KENTUCKY UNCOVERED PICKS
The practical gear behind Kentucky Uncovered, plus a few products we'd choose if we were buying today. Built around a simple idea: good stories matter more than a truckload of equipment.
THE KIT
Most of Kentucky Uncovered is filmed with a phone and a small collection of gear I can carry into the field. These are the products I actually use, plus a few I'd choose if I were buying today.
Simple ways to get cleaner sound when filming on location.
This is the wireless mic in the Kentucky Uncovered field kit. Its tiny clip-on transmitters keep the setup discreet while giving phone-shot video a dedicated audio source instead of relying on the phone from several feet away.
A wired lav is still useful when simplicity matters. No pairing, no transmitter batteries and no wireless connection to manage. Plug it into USB-C, clip it on and record.
A natural fit for an iPhone-based creator setup when you want compact everyday listening and monitoring without adding another ecosystem to the gear bag.
Portable gear for shooting alone, moving quickly and keeping the field kit manageable.
A lightweight phone support that can go from selfie-stick duty to a freestanding tripod. The magnetic mount makes quick setup especially useful when filming alone in the field.
This compact bag is used to carry Kentucky Uncovered filming gear without hauling a full-size camera backpack. Small, organized and easy to grab for an on-location shoot.
If smooth walking shots become a bigger part of the channel, this is where we'd look. A phone gimbal adds real stabilization for moving footage while keeping the production centered on the phone.
The small pieces that keep a phone-based filming setup powered and connected.
Filming burns through a phone battery quickly. A magnetic power bank gives the field kit another full source of power without tying the phone to a wall outlet.
A compact MagSafe-compatible charging pad that works well as a simple home, office or travel charger. The dual USB-C/USB-A connection makes it easier to use with the power adapters already in the bag.
Only 13 cm long, but useful when an accessory or receiver shouldn't hang directly from the phone's USB-C port. The flat cable gives a little room to arrange a compact filming rig more cleanly.
Charging cables are boring right up until you don't have one. A 6-foot 100W USB-C cable gives enough reach for hotel rooms, vehicles and field charging, and the two-pack makes it easy to keep a spare packed.
Products we haven't represented as personally tested, but would consider for this kind of creator setup.
A slim MagSafe-compatible case is a better fit for creator gear than an oversized case that interferes with mounts and accessories. This is the case we'd start with for an iPhone 17 setup.
Hands-free POV video can capture moments that are awkward to film while holding a phone. These are the premium option we'd consider for natural first-person footage while exploring.