6 Tips For Choosing the Best Selfie Stick

This article discusses the top six features to look for when purchasing a selfie stick to perfect your images.

Size Matters

Many folks focus on the “stick” part of the selfie stick when mulling over their options. However, one of the essential pieces of any selfie stick is the cradle attachment that houses the phone. If you use a smaller device, then you’ll be good to go, in general.

If you have a larger smartphone or a foldable one, you might find that the clamp might not hold your device. Check that the clamp is large enough to accommodate your device of choice.

Nice Grip

Speaking of selfie stick cradles, not all clamps are created equal. You'll want to consider ease of use and security when looking at clamping mechanisms.

The two most common styles on the market involve a pull-away wire clamp or an extending plastic grip with fasteners. The metal wire grip has the advantage of being quick and easy to set up, but the grip can be a bit iffy if you bump it into something or subject it to sudden, strong movement.

The extending plastic clamp can take longer to fasten, but it should be pretty secure once it's locked in. When choosing the latter, make sure its edges have good "bite," so to speak, as we've seen some with loose grips that pretty much defeat the purpose of such a clamping mechanism.

Mount Up

Everyone loves a versatile gadget. Although most folks use selfie sticks with their smartphones, they can also be a valuable accessory for small cameras and video cams.

If you’re interested in using your stick with a device such as a GoPro, you’ll want to get one with a camera mount option. This usually involves a fat screw that can attach to the bottom of any regular camera.

While we’re on this subject, we also recommend getting a stick with a good ball joint for the camera mount or even the smartphone cradle. This gives you plenty of options for positioning when you’re out and about. Just make sure you watch out for cheap swivels that don’t work as well or break easily.

The Long and Short of It

It’s great to have a selfie stick with enough length to get as many of those panoramic sights in view. But length is just part of the equation. Portability is also vital for selfie sticks, so you’ll want to get one that shortens adequately for ease of carrying when traveling or walking around.

Take note of the extension mechanism as well. For example, some sticks feature a simple, stiffer mechanism akin to an old car antenna. Others have a looser extension mechanism but come with a lock to keep it in place once extended to the ideal length.

Hands-Free? Well, Sort Of

Although you can program your smartphone to use a shutter timer before taking a picture, a remote trigger is more convenient for taking many images with your selfie stick. For basic sticks, you can get a separate remote to remotely trigger your smartphone’s camera (same with some dedicated still and video cameras).

Some sticks come with a smartphone-compatible remote that lets you trigger a shot straight from the handle.

Mirror, Mirror on the Stick

A smartphone's rear camera is usually way better than the front camera people typically use when taking selfies.

If you want to use the rear camera but still see your phone display for proper framing, some sticks also come with a mirror option or attachment that reflects your phone's display. Consider one of those if you want the best pics from your smartphone while using a selfie stick.