Let me start by addressing one of the most frequent questions I get from trekkers, hikers, and adventure content creators who reach out to our trekking poles team: “Can I attach a camera to my trekking poles?” As someone who’s been part of designing, testing, and shipping trekking poles for over a decade, I don’t just answer this with a quick “yes” or “no” — I walk people through the science, the right tools, the pitfalls to avoid, and how to do it safely for both you, your gear, and the trails. Trekking Poles
First, let’s break down why people want to attach cameras to trekking poles in the first place. I’ve seen hikers want to capture wide-angle shots of alpine meadows they’re trekking through without needing to set up a tripod, vlog their multi-day backcountry hikes to share with family and friends, or get smooth, stable footage of narrow switchbacks on a mountain trail that’s hard to capture while holding a camera. For content creators, it’s a game-changer — no more fumbling between your poles and camera mid-hike, no more missed moments because your hands are full. For day hikers, it means lighter gear than hauling a tripod and a separate stabilizer. But before you start drilling holes in your brand-new trekking poles or grabbing a random mount off Amazon, there are some key things to consider, starting with the kind of trekking poles you own.
Not all trekking poles are created equal, and the ones you have (or are looking to buy) will make a huge difference in whether attaching a camera works — and whether it’s safe. Over the years, we’ve worked with thousands of customers to test mounting cameras on our poles, so let’s stick to our own line for context, but this applies to most quality trekking poles. First, the material: our core poles are made from 7075 aluminum, which is incredibly strong and lightweight, but we also carry carbon fiber poles for high-altitude and ultralight treks. Carbon fiber is stiffer than aluminum for its weight, which is a plus for stability, but it’s also more brittle — it can snap if you apply uneven pressure or mount something heavy in a spot that creates leverage. That’s a critical point: if you have a cheap, thin aluminum pole or a flimsy no-name carbon pole from a big-box store, attaching a camera might bend or crack the shaft, especially if you’re trekking on rocky terrain or uneven ground that puts side pressure on the pole.
Next, the grip and shaft design. Most trekking poles have a smooth grip made of EVA foam or rubber, and a shaft that’s either straight or has subtle grooves for trekking baskets. The worst place to attach a camera is at the grip itself. Why? That’s where your weight shifts the most when you’re hiking — when you step forward, your bodyweight pushes down through the grip, and if you have a heavy camera (anything over 200 grams, roughly), that constant pressure will not only make the camera wobble but also can wear down the grip over time, or even cause the mount to pull off mid-hike. We’ve had customers come back to us with grips that have holes from bad mounting, and it’s preventable. The ideal spot is 10 to 15 centimeters below the grip, on the smooth part of the shaft just above the adjustment lock. That spot is away from where your hands put the most pressure, and it’s on a flat, uniform surface that won’t cause the camera to tilt unexpectedly. If your pole has a textured shaft or ridges, skip mounting there — the uneven surface will make the mount slip, and you risk scratching your camera.
Now, the biggest question: is it actually safe? I’ll be honest — it can be, if you do it right. But I’ve seen too many people ruin a $500 action camera or a $1,500 mirrorless body because they used a cheap mount that wasn’t rated for the weight. When we test mounting cameras for our customers, we use two main types of mounts, and we only recommend ones that are designed specifically for trekking poles, not just generic camera mounts you’d use on a bike. The first is a lightweight mount for action cameras (GoPro, Insta360, DJI Osmo), which are small (100 to 200 grams) and perfect for the 10–15cm shaft spot. These mounts clamp onto the shaft without tools — usually a silicone or rubber insert that grips the pole tight, so you don’t have to drill any holes. That’s a huge point: drilling holes in your trekking poles voids most warranties, and it’s unnecessary. The clamp-style mounts are secure enough for even strenuous hikes in the Rockies or the Andes, as long as you tighten them properly before you start moving. We’ve tested one of our aluminum poles with a GoPro mounted at that 10cm spot, and we’ve run it through 10km hikes, stream crossings, and rocky descents — no wobble, no slipping, no issues.
The second type is for larger cameras, like mirrorless or point-and-shoot models, which can be 300 to 500 grams. For these, we recommend a slightly heavier-duty mount, usually made of aluminum instead of plastic, and it’s still clamp-style, though some require a small Allen key to tighten (another reason not to drill — the mount is secured with pressure, not screws through the pole). The key here is balance: if you mount a heavy camera too high on the shaft, it creates leverage that can bend the pole, especially when you’re leaning on it for support while going downhill. That’s why staying at the 10–15cm below grip spot is non-negotiable for larger cameras. We had a customer last year who mounted his full-size DSLR 5cm below the tip of his pole, and after 2 days of a trek in the Alps, the carbon fiber pole bent so bad he had to carry it back broken. That’s the kind of mistake we warn people about — leverage is everything here.
Now, let’s talk about the actual benefits that make this worth doing, beyond just capturing content. When you have a camera mounted correctly on your trekking pole, you get three things: stability that’s better than holding a camera with one hand, because the pole acts as a small stabilizer as you hike. I’ve tested this myself on a 12km descent of Mount Hood last year — holding my action camera in one hand gave shaky footage, but mounting it on my pole gave almost smooth video, even with my steps. Second, you free up both hands: instead of switching between poles and camera, you can keep your poles for balance, and your camera is always at the ready. That’s a huge safety benefit, too — if you slip on a loose rock, your hands are on the poles, not fumbling to catch your camera. Third, it’s versatile: if you’re not filming, you can just remove the mount in 10 seconds, no tools needed, and your poles work exactly as they did before. I do this all the time: when I’m not vlogging, I unclamp my mount, and my poles are just for support, no extra bulk.
But let’s get real about the pitfalls, because I don’t want anyone to get hurt or damage their gear. The first pitfall is overloading your pole. Trekking poles are designed to support your weight — most can handle 100 to 150kg of pressure, but that’s evenly distributed through the shaft. Adding a heavy camera at an off-center spot changes that, so if you have a 500 gram camera, that’s like adding an extra 10kg of uneven pressure to your pole, which can weaken the metal or carbon fiber over time. We recommend a maximum of 300 grams for any camera mount on our poles, which covers almost all action cameras and many compact point-and-shoots. If you have a larger camera, save the tripod for that — mounting it on a trekking pole isn’t worth the risk.
The second pitfall is not securing the mount properly. I’ve had two customers this year come back with cameras that fell off mid-hike, and both said they just “snapped the mount on” and didn’t tighten it. We always tell people to test the mount before you start hiking: once you clamp it on, give the camera a gentle tug side to side and up and down. If it moves, tighten the clamp a little more. Also, avoid mounting it on poles that have textured or rubberized grips — the clamp needs a smooth surface to grip, so mounting on the shaft below the grip is the only safe spot. Another thing: when you cross streams or wade through snow, the clamp can get wet and slippery, so I always recommend checking it every 30 minutes or so on longer hikes. It only takes a few seconds, and it saves you from losing a $400 camera.
The third pitfall is forgetting about your trekking basket. Wait, what? That’s a good point. If you mount your camera above the adjustment lock, make sure your trekking basket is properly secured below the lock, not above. If the basket is above the lock, it can hit the mount on the shaft when you’re trekking through deep snow or high grass, which can knock the camera off or scratch it. We always tell people to adjust their trekking basket to below the lock when they’re using a mount, just to avoid that collision.
Now, let’s talk about who this is for, and who it’s not for. This is perfect for content creators, casual hikers who want to capture their trips without hauling a tripod, day hikers, and anyone who wants stable footage without extra gear. It’s not for people who are doing technical alpine climbing, where every gram of gear matters, or for people who are carrying very heavy cameras (over 300 grams) where a tripod is a better, safer option. It’s also not for anyone using cheap, low-quality trekking poles — if your poles are under $50, they’re probably thin aluminum that can’t handle the extra pressure, and drilling holes will definitely break them.
From a supplier’s perspective, we design our poles with this exact use case in mind. We engineered our shafts to have a smooth, uniform section 10cm below the grip specifically for camera mounts, and we’ve tested every model to withstand the pressure of mounted cameras up to 300 grams. That’s why so many of our customers reach out to us to recommend specific mounts, and why we’ve started to partner with camera mount brands to create custom, low-profile clamps that fit our poles perfectly without adding bulk.
I’ll wrap this up with a few quick best practices that I’ve learned from testing hundreds of camera mount setups over the years, so you don’t have to learn the hard way. First, invest in a good clamp-style mount, not a sticky mount or a suction cup (those will fall off on steep trails). Second, mount your camera 10 to 15cm below the grip, never closer to the tip or the grip itself. Third, test the mount before you start hiking, and check it every 30 minutes on longer treks. Fourth, keep cameras under 300 grams for best results — anything heavier, use a tripod. Fifth, avoid drilling holes in your poles — clamp mounts work just as well, and they keep your warranty intact.
At the end of the day, the answer to “Can I attach a camera to my trekking poles?” is a resounding yes — as long as you do it safely, with the right gear, and in the right spot. It’s one of the most practical upgrades for adventure content creators and casual hikers alike, turning your trekking poles into a multi-use tool instead of just a support aid. If you’re looking to purchase trekking poles specifically for mounting a camera, or if you have questions about which poles work best, or which mounts pair well with our gear, our team is here to help. We’ve supported thousands of hikers with their gear needs over the years, and we’re happy to walk through any questions you have about camera mounting, pole care, or anything trekking-related.
Hunting Poles References
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Mountaineering equipment specifications: Trekking poles for general use. ISO 10326:2019.
- Outdoor Industry Association. 2023 Gear Usage Survey: Hiking and trekking equipment modifications and accessory use.
- Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Recreational gear safety guidelines: Camera mounting on sporting equipment, 2022.
- Carbon Fiber Manufacturing Association. Material performance guidelines for trekking pole shafts and accessory load limits, 2021.
Ninghai Jianfeng Travelling Products Co., Ltd.
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