Product

TECH IT: Joby GripTight – Phone Grip & Camera Remote

A Sweet Rig for Rolling Shots and Self Filming

Words, photos and video by Robin Pearson

Joby, the guys who make those GorillaPods, sent through this sweet phone camera grip for us to have a look at. They call it the GripTight POV Kit, which are words that don’t mean much to us so let me explain its functions within BMX.

It’s a bracket mount that’s universal for all smartphones, with a hinged handle and – most importantly – a Bluetooth remote control. After pairing, this button becomes your video record button.

Having a rotatable handle plus the remote control is genius: what this allows you to do is turn your phone into a perfect rolling filming rig, with the record button under your thumb. Then, when it’s time to review the footage, turn the handle round for an easy grip.

I found the Joby GripTight a very useful tool when filming the rolling shots in the video above. It makes your filming more stable and it just feels great having that record button handy. It even lights up red when you press it.

Another useful addition is that the hardware is GoPro compatible, so you can easily match it up with GoPro chest mounts, helmet mounts and the like.

That’s the rolling shots sorted, but what if you’re trying to film some clips at a solo session? Again, the Joby shines here. As you can see in the video above, the Bluetooth remote control is detachable, plus it has a range of up to 90 feet. This is great for self filming clips when your phone is over by the obstacle you’re hitting and you’re taking a run up each time. It saves you trips back and forth, pressing record on the phone when you’re trying your line.

I tried out the Joby at my local skatepark and kept the remote in my pocket, pressing record just before I dropped in. It saves you from having crazy long clips taking up your phone memory and allows you to simply choose the best take, rather than searching through a 10-minute recording.

All in all, this is a hugely useful little device that has definitely impressed me. It’s an incredibly simple design that makes rolling shots and self-filming on a phone much more enjoyable. I wouldn’t be surprised if I saw a few more riders out and about with these soon.