GoRigIt: The Smartphone Screen for your GoPro

Just recently I came across a pretty interesting Kickstarter and thought it might be worth sharing with you.

It’s designed to combat the common problem with head or body cam footage – namely the fact that with nearly all of the devices out there, you can’t see what the hell you’re pointing at! The GoRigIt is the product in question and it’s been designed to work with the GoPro to overcome just that, providing a screen for the GoPro which allows a whole lot more control over what you’re shooting.

I’ve been interested in getting hold of a GoPro for a while, but have always been put off by the pretty high price given what’s actually inside. i do a fair bit of video production in my work so I deal with good quality DSLRs regularly, and it always bugged me that you can get a pretty good low-level DSLR for the same price (or just a little more) as a GoPro. I know, I know, the GoPro has other advantages, like portability and durability, but the camera sensor is pretty average and it has next to no functions on it. So, why’s it so damn expensive?

Anyway, this isn’t designed as a GoPro rant – I know it’s a great little device for the purpose it’s been created, and there’s no doubt it’s a popular device. You can’t move on the trail these days without seeing one attached to the various body parts of passing bikers.

So, the GoRigIt seems to get around my main bug bear, alluded to above, which is the lack of view screen on the standard GoPro. Sure, you can buy it as an extra, but that takes the full price of a Hero to £400! Easily the equivalent of a decent starter DSLR.

The main benefit besides cost though, is that this doesn’t add even more to your kit bag. The GoPro screen is something extra, and starts to nullify the advantages of the GoPro, ie. a tiny little package that’s easy to tote around.

Instead, with the GoRigIt, you’ll be using something you’re toting anyway – your smartphone.

The GoRigIt is, at it’s heart, a fancy phone case that interfaces with your GoPro. The GoPro snaps onto it and then you can use the smartphonea as a viewing device.

Looking at their Kickstarter page, the GoRigIt team have made it just as easy to mount wherever you commonly use it, such as on your bars, or a helmet. I imagine the big use for mountain bikers would be to mount the GoPro on your helmet, attach the GoRigIt, check the viewing angles, etc, and then detach it for the actual ride. Or, it could be practical to ride with it still attached while your GP is on the bars. Then you can actually check your footage as you go, something which puts paid to the pretty common, “Ah, 20 minutes of footage of the sky, excellent.”

Anyway, I’d be interested to hear from the GoRigIt guys how they think it works best for bikers so I’ll invite them over to comment below – look foward to hearing your reponse chaps.

I’ll be interested to see how the Kickstarter progresses, and if you want to check it out, pop over to the GoRigIt Kickstarter.