Being an adventurer is awesome, but it is also really hard on your gear. Whether climbing up the rocky Via Ferrata or paddling on the crystal blue waters of Lake Tahoe, our cameras take a beating. So when I saw the X-PWR-H7 GoPro housing from 3BR Powersports, I knew that I had to check it out.
I had been researching these types of housings for a while now. I always read about people complaining about it taking longer to get the GoPro out to change the batteries. The fine folks over at 3BR Powersports came up with not 1 but 2 solutions to this problem.
Solution #1
They designed their frames to be able to allow an external power source. You can have your GoPro plugged into a power cell in your backpack, this gives you tons more battery power. The plug that goes into the GoPro has been designed to create a weatherproof (not waterproof) seal. Included in the kit is your choice of 5 different lengths of cable. It comes in 9, 18, 36, 48 and 66-inch lengths. This is perfect for the adventurer that likes to film entire hikes or super long clips.
Solution #2
Instead of a backplate that you need to remove to gain access to the GoPro, there is a thumbscrew located on the side of the housing that presses a silicone pad into the side of the GoPro. The pad holds it firmly into the housing. This gives you quick access to the camera if needed. Be sure that you only finger tighten this screw. It does have a slot for a screwdriver, but if you use a tool to tighten the screw you can do some serious damage to the camera.
As soon as I read about all of the features of the X-PWR-H7 GoPro housing, I placed my order. The shipping was super fast and I received my housing super fast. The first thing I noticed was the quality. This housing seems almost bulletproof. I only say almost because I couldn’t bring myself to test it and shoot at my beloved GoPro.
First Impressions
I really loved how user-friendly the housing is. There are windows for the power button, record button and where you would plug in your external power. All 3 windows are spacious so you can use the housing even if you have big hands or curvacious fingers.
The X-PWR-H7 GoPro housing comes in a nice flat black anodized finish that looks really nice and clean. All of the additional parts of the housing, including the shoe adaptor, GoPro accessory mount, and the part of the frame that secures the plug for external power have the same finish.
Customer Service
One thing that I love is that the company is located in Northern California. The owner Don is amazing at getting back to you and answering any questions you may have super fast. The customer service is definitely top-notch.
Lens Protection
It is great peace of mind knowing that your lens is protected by the 56mm UV filter that is included. The filter thread also gives you the opportunity to mount an affordable polarizer or nd filter to your GoPro. I picked up a Tiffen Polarizer for $17.54 (at the time of the writing of this review). It comes with a lens cap to protect your glass if you come to a sketchy section on the trail.
Please note that this particular housing does not fit the Hero 8. However, they just released a new model that does. This will be super helpful for all of you Hero 8 users. One of the main flaws of the Hero 8 is that you can no longer replace the lens protector. Any damage will require you to send the camera back to Gopro for a repair. You can find the link to that housing here.
Durability
I really like that the tabs on the bottom of the housing are made out of aluminum as well. They are designed to work with all GoPro accessories and they are super tough. If you ever break something, I guarantee that the failure would be on the accessory and not this housing.
Our housing has taken quite a beating in the short amount of time that we have had it. The housing has bounced up rocks as we climbed up into the perilous Cave of Munits. It has banged off the roof of the jeep as we hunted for the Anza Borrego Pumpkin Patch. The X-PWR-H7 GoPro housing also withstood the ice and cold temperatures on our snowshoeing trip to Sequoia NP. It is really nice knowing that I can let it hang at my side if I need both hands.
The X-PWR-H7 GoPro housing in the water?
Should you take it on underwater adventures? That’s a great question! As I mentioned above, if you are using it with the external power cable the camera is no longer waterproof. So that is definitely not recommended. If you are just using the housing with all of the doors shut, it can be used underwater. One thing I would definitely recommend is testing the housing with that ever type of bobber you are using. You need to make sure that it still floats with the additional weight. I hate to see anyone lose a camera on their adventures.
Weight
Speaking of weight, that brings us to the only possible downside of the housing. The standard GoPro housing comes in at a weight of .092 of an ounce. The 3BR Powersports X-PWR-H7 GoPro housing tips the scale a little further with a weight of 3.72. So it is almost 4 times the weight. But keep in mind, that weight is in ounces. Even though it weighs a considerable amount more, it is still a very light camera considering its abilities.
The weight isn’t always a bad thing either. When I am trying to get cinematic with my footage, I will actually film with the GoPro hanging upside down. The Hero 7 has the ability to know when it is upside down and will flip the image automatically. The weight of the housing gives it more stability when filming upside down which results in a nice smooth shot.
In Conclusion
The X-PWR-H7 GoPro housing has definitely found itself a permanent spot in our gear bag. Big shout out to the team at 3BR Powersports. Keep up the great work. If and when we level up to the Hero 8 we will definitely be in touch!
