As a creator who relies on gear to capture meaningful moments, I’ve been burned too many times by GoPro’s reliability issues. My GoPro HERO5 Black, purchased over a month ago, initially seemed promising — especially after pairing it with the FeiyuTech G6 gimbal, which noticeably reduced shake and improved stability. But the honeymoon phase ended quickly. During real-world use, the camera began overheating unexpectedly, shutting down mid-recording and wiping out footage I couldn’t recover. This isn’t an isolated glitch; it’s a pattern I’ve seen echoed across creator forums and reviews. GoPro’s thermal management flaws are well-documented in everyday shooting scenarios, especially in warm conditions or during extended 4K capture. No amount of gimbal stabilization fixes a core hardware flaw that risks losing irreplaceable shots. I’ve tried firmware updates, different SD cards, and shooting in shorter bursts — nothing consistently prevents the shutdowns. At this point, the only scenario where I’d consider touching new GoPro hardware is if they sent it to me for free. And even then, I wouldn’t trust it for client work, travel documentaries, or any project where failure isn’t an option. The risk-to-reward ratio simply isn’t worth it. Instead, I’ve shifted my confidence to brands like DJI and Insta360, whose action cams have proven more thermally stable and dependable in the field. For creators who can’t afford lost takes, GoPro no longer earns a spot in my kit. It’s not about hating the brand — it’s about prioritizing gear that works when it matters most. Until GoPro proves it can solve its overheating problem at the hardware level, I’ll keep my money — and my trust — elsewhere.