Friday 18th July 2014

Headrestmount: Review

Track day certified camera mount to capture those heroic moments (or embarrassing cock-ups)

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From pro quality suction mounts that you could suspend your car from to bodged concoctions of zip ties and Gaffa tape there are a huge number of ways to mount a camera to your car to record those heroic track day moments. Sadly not all of them are especially safe and event organisers have, in many cases, banned anything other than fixed installations on the basis that even a GoPro could become a rather unpleasant projectile in the event of a big shunt. Worse than that you wouldn't even get a decent replay of it to share on YouTube.

No more faffing about with suction cups

Which is why Chris Dymond has come up with the self explanatory Headrestmount camera fixing designed with the approval of track day organisers. An anodised aluminium beam clamps over the headrest support bars, the camera hanging off the side and positioned between the seats for a viewpoint more or less equivalent to your line of sight.

Chris kindly sent us a Headrestmount to test but unfortunately all the cars we've driven on track recently had fixed-back seats with integrated headrests. He says he's working on a design to accommodate this but, clearly, making a universal one will be tricky.

We may have criticised our PH Fleet Clio 200 for losing the Recaro seat option of previous versions but at least the regular seats and the Renaultsport track day at Bedford last week gave us a chance to test the mount out. You can see from the vid below that the view with a GoPro is spot-on, the Superview format putting you in the picture too if you need a starring role. On cars with integrated seats you can always mount it to the rear headrests (where applicable) and use a more cropped viewpoint to avoid the angle being all interior and no track but it's best suited to front-seat use if possible.

MSV marshals at Bedford happy with mount

It's certainly a sturdy piece of equipment - the better for reassuring any track day marshals who didn't get the memo - and takes just a minute or two to set up. It's not cheap but it does the job and can handle anything from a GoPro to a DSLR via the standard quarter-inch tripod screw.

The standard Headrestmount costs £120, there being a single-pillar option and various other adaptors and extensions to vary the view as required. See the firm's shop page for the full range of options and pricing.

Headrestmount in the Clio, via GoPro

Lead image: Chris Teagles

 

 

[TimLambert7]

It was all going so well until you mentioned the price.

They've got to be joking.

[Phateuk]

I was suprised there aren't more of these things around. I needed one a few months ago but found them pretty extortionate - got my brother to make one with a couple of bits of wood:



Used it once so far but was pretty stable:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CW2dPC9U5c


Overall cost - £2

[Quinten]

Make one yourself





Made that one in 2005 at a grand old cost of £25

[gforceg]

I can't see this taking off at that price. The examples above show what can be done Blue Peter style.

[Motorrad]

TimLambert7 said:

It was all going so well until you mentioned the price.

They've got to be joking.

+1 hysterically overpriced.

[toerag]

"MSV marshals at Bedford happy with mount"


Really? I'd hate to have a big crash with a 3/4" bar aimed at my neck

[Konan]

Hague headrest mounts can be got for about £60.

[Phateuk]

Motorrad said:

TimLambert7 said:

It was all going so well until you mentioned the price.

They've got to be joking.

+1 hysterically overpriced.

When I was looking, I think there were two alternatives, one at ~£70 and another at ~£150

I'm not sure how much of a market there are for these though, there are plenty of mounts designed for roll cages. I would imagine the number of people wanting to film at a track day and don't have a cage are fairly small?

People filming for the media using normal road cars will have the track hired and can use suction mounts etc...

[Ekona]

I'm equally as surprised they allowed you to go out in short-sleeves. That's always been a no-no on the MSV events I've done in the past. Maybe they're softening up on that at last?

But yeah, that's a comedy price for it. That said, it does what it says on the tin so is a good bit of kit for those without the ability to make something themselves.

[Cotty]

Does seem a little pricy for a metal bar and a couple of clamps.

[Antj]

Go-pro sucker mount, really is there any better all rounder. Majority of trackdays now realise that if these are good enough to shoot a commercial film then they are safe enough to use on a trackday .


£120, i checked the Calender but its the 18th july.

[Konan]

Ekona said:

I'm equally as surprised they allowed you to go out in short-sleeves. That's always been a no-no on the MSV events I've done in the past. Maybe they're softening up on that at last?

No mention of it at the Snetterton briefing.

[sandys]

50 quid at cameragrip (b-hauge) got all sorts of mounts from here before over the years.

[kambites]

Proper track cars don't have adjustable head rests anyway.

You could make something perfectly adequate to do that job for a fiver.

[Fishy Dave]

I saw them being displayed at a Ferrari trackday at Silverstone this year and they are a well made bit of kit. Yes, many people could make their own but not everyone has the time/willingness/skills/bit of wood to do so. Interested to see what he comes up with to attach a camera to a seat with integrated headrests. Oh, and nice to see they are made in Britain

p.s I'm not the seller, nor do I own a Head Rest Mount

[QuattroDave]

I wouldn't buy it, look what it does to the recording, it keeps missing out most of each lap

[TheArchitect]

GoPro do a handlebar mount with an adapter that fits any car with headrest posts. Bucket load cheaper than most options!

[Zumbruk]

Ekona said:

I'm equally as surprised they allowed you to go out in short-sleeves. That's always been a no-no on the MSV events I've done in the past. Maybe they're softening up on that at last?

I did 4 events at Bedford last year & they were allowing short sleeves in tin-tops. They even allowed them in my Westfield until I took the doors off. Then I got black flagged.

[Neil_M]

Ripp off.

There are much better value options out there, but it a DIY or already made solution.

[paranoid airbag]

I'm guessing the price is mostly for the "official approved" sticker... not the crafting itself.