The best Joby GorillaPod tripods to buy

From a handful of travel tripods, the Joby GorillaPod lineup has grown into a full ecosystem of creative tools for photographers and videographers on the move.

Instantly recognisable by their unique flexible legs, GorillaPods are easily able to adapt to a wide range of different shooting environments. Their rubberised feet provide plenty of purchase across varied surfaces, their multi-segmented legs can quickly conform to uneven terrain, wrap around lamp posts, railings or tree branches or form a comfortable, flexible selfie stick.

GorillaPods are available in a range of sizes, with a number of different mounting options and a variety of accessories. So, whether you’re looking to steady your smartphone snaps or lock down your DSLR on your next big trip, below you’ll find our helpful guide on how to choose the best GorillaPod for you, followed by a roundup of the models we recommend.

How to choose the best Joby GorillaPod

What type of GorillaPod is best?

When deciding which GorillaPod is best for you, the first thing to consider is the camera you plan to use it with. GorillaPods are available for smartphones, traditional cameras and action cameras and your specific pairing will help you hone in on your ideal ‘Pod.

What features should I look out for?

Height: The GorillaPod’s maximum height is important, not only because it determines how tall the tripod can stand on a flat surface, but also because it dictates what kind of objects you’re able to wrap the legs around. Taller GorillaPods offer more versatility as their longer legs can more easily wrap around thicker posts, fences and branches.

When it comes to standing on flat ground, however, it’s always best to take the maximum height with a pinch of salt since you may need to spread the legs a little further apart for stability and thus lose some of the vertical reach.

Weight limit: As with all tripods, each GorillaPod is designed to accommodate up to a certain weight. It’s important your camera doesn’t exceed this limit or you risk the GorillaPod’s legs buckling or unwrapping and your precious camera crashing to the ground.

In fact, given that GorillaPods’ legs are held in place by friction alone, we’d recommend opting for a model that offers some headroom. For a camera and lens combination that weighs 1.5kg, look for a GorillaPod rated for around 3kg, as this will ensure maximum stability while out and about. Remember that if you plan on using your GorillaPod with more than one device or camera and lens combination, it needs to be able to support the heaviest configuration. 

Mounts: While there are GorillaPods available to suit just about every type of camera, each device requires a specific mount to ensure a secure fit. For a smartphone you’ll want to look out for a GorillaPod that comes with a smartphone mount, such as the Joby GripTight One or GripTight Pro. For action cameras, look for a universal action camera mount, and for compact cameras, mirrorless cameras and DSLRs, you’ll need a GorillaPod with a 1/4in thread.

Some GorillaPods, such as the Joby Mobile Vlogging Kit, come as standard with multiple mounts in the box. Alternatively, you can pick up adapters so that you can attach smartphones, action cameras and even tablets to the standard 1/4in thread found atop most GorillaPods.

READ NEXT: The best cameras for vloggers

The best Joby GorillaPod to buy in 2022

1. Joby GorillaPod 3K Kit: Best all-around GorillaPod

Price: £69 | Buy now from Amazon

If you’re shopping for your first GorillaPod but don’t know where to start, you can’t go wrong with the 3K Kit. With a ball head and chunky GorillaPod legs, the 3K Kit is an excellent all-around option for photographers, videographers and vloggers.

The 3K Kit can support a payload of up to 3kg, allowing it to be paired with compact cameras, mirrorless cameras and even most DSLRs. And with 24cm legs it offers plenty of flexibility, allowing it to be used as a standalone table-top tripod or wrapped around lamp posts, fence posts and tree branches.

The 3K Kit is aimed at traditional cameras and so has a standard 1/4in thread that should fit most cameras, along with a quick release plate for easy attachment and detachment. While the kit doesn’t ship with extra mounts, it is compatible with Joby’s GripTight Smartphone Mount as well as any standard action camera tripod mount.

If you’re looking for something a little beefier, an aluminium-reinforced 3K Pro Kit is also available.

Key specs – Max load: 3kg; Max height: 0.30m; Weight: 391g; Material: ABS plastic, aluminium; Head: Ball head

2. Joby GorillaPod 1K Kit: Best GorillaPod for compact cameras

Price: £44 | Buy now from Amazon

The GorillaPod 1K Kit is ideal for lightweight mirrorless and compact cameras and camcorders. It isn’t as hefty as its larger 3K sibling, but the 1K Kit does an excellent job of balancing price and performance.

It has 21cm-tall rubberised GorillaPod legs, giving you the option of standing it up like a traditional tripod, wrapping it around fence posts and branches, or holding it like a selfie stick. Up top, it comes with a ball head for precise framing, along with a 1/4in thread for attaching your camera or adding an accessory smartphone or action camera mount.

The only thing to watch out for is the 1K Kit’s 1kg weight limit. While this is ample for smaller systems, it may not balance as well with longer telephoto lenses or heavier DSLRs. Overall, however, if your kit fits comfortably under the weight limit, it’s a wonderfully versatile option at an attractive price.

Key specs – Max load: 1kg; Max height: 0.26m; Weight: 195g; Material: ABS plastic, aluminium; Head: Ball head

3. Joby PodZilla Large: Best budget GorillaPod

Price: £37 | Buy now from Amazon

Breaking from the traditional GorillaPod design, Joby’s PodZilla line of tripods offers a similar degree of flexibility at a lower price point. With rubber-wrapped fully articulated legs, the PodZilla can be moulded to fit securely around just about any object, or shaped into an easy-to-grip selfie stick. It features an adjustable ball head with a standard 1/4in thread along with a quick-release plate for easy camera attachment. There’s even a built-in spirit level for lining up your shots.

The design is decidedly more plasticky than some of the higher-end GorillaPods and the ball head can’t be rotated or removed, which some may find limiting. Overall, however, the PodZilla Large offers most of the GorillaPod 3K Kit’s versatility for around half the price. 

The PodZilla comes in four colours – grey, teal, yellow and red – and is also available as a kit, bundled with a smartphone clamp.

Key specs – Max load: 2.5kg; Max height: 0.31m; Weight: 360g; Material: Plastic; Head: Ball head

4. Joby GorillaPod 3K Pro Kit: Best GorillaPod for DSLR cameras

Price: £100 | Buy now from Amazon

While it may look similar to the standard 3K Kit, the 3K Pro offers a significant upgrade in the durability department. Where most GorillaPods’ legs are made of plastic, the 3K Pro has reinforced aluminium joints, resulting in a tripod that feels noticeably more rugged.

Its weight limit still tops out at 3kg, but the 3K Pro feels much stiffer than the standard 3K, making it a little more stable when laden with heavy kit. The tripod head is also superior. A touch larger than the standard head, it uses an Arca-Swiss-compatible quick release plate. This allows you to quickly mount and dismount your camera, while also allowing you to use the same plate across other Arca-Swiss compatible tripods.

The standard GorillaPod 3K Kit is still an excellent all-around option, and if you’re shopping on a budget is likely the one to go for. For demanding photographers and professionals, however, the more rugged 3K Pro may well be worth the premium.

Key specs – Max load: 3kg; Max tripod height: 0.3m; Weight: 463g; Material: Aluminum and plastic; Head: Ball head

5. Joby GripTight GorillaPod Pro 2: Best GorillaPod for smartphones

Price: £59 | Buy now from Amazon

The GripTight GorillaPod Pro 2 pairs Joby’s smartphone mount with a set of classic GorillaPod tripod legs.

The GripTight mount utilises a screw-lock system rather than the more common spring-tension system, which results in a reassuringly secure grip, regardless of your smartphone’s size. Once your phone is locked and loaded, the mount can also be tilted and rotated through 90 degrees, allowing for quick switching between landscape and portrait orientations – ideal for social media.

The 21cm legs are great for tabletop shooting, wrapping around objects or articulating into a selfie stick. Plus there are attachment points where you can connect optional GorillaPod Arms along with a cold-shoe mount for integrating lights or a microphone into your setup.

If you’re on a strict budget, the smaller GripTight ONE GP is also worth considering, although this does miss out on a number of features, including the ability to switch between vertical and horizontal shooting modes.

READ NEXT: The best tripods for iPhones

Key specs – Max phone width: 91mm; Min phone width: 56mm; Max shooting height: 0.3m; Weight: 285g; Material: Plastic and steel; Head: Tilting and rotating

6. Joby GorillaPod Action Tripod: The best GorillaPod for GoPro cameras

Price: £50 | Buy now from Amazon

Need a go-anywhere tripod for your go-anywhere camera? Joby’s GorillaPod Action Tripod is the ideal action cam pairing, allowing you to set up your shots in almost any environment.

Up top there’s a ball head with an interchangeable mount. Two mounts are included: a universal action camera mount along with a standard 1/4in threaded mount, allowing you to securely attach just about any action camera or action camera adapter on the market.

The tripod itself comprises a lightweight, pack-friendly set of flexible GorillaPod legs you can conform to suit whatever environment you find yourself shooting in. The rubberised feet provide plenty of purchase on mixed terrain, and the ball-and-socket legs can be set up to shoot on tables and walls, wrapped around posts and handlebars or articulated into a handy selfie stick.

READ NEXT: How to choose the best GoPro for you

Key specs – Max load: 1kg; Max tripod height: 0.25m; Weight: 191g; Material: Plastic and steel; Head: Ball head

7. Joby GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit: The best Gorillapod for vloggers

Price: £180 | Buy now from Amazon

Joby’s Vlogging Kit combines the GripTight Pro 2 smartphone mount, waterproof Beamo LED light and Wavo directional microphone with a set of Gorillapod legs to create a one-stop-shop for mobile content creators.

The Beamo and Wave attach to a pair of accessory arms, giving you plenty of control over their positioning and a decent leg up over your smartphone’s standard light and mic. Meanwhile, the GorillaPod itself works great as a tabletop tripod for static shooting, or as a selfie stick for filming on the move.

Although the Vlogging Kit is pitched primarily at smartphone shooters, the microphone and light both come with cold shoe mounts for pairing with traditional cameras, and an action camera mount is included too.

Key specs – Max load: 1kg; Max phone width: 91mm; Minimum phone width: 56mm; Max tripod height: 30cm; Weight: 540g; Material: ABS plastic; Head: Tilting and rotating head