Late to the party but I went through this exact same struggle a few years back when I was shooting high school football with my 7DII. Honestly, I was reallyyy disappointed with the first cheap grip I bought. I didnt get the official one cuz, like you said, the price is basically robbery... but I learned the hard way that you get what you pay for sometimes. I tried a budget brand first and it was basically a brick after three months lol, and then I picked up the Pixel Vertax E16 Battery Grip for Canon 7D Mark II after reading some decent reviews online. It was a step up from the super cheap stuff, but still had issues. The build quality was definitely better than the Neewer one someone mentioned earlier, but it still didnt feel as solid as the camera body itself. The buttons were a bit mushy? If that makes sense. Like, the shutter button on the grip had a weird delay that drove me crazy during fast action shots. Plus, I eventually had issues with the battery door latch failing while I was running across a field. Talk about a nightmare!! Your basically holding your gear together with rubber bands at that point. In the end, I actually found a used Canon BG-E16 Battery Grip for a steal on a forum, and the difference in weather sealing and weight was huge. If your on a tight budget, the Pixel one is okay for dry days, but looking back, I spent more money on two cheap ones than I wouldve if I just saved for the official one from the start. Just sharing my story—it's definitely a 'buy once, cry once' situation sometimes... anyway, gl with the sports season!

Honestly, I've dragged my 7DII through rain and mud for years. Here's what I recommend: • Canon BG-E16 Battery Grip: Highkey the GOAT for sports. The weather sealing is REAL.
• Neewer Vertical Battery Grip for Canon 7D Mark II: Super budget-friendly, but basically feels like hollow plastic. In my experience, if ur shooting outdoors, just grab a used Canon one. My cheap grip died during a rainy game... lesson learned, dont skimp on sealing!

sooo i feel u on the price tag for the official gear, it’s basically robbery lol. honestly, i've been using a third-party setup for a while and i'm totally satisfied with the performance. In my experience, here is the breakdown:
- The Vello BG-C12 Battery Grip for Canon 7D Mark II is highkey the best value. I’ve had mine for ages and it works well with the camera’s menu system. The textures match the body pretty closely too!
- If you’re literally shooting in a monsoon, then the Canon BG-E16 Battery Grip is worth it for the weather sealing. Third-party seals are kinda sketchy tbh.
- For basic sports ergonomics, the Neewer NW-7DII Battery Grip is super cheap and does the job, but it feels a bit more "plasticky" compared to the Vello... idk, just feels a bit lighter. basically, if you arent a pro shooting in the rain every day, go Vello. gl!

Helpful thread 👍