DPA Microphones - 4066 CORE+ Omnidirectional Headset Microphone

The built in mics on zoom recorders are good enough, and you won’t gain much by adding more cheap mics (rode et al) apart from the annoyance of additional wires and gear to carry around. The beauty of the small zooms is portability. I have used recordings from the h4n mics in multi million productions. Sure it’s not as nice as any number of posher options but the best mic for the job is the one you have in your pocket then and there. I take my zoom with me on hikes because it’s small and light and simple. That means when I happen across something unique or interesting, it’s there and ready to go. If you do want to up your game and stay portable then you could try some of the tiny DPAs 4060 or 4066 etc . These are super light and amazing for the price and size. Easy to rig unusual items and leave unobtrusively for wildlife on a long line.

As mentioned elsewhere, DPA probably gets the title of “best sound”. I have 12 (8 406x and 4 606x). Cos-11D sounds great, and from my understanding, is touted for its ubiquity. It’s not the most expensive lav. The capsule itself is small enough (in the direction that you want it to be). It’s not the absolute most durable, but will outlast most DPA’s. It hits a sweet spot of price:build:sound. People like the accessories.