FitGoPro Hero 13 to 2, DJI Osmo, Insta360, AKASO, SJCAM
Best for: Filming yourself on the board rather than what is in front of you
A plain grip puts the camera at arm's length. This one puts it at just over two feet, which is where a paddle boarding shot stops looking like a video call and starts showing the board, the paddle and the water.
Folded, the magnetic legs clamp together into a normal hand grip. Unfolded in the water, it floats upside down as a tripod and takes the wobble out of the shot.
Rinse the telescopic section with fresh water after every salt session. Every extending pole dies the same way, and it is always the joint.
Strengths
- Four tools in one, and none of them feels like an afterthought
- Extends to 27 inches, which is the difference between a face and a scene
- Floats inverted as a tripod, so it steadies the shot in the water
- Aluminium and rustproof, unlike most telescopic poles
Weaknesses
- The most complicated thing here, and complication fails in salt water
- Heavier and bulkier than a plain grip
- Typefixed floating grip
- Griptextured TPE rubber
- Mount1/4 in nut, universal
- FitAKASO EK7000, Brave 4 to 8, V50 series, GoPro, DJI Osmo
- Extraslockable adjustable wrist strap
Best for: AKASO owners, and anyone whose camera uses a plain 1/4 inch thread
Buying an accessory from the same brand as the camera removes a category of doubt, and AKASO cameras are common enough that this grip sells on that alone.
It is not AKASO specific in practice. The mount is a plain 1/4 inch nut, so it takes a GoPro with an adapter, a DJI Osmo Action, or almost any camera with a tripod thread.
The bright cap is not decoration. A dropped grip drifts, and a yellow cap at the surface is the difference between a two minute paddle back and a lost camera.
Strengths
- Published fit list across the entire AKASO range
- 1/4 inch nut, so it takes almost any action camera
- TPE rubber grip stays secure with wet hands
- Bright cap piece makes it easy to spot if it goes overboard
Weaknesses
- Slightly more expensive than equivalent no-name grips
- Nothing here that the FitStill does not also do
- Typefixed floating grip
- Size7 in tall, under 80 g
- Griptextured EVA non-slip foam
- Compartmentwatertight, for keys or coins
- Extrasreinforced wrist strap and carabiner
Best for: Paddlers who want a car key to come along without a second dry bag
The hollow handle is the reason to pick this one. A car key rides inside it, dry, and you stop carrying a separate pouch for the one item you cannot afford to lose.
The same compartment has a second use. Filled with water it makes the grip neutrally buoyant, so it hangs at depth instead of pulling upward when you duck under.
EVA foam is warmer and kinder in the hand than moulded rubber, at the cost of soaking up salt. Rinse it. For everything the compartment will not hold, our waterproof fanny pack comparison is the next step.
Strengths
- Watertight compartment holds a key, so nothing else needs to
- Fill the compartment with water for neutral buoyancy when snorkelling
- EVA foam is the most comfortable grip material here in cold water
- Wrist strap plus carabiner, so it can clip to a vest
Weaknesses
- Foam grips absorb salt and need rinsing
- One key and a couple of coins is the honest capacity
- Typefixed floating grip
- GripTPE rubber, non-slip texture
- Compartmentwatertight hollow body
- Capbright yellow
- FitGoPro Hero 13 down to Hero 1, Session
Best for: GoPro owners who want the grip texture right and nothing else fancy
Sametop have been making the same grip for years and the material is the reason. The rubber does not go tacky in the sun and it does not turn chalky after a season of salt.
The hollow body works exactly like the MiPremium: dry storage on the surface, buoyancy trim if you flood it deliberately.
What it lacks is a tilting mount, so the camera points where the handle points. For paddle boarding, where you mostly film forward and level, that is rarely a problem.
Strengths
- TPE rubber is neither sticky like cheap rubber nor quick to corrode
- Watertight compartment doubles as dry storage or buoyancy trim
- Fit list covers every GoPro generation worth using
- Bright yellow cap for retrieval
Weaknesses
- GoPro focused, other cameras need the right adapter
- No tilt in the mount, the camera sits where it sits
- Typefixed floating grip
- Tethersteel cored coiled safety strap
- GripEVA, non-slip texture
- Mounttilts 180 degrees
- FitGoPro Hero 10 to 3, AKASO, DJI, Insta360
Best for: Rough water, where a plain fabric strap is not enough
Every grip here comes with a wrist strap. This one comes with a coiled tether with a steel core through it, which is a different level of confidence when you are filming in chop.
The trade is snagging. A coiled tether finds paddle shafts and leash cords, so run it short and keep it on the same side as the camera.
The rest is a competent EVA grip with a tilting mount and a cap that opens. Nothing surprising, and everything works.
Strengths
- Steel cored coiled tether, the strongest attachment in this comparison
- Diving cloth wrist strap that stays comfortable when wet
- 180 degree tilt for low angles off the board
- Opening cap for temporary storage
Weaknesses
- The coiled tether is one more thing to snag on a paddle
- Fit list stops at older GoPro generations, check your model
- Typefixed floating grip
- Size7.1 in, under 80 g
- Caphigh visibility orange
- Compartmentwatertight, dry storage or buoyancy
- Extrasseparate floating camera strap included
Best for: Murky or choppy water, where a yellow cap disappears
Colour sounds like a detail until you have looked for a floating handle in afternoon glare. Orange holds up where yellow washes out, which is the whole argument for this one.
The included floating strap is a genuine extra. Clip it to a phone in a waterproof pouch and that stops sinking too, which our waterproof phone bag comparison goes into properly.
It is lighter in the hand than the better built grips and it feels it. At twelve dollars, with a dry compartment included, that is a fair trade.
Strengths
- Orange cap is easier to spot in glare than the usual yellow
- Watertight compartment for a key or for buoyancy trim
- Includes a second floating strap for a camera or a phone
- Among the cheapest grips with a dry compartment
Weaknesses
- Build feels lighter than the Sametop or FitStill
- Generic branding, support is what you would expect at the price
- Contentsextendable selfie stick, suction mount, floating grip, 2 adapters, 3 screws
- Stickball head, 180 degree horizontal adjustment
- Mountsuction cup with 1/4 in thread
- FitGoPro Hero 13 to 8, AKASO, Insta360 X5 to X4, DJI Osmo
- Gripyellow floating handle
Best for: A first camera, where you do not yet know which mount you will actually use
Kits are usually a way to sell three mediocre things instead of one good one. This one earns its place because a new camera owner does not know yet whether they want a grip, a pole or a stuck-on mount.
The suction cup is the surprise. On a hard board deck or a car bonnet it holds, and it gives you the tracking shot that a handheld grip cannot.
Do not trust suction on an inflatable board. The drop stitch surface is textured, the cup will not seal, and the camera goes in the water.
Strengths
- Three mounting options for the price of one grip
- Suction mount works on a hard board deck or a car
- Adapters and screws included, nothing else to order
- Very broad camera compatibility
Weaknesses
- Each part is a little less good than a dedicated version
- The suction mount needs a genuinely smooth surface to hold
- Typeshort floating bobber
- Size15 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm
- Weight80 g
- Mountuniversal 1/4 in screw
- Contentsbobber, wrist strap, screw, 12 anti fog inserts
Best for: A spare that lives in the board bag, or a first grip on a tight budget
Under eight dollars, and it does the single thing that matters: it keeps the camera at the surface. Everything else on this list is a refinement of that.
At 15 cm it is short. You hold the camera essentially in your fist, so the footage is closer and shakier than with a full length grip.
The anti fog inserts in the box are a nice touch for anyone using a waterproof housing, where condensation ruins more shots than water ever does. Background on how these cameras and housings are built is well covered on the action camera entry at Wikipedia.
Strengths
- Cheapest way to stop a camera sinking
- Universal 1/4 inch screw takes almost any action camera
- Bright yellow and only 15 cm, easy to stow anywhere
- Comes with anti fog inserts for the waterproof case
Weaknesses
- Short, so it does not extend your reach at all
- No dry compartment and no tilting mount
How to choose a floating hand grip
Check the mount, not the brand: Most grips end in a 1/4 inch screw, which fits DJI, Insta360, AKASO and any camera with a tripod thread. GoPro cameras need the two or three finger mount, which either comes on the grip or on a cheap adapter. Get this wrong and nothing else matters.
Buoyancy is about the whole rig: A grip is rated to float a bare camera. Add a heavy housing, a filter and a battery door and some cheap grips sit low or sink. If your camera lives in a dive housing, buy the larger bodied grips rather than the short bobbers.
Grip material: EVA foam is warmest and most comfortable, TPE rubber is the most durable in salt water, and moulded plastic is the easiest to rinse. All three work, but a hard smooth plastic grip with no texture is the one to avoid.
A tether is not optional: The strap is what saves the camera when the grip is knocked out of your hand, and it should go around your wrist before you leave the beach, not when you think you might need it.
Frequently asked questions
Will a floating grip keep my camera afloat with a dive housing on it?
Usually, but not always. Grips are rated for a bare camera at roughly 150 grams, and a dive housing can double that. If you shoot in a housing, choose a full sized grip with a large air chamber rather than a short bobber, and test it in the shallows before trusting it in deep water.Do these fit a DJI Osmo Action or an Insta360?
Yes, in most cases. Grips that end in a 1/4 inch screw take any camera with a tripod thread, which includes DJI, Insta360, AKASO and SJCAM. Grips with GoPro style mount fingers need a small adapter, which usually costs a couple of dollars.What is the hollow compartment in the handle for?
Two things. On the surface it is dry storage for a car key or a few coins. Underwater, filling it with water makes the grip neutrally buoyant so it no longer pulls toward the surface while you dive.How do I stop the grip getting lost in the first place?
Use the wrist strap every time, rinse the grip with fresh water so the strap lock does not seize, and pick a bright cap colour. A yellow or orange grip at the surface is recoverable, a black one in chop usually is not.Bottom line
If your camera is a GoPro and you own other mounts, The Handler is worth the extra fifteen dollars for the quick release alone. If you want one grip that simply works, the FitStill does everything the official one does for half the money, and the SOONSUN is the pick when you want the camera further away than your arm reaches.
Beyond that it comes down to details: the MiPremium if a car key needs to come along, the Harwerrel if you paddle in glare or murk, and the SHOOT bobber as a spare in the bag. Whichever you choose, keep the camera on a leash of some kind, the same way the board is on a leash.
