The image stabilization on the latest GoPro models makes the longstanding action king just as usable for handheld videos, except for one thing: ergonomics. Holding the tiny camera in my hands reminds me of my ’90s childhood photo albums full of fingers caught on the corner of the frame. Gripping a camera that tiny is hardly comfortable for long stretches either. That’s where the GoPro Volta comes in.

The GoPro Volta is, on the surface, a hand grip designed for GoPro cameras. However, the Volta is almost as multi-functional as Inspector Gadget. It houses the same physical buttons that GoPro cameras do, allowing you to control your GoPro from the grip. The battery inside the Volta is twice as big as the one found inside GoPro cameras. Two legs pop out of the bottom, allowing the Volta to double as a tabletop tripod. Disconnect a GoPro from the Volta, and you can still use the controls to wirelessly stop and start a recording.

But is the GoPro Volta worth the cost? Who is this action camera accessory for? After using the GoPro Volta to capture an epic night lapse that lasted past dawn, the battery grip is the first accessory I would buy for a new GoPro. Anyone who wants to shoot handheld video or shoot 5 hours of video is going to love the GoPro Volta.

Specs, pricing and availability

The Volta is compatible with the GoPro Hero9 Black and up (with limited functionality on the Hero8 as well as the Hero9 and Hero10 media mods). Announced in 2022, it retails for $130. Or, those who have yet to pick up a GoPro can get both the Volta and the camera with a mic and light inside the GoPro Hero12 Creator Edition bundle for around $600.

What I liked about the GoPro Volta

The Volta is really four accessories in one

The Volta features a clever design that allows this one accessory to replace a power bank, remote control, tripod, and hand grip. The top has a classic GoPro mount. Underneath that is a USB cord — you’ll need to swap out the door on your GoPro for a USB pass-through door but one is already included in the box. The cable connects the Volta with the GoPro for charging, but the grip also connects wirelessly as well. The grip can also recharge other USB-C devices.

A bank of controls sit at the side. The top two are for connecting with Bluetooth and checking the battery life, with lights to indicate the status. The bottom two controls are familiar to any GoPro user: a record button and a mode/power button, just like on the camera itself. These buttons are easy to reach with the thumb and more ergonomic than grabbing for the buttons on the camera.

Opposite the power cord, a button pops out another set of GoPro mount threads, allowing you to mount some accessories to the Volta when you don’t need the grip but want the extra battery.

The bottom of the Volta is a comfortable hand grip. Two pieces of the grip pull out to the front to put the Volta in tripod mode. A tripod thread and a wrist lanyard complete the Volta’s design.

I found the design of the Volta to be much more feasible than using the GoPro handheld without a grip. I was able to take a TimeWarp of a UTV ride, hop off, then slow the video to real time as I walked to my destination. I couldn’t do that if I had used the camera handheld.

However, my favorite part of the Volta is the extended battery life. Using the Volta as both a tripod and battery, I started a star lapse around midnight and the camera still had enough juice to record past sunrise. That created an epic video of the progression of the stars, moon, sun and even the Northern Lights that would have been much less impactful without the added battery life. For videos, the Volta allows for around 5.5 hours of 4K 30p recordings.

What I didn’t like about the GoPro Volta

Surprisingly little, actually

I had few complaints while using the GoPro Volta — the feature list is excellent and the controls are easy to use.

My biggest complaint? The GoPro Volta is weather-resistant, but not waterproof. That USB cord is designed to shield against rain and dust with a fairly good seal, but you can’t take it underwater like you can the GoPro camera itself. That lead me to be a bit more hesitant about what and how I shot with the setup.

The other snafus were minor. Setup is easiest if you follow a video tutorial, as a few things aren’t quite intuitive. I looked up a video on how to remove the battery door, though that was mostly because I was afraid of breaking it and not because it’s hard to do, as it just pulls off the top hinge.

The other piece that isn’t as intuitive is that, despite the corded connection, the Volta still needs a Bluetooth connection to the GoPro. The cord is for the battery, the Bluetooth is for those side-mounted controls.

When setting up the tripod on uneven ground, I did wish for the ability to adjust the legs, rather than simply adjusting the angle of the camera. There wasn’t a way to correct a tilted horizon. A ball head design mount would have allowed for correcting crooked horizons without breaking out a dedicated tripod.

Should you buy the GoPro Volta?

The Volta is a must for shooting with a GoPro. The grip with integrated controls makes using the GoPro without a mount much simpler. Beyond that, the integrated battery significantly extends recording time, making it possible to capture shots a GoPro alone cannot, like star lapses until dawn or five-hour videos.

Can other accessories do the same thing? Yes, but you would need multiple accessories, including a power bank, tabletop tripod, remote control, and hand grip.

Does every GoPro owner need one? If you already have a favorite mount that the GoPro seldom leaves, then it would be difficult to justify the cost unless you really need that extended battery life. The Volta’s best features are as a hand grip and tripod. Avid divers and other water-based content creators also may not get enough use out the Volta, as it cannot go underwater like the GoPro can.

But, after using the Volta, it’s the first accessory I would buy when starting a new GoPro kit.