Redrock Micro’s Cobalt Cage protects GoPro Hero cameras from the toughest of setups.
Action filmmakers of all types have an affinity for GoPro Hero cameras in their action scenes thanks to the quality and relative durability of the cameras.
Their plastic and water proof housing does well to protect the camera from most situations, but as action gets more extreme to fill the needs of today’s audience, the plastic just can’t handle the forces of these sequences.
Redrock Micro solves this problem with their Cobalt Cages for GoPro.
Built Tough
Made out of a single piece of solid anodized aluminum, the Cobalt cage is extremely durable and able to withstand a heavy amount of damage from the most extreme of action mishaps. Without seams, screws (except to mount the camera itself), or joints, the Cobalt withstands impacts, crashes, and crushes of all kinds.
Solid Rigging
The Cobalt itself comes in two variants, one for the Hero and Hero 2 series and one for the Hero 3 series. Both versions include standard 1/4-20 mounting holes placed around all four sides of the cage, allowing you to get rid of the GoPro style plastic mounting and screws.
These points will let you not only mount any of your standard camera accessories directly to the cage, but also allow you to mount the Cobalt in unique places using different kinds of rigging.
For example, the normal installation of a GoPro on the side of a car involves a simple plastic case attached with a basic suction mount, which in turn isn’t exactly secure or stable.
With the Cobalt, you can use multiple suction mounts to create a rock solid multiple point mount that not only is secure but also supremely stable to the car.
The Cobalt Cage works with GoPros either stand-alone for improved audio pickup, or within their standard plastic housing for additional protection.
Both the Hero/Hero2 and Hero 3 variants of the Cobalt Cage are available for $99, or $134 with the added accessories to mount a GoPro without the plastic housing.
I have two of the Red Rock Micro cages and they are extremely well made. However the set up is not what I thought it would be. Getting the camera in and out of the cage is a pain. You can mount it naked or in it’s housing but either way you lose access to the battery compartment which is crucial on the Gopro Hereo 3 blacks we own. I wound up jamming the housing in place which still left a slight angle to the camera. Also getting to the wireless button and playback buttons was difficult.
All that said it is very nicely made and will survive the worst conditions. All the attachment areas are incredible.
I am also using the “COMBAT CAGE” http://wideopencamera.com/products/
which is made on the same concept but thinner in configuration. It takes the complete housing with battery module, is held in by a long hex nut screw and has access to the whole camera while in the cage. It also has multiple accessory threads like the Cobalt Cage. The are made of Aluminum and anodized black.