GoPro HERO
When I go travelling, I always make sure to pack two essential things – a clean pair of underpants and a video camera. I know that combination is quite odd (and disturbing), but they’re definitely (I swear) both for comfort. When I go travelling, I want a camera that I can use reliably and have assurance that it won’t pitter, patter and die when I’m within three meters of the smallest puddle. Queue the GoPro HERO.
GoPro has risen in popularity since its birth in 2002 by American businessman, Nick Woodman, who was motivated to start the camera company after a holiday to Australia where he tried to capture professional-looking action shots but failed due to his equipment. Hence, the name…GoPro[fessional]. He started saving for his new business venture by selling shell belts and bead bracelets from the back of his VW. Sounds like a real underdog story, right? But within a couple of years, GoPro rose to global cult-like status and it’s continued through the years to being one of the nicest and most agile cameras on the market.
I am quite a nutter when it comes to capturing precious moments on holiday. So a good video camera is essential, and I think the HERO is it. Whether it be catching the raddest wave on Bondi Beach, or scaling the tallest mountain in Nepal, GoPro has always been there in my travel-kit (alongside that clean pair of underpants). It has a two-inch touch display, is waterproof to 30 feet and is insanely durable. The HERO has video-stabilization for a smoother shot and voice control, so even when you’re on the move (scaling that mountain) you can tell the camera to ‘Start’, ‘Stop’ or ‘Capture’.
The HERO gives an award-winning image-quality for both photo-capturing and video capturing and (thanks to its Smartphone compatibility) can unload photos and videos straight onto your phone. It’s high-tech, durable for any weather condition or terrain and makes you, as the user, look like a camera-aficionado. You can purchase a GoPro HERO online at their website, or in selected stores around New Zealand, like Harvey Norman, for example.
Coolness rating: 9/10