For the easiest VR expertise, you would possibly wish to think about upgrading to probably the greatest Meta Quest 2 head strap alternate options. In any case, the default Quest 2 material strap has extra cons than professionals. It is easy to slip on and off, but it surely absorbs sweat and germs and does nothing to counterbalance the front-heavy design or add cushioning. You should purchase the official Elite Strap, however it is a bit dear and has had loads of points with sturdiness.
Fortunately, just a few third-party straps supply a way more “elite” different for a lower cost. Whether or not you are on the lookout for extra cushioning, a safer match, higher weight distribution, or including extra battery life to your headset, these are one of the best Quest 2 straps obtainable. I’ve used each single considered one of these merchandise (and extra) and have chosen the easiest so that you can get in your Quest 2.
Maintain your head within the recreation with these Oculus Quest 2 head straps
Whereas halo-style straps aren’t often my favourite, the BoboVR M2 Professional makes up for that with the remainder of its good design. That each one begins with the magnetic battery packs that ship with the pinnacle strap, every of which carries an enormous 5,200mAh capability. For reference, the Quest 2’s inside battery is barely a 3,640 mAh capability, so one BoboVR battery will get you greater than double the battery life when plugged into the Quest 2.
You possibly can go for a single battery or seize the pack with two batteries and a magnetic charger should you assume you are going to be taking part in for greater than 5-6 hours at a time in VR. Regardless of which dimension you decide, it is arduous to explain simply how unimaginable it’s to easily pull the battery pack off and slap a brand new one as an alternative. There’s even an audible beep that happens when a brand new battery will get dropped onto the magnetic connectors. Discuss good design!
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Except for charging your Quest 2 whereas taking part in, the BoboVR M2 Professional head strap can also be tremendous comfy. It is obtained a halo-style design, which has similarities to a PlayStation VR headset should you’ve ever used one. Which means it primarily places the headset weight on the highest and again of your head, with an expensive brow pad to make sure correct weight reduction.
BoboVR additionally put little pads on the highest of the headset that helps it keep straight and stage whereas taking part in. No want for a high adjustable strap with this design!
Now, as I stated earlier than, halo-style straps typically aren’t my favourite design. For those who’re taking part in video games with numerous motion — particularly video games that have you ever tilting your head ahead lots — you will in all probability discover that this strap is not tight sufficient in your liking. That’s in case your head is formed something like mine, probably. I’ve additionally discovered that it barely reduces the headset’s FoV, so it is somewhat extra apparent that you are looking by way of a pair of lenses right into a VR world as a substitute of simply being absolutely immersed in a single.
That being stated, it is arduous to argue with the general design and comfort of this head strap, and that is what makes it one of the best general strap we will advocate.
KIWI Design took a short while to leap on the battery head strap prepare, however they completely did it proper. This strap is almost an identical to our favourite non-battery strap beneath from KIWI, the distinction being that it packs an enormous battery within the again portion of the strap for extra-long play classes.
This battery was sourced by Amprius within the U.S., which implies it is an additional high-quality battery you could really feel protected with. It additionally prices the headset twice as quick because the inventory charger and options two 3,200mAh batteries contained in the strap. That is double the capability of the Quest 2’s inside battery and successfully means you will be tripling your battery life if you decide up considered one of these head straps.
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Pulls your head in near the headset and even helps widen the headset’s FoV. Which means you will instantly discover a barely wider view of the digital world, which is a big benefit. Plus, since that is an Elite-style strap, it hugs your head and will not let up even by way of the craziest, most lively video games on the market.
The draw back there’s that, over lengthy play classes, I discovered the headset’s weight might actually be felt on my cheeks. Getting a pleasant thick face pad will assist this fairly a bit, but it surely’s nonetheless one thing to think about should you’re taking part in in VR for hours or are tremendous delicate to the burden in your cheeks. The battery additionally is not modular like BoboVR’s that means you will must take the headset off and cost the battery should you occur to play longer than 7 hours or so.
KIWI makes lots of my favourite Quest 2 mods, whether or not it is one of the best Quest 2 face covers (opens in new tab) for fixing the headset’s uncomfortable foam interface or glorious Quest 2 hand straps (opens in new tab).
KIWI’s Quest 2 elite strap takes some design cues from Meta’s failed official Elite Strap and improves them in significant methods. First off, the development of KIWI’s elite strap is far sturdier than the one from Meta. As well as, the plastic is thicker with out feeling heavier, and the strap itself is kind of a bit thicker. The official Elite strap had sturdiness points, whereas KIWI constructed its strap to resist rather more rigidity.
Loads of padding on the highest and again helps cushion and higher distribute the headset’s weight, serving to to place extra weight on the again of the pinnacle and relieving the burden off of the cheekbones. The detachable pad on the again is manufactured from the identical PU-leather materials that many face pads are — together with the one above — and might be simply wiped down or swapped out at will. It additionally might be adjusted to cradle the again of the skull or sit additional up, relying in your consolation.
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The KIWI elite strap adjusts in two predominant locations. First, the wheel on the again of the pinnacle rotates to regulate the size of the straps, making it easy to placed on and take away. Secondly, the padded strap up high helps vertically regulate the place the pad sits behind the cranium, working at the side of the center strap hinge to raised match all kinds of head sizes and shapes.
You will additionally admire that the design leaves extra room for Quest 2 over-ear headphones than the default Elite Strap. And its hinged design permits you to discover the proper vertical angle out of your eyes to the Quest 2’s lenses.
Anybody on the lookout for a substitute strap will doubtless flip away from VR Cowl’s canvas strap, which seems just like the inventory Oculus strap (pictured above). But it surely’s not a one-to-one substitute: it has two again straps cradling the highest and backside of the pinnacle, providing you with a way more balanced and supported match. You will join a T-strap with both a brief or lengthy strap, giving people with giant heads a greater possibility that will not really feel so tight. Total, it is significantly better thought out than what Oculus supplied out of the field.
Promoting at a barely lower cost than most Elite Strap replacements, the VR Cowl mannequin supplies some advantages {that a} bigger, extra inflexible Elite Strap will not. One, it’s going to really match inside many of the finest Oculus Quest 2 instances, whereas Elite Straps take up additional room and require a particular case. Two, it helps you to slide on or take away your Quest 2 rather more shortly as soon as you have discovered your correct setting; with the Elite Strap and its imitators, you will should fastidiously loosen and tighten the knob each time. And three, it would not add weight to the headset.
In fact, a tender canvas Quest 2 strap will not present the identical agency construction as an Elite; and whereas it may be wiped down, it’s going to nonetheless accumulate sweat quite than repelling it. However these small downsides should not cease you from investing on this improve. However do not cease there: one of the best Quest 2 VR Cowl equipment are all high-quality and can improve extra than simply your strap.
Backside line
Whereas the fabric strap that ships with the Quest 2 is perhaps thought of adequate to start out with, players who play lots in VR will discover that it leaves lots to be desired. Significantly should you’re an influence consumer that performs one of the best Quest 2 video games for hours at a time or needs to make use of a mouse and keyboard in VR. The headset is simply too front-heavy to be comfy for lengthy.
All Quest 2 players ought to think about selecting up the BoboVR M2 Professional head strap with battery. It isn’t solely unbelievably comfy for lengthy intervals of time, however the modular battery design makes it simple to cost your Quest 2 effortlessly. Simply cost the pack up with a USB Kind-C charger and pop it in your headset with the magnetic attachments. It is extremely easy to make use of and you may surprise why it is not an official Meta product.
For those who choose the consolation of an Elite-style strap with its extra-tight match, KIWI Design has an outstanding battery head strap that triples the Quest 2’s battery life and nonetheless finds methods to make the headset comfy to put on. An enormous battery like this provides fairly a bit of additional weight, which you’ll be able to really feel in your cheekbones after lengthy play classes if you do not have a brilliant comfortable facepad.
KIWI Design additionally makes a non-battery model that is fairly easy to put in. It supplies unimaginable consolation because of a bevy of pads throughout the strap — all of that are detachable and washable — and the double adjustment hinge ensures the strap will not snap, not like the official Elite Strap.
What about head straps that match exterior battery banks?
For those who’ve obtained probably the greatest moveable chargers or energy banks (opens in new tab) and would quite get a strap that makes use of considered one of these, I would advocate considering twice. Whereas it would sound tempting to seize one of many many Quest 2 head straps that permit you to merely slap in an influence financial institution you already personal — just like the Ahroy elite strap with battery holder pictured above — the standard and general design of most of those straps is often fairly dangerous.
I’ve tried half a dozen various kinds of Quest 2 head straps with room for a battery pack and did not discover one which was significantly good in any respect. Many of those are manufactured from low cost, creaky plastic that hardly appears like it’ll maintain the Quest 2 in your head. On high of that, having a semi-loose energy financial institution strapped to your head actually is not an incredible thought, anyway.
A few of these head straps did a greater job of holding the battery tight than others, however all of them made me fear the pack was going to fly off at any given time. Plus, there isn’t any assure your battery pack will really cost the Quest 2 quick sufficient to maintain it going for a very long time.
In my case, all the Qualcomm QuickCharge 2.0 or 3.0-compatible battery banks that I’ve did not really cost the Quest 2 whereas I used to be taking part in. Somewhat, it simply stored it from draining as quick because it usually would whereas taking part in a recreation. The entire above-recommended head straps from KIWI or BoboVR will really cost your Quest 2 whereas it is taking part in because of specifically designed circuitry.
