DIY GoPro Chest Harness

Ever since I bought the Speedy Sewer sewing awl, I've got a few projects out of the way. In addition to the dSLR chest mount, I also created a harness for my GoPro HD Hero camera. GoPro does sell a chest harness, but I thought I could create one for much cheaper. Basically, I took the display mount that came with the camera and ground the edges down, plus cut slots in the plastic for the nylon to go through. Should be fun to try out Kitesurfing or snowboarding.

I ordered parts from Strapworks.com and was able to make this for around $16 after shipping, compared to the $40 GoPro is asking.

With the Camera attached...

This is my kitchen chair standing in as a display model.

Here's the view from the back. You'll notice I added a few release buckles on the shoulder straps.

DIY dSLR Chest Harness

FYI: This is not my original idea. I saw a post about a year ago when someone created a custom sleeve to hold their dSLR camera near their body to captures images of children's smiles as they are swung around in a circle. It was posted on a DIY photography forum and titled, "Give 'Em A Spin - A Fun Family Photography Project" Here is that original post. I had bookmarked that site, and forgot about it until just recently. Coincidentally, I had a birthday party to go to for a 6 year niece, and thought that I'd better get this project started.

I had some old neoprene laying around, and it isn't easy to sew, but is the best material since it contours to the shape of the camera when you have it strapped to your chest. Please note that there is risk involved with using any mount that allows you to "let go" of your camera. I suggest that you keep the camera strap that came with your dSLR around your neck in case it slips out of the mount. When I used mine, I never had the feeling that the camera was in jeopardy, until I got done swinging, and was a bit woozy.

Here is my neoprene sleeve. You can see I added a integrated "over the head" strap for added camera safety.

Here is a sample test image using the chest harness. My niece, Reece was happy to help me see if it worked.