Fat Gecko Camera Mount

We tested the Fat Gecko using two different cameras in two different vehicles following two different subjects. We first followed a local cycling pro who was interested in having us capture him on a trial run so he could check his form. We attached a 4.5-pound Sony VX2100 to the Fat Gecko and attached that to the back of a top-down Alfa Romeo Spider, which acted as a pace car, then we raced off into the country on a nice spring afternoon. The roads we traveled ran the gamut from being quite bumpy to quite smooth, with a variety of railroad tracks, dips and road-kill hazards to make the drive interesting.

When we first took off, we had some doubts about the Fat Gecko’s reliability, as the brief disclaimer-instructions say the support device is for cameras weighing six pounds or less. The weight of the camera wasn’t so much an issue as was the size. This is a long-nosed camcorder, and the mounting stud has only one hole for the common ¼-inch diameter thread. It would have been nice to have an extra locking-pin hole, too, as the camera tended to drift off-target following some heavy vibrations on the road (the 25-year-old Alfa Romeo wasn’t the best choice of vehicle for a smooth ride, as it has little shock absorption). But… the one thing we feared - the suction cups coming off - didn’t happen, even with all the bumping around.

Bottom Line

We enjoyed driving and shooting with this device. It really gave our footage a different POV that we weren’t able to attain otherwise. If using the Fat Gecko for a drive-along shot, we’d suggest testing several different vehicles types and making sure you lock the mount arms well, and you should have no problem. Yeah, it’s worth it.

• Suction cups nice and tight
• Enables you to get some awesome shots
• Easy to set up and tear down

• Doesn’t have a spirit level
• Tight-screws feel like they will loosen over time

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