Kiwi Quest 2 Elite Strap Adjust (Image credit: Nick Sutrich / Android
Central)
For the very best VR experience, you might want to consider upgrading
to one of the best Oculus Quest 2 head strap alternatives. After all, the
default Meta Quest 2 fabric strap has more cons than pros. It's easy to
slide on and off, but it absorbs sweat and germs and does nothing to
counterbalance the front-heavy design or add cushioning. You can buy the
official Elite Strap, but it's a bit pricey and has had plenty of issues
with durability. Thankfully, a few third-party straps offer a much more
"elite" alternative. Whether you're looking for more cushioning, a more
secure fit, better weight distribution, or other improvements, these are the
best Quest 2 straps available.
Best overall: KIWI Quest 2 elite strap
KIWI Quest 2 elite strap
Better than the official
one
Reasons to buy
+Easily removable and washable
padding
+Extremely comfortable
+Better distributes the weight of the headset
+Secondary hinge allows for granular angle adjustment
+Most headphones fit
+Stronger construction than the official Elite Strap
Reasons to avoid
-Some very large over-ear headphones might not fit
KIWI's Quest 2 elite strap
takes some design cues from the failed official Elite Strap from Oculus and
improves them in meaningful ways. First off, the construction of KIWI's
elite strap is much sturdier than the one from Oculus. In addition, the
plastic is thicker without feeling heavier, and the strap itself is quite a
bit thicker. The official Elite strap had
durability issues, while KIWI
built its strap to withstand much more tension.
Plenty of padding
on the top and back helps cushion and better distribute the headset's
weight, helping to put more weight on the back of the head and relieving the
weight off of the cheekbones. The removable pad on the back is made of the
same PU-leather material that many face pads are — including the one above —
and can be easily wiped down or swapped out at will. It also can be adjusted
to cradle the back of the cranium or sit further up, depending on your
comfort.
The KIWI elite strap adjusts in two main places. First,
the wheel on the back of the head rotates to adjust the length of the
straps, making it effortless to put on and remove. Secondly, the padded
strap up top helps vertically adjust where the pad sits at the back of the
skull, working in conjunction with the middle strap hinge to better fit all
sorts of head shapes and sizes.
You'll also appreciate that the
design leaves more room for
Quest 2 over-ear headphones than
the default Elite Strap. And its hinged design allows you to find the
perfect vertical angle from your eyes to the Quest 2's lenses.
KIWI
makes your favorite Quest 2 mods for the back and front of the
Quest 2. You'll want to pair the
strap with the KIWI facial interface replacement, our top pick among the
best Quest 2 face covers for
fixing the headset's uncomfortable foam interface.
Best for tinkerers: Glistco Frankenquest Deluxe Audio Strap
Glistco Frankenquest Deluxe Audio Strap
When only the best
will do
Reasons to buy
+The undisputed champion
for comfort
+Design adapts to most head sizes
+Comes with built-in headphones
+Strap will likely be modded to work with the next Quest too
Reasons
to avoid
-Very expensive
-Doesn't match Quest 2 color
-Requires modding to work
The Frankenquest, as the name might imply, mashes together different,
unrelated products into one magnificent outcome. Taking the HTC Vive Deluxe
Audio Strap — arguably one of the most comfortable VR accessories ever — and
a 3D printed accessory that snaps to the Quest 2, the Frankenquest head
strap is the single best solution you'll find anywhere. Just make sure you
buy both the Deluxe Audio Strap and the Frankenquest adapter, as you'll need
both to complete the package.
The modded Quest 2 Frankenquest
will make you question why every other VR headset isn't so darn comfortable.
Like the Elite Strap, the Vive Deluxe is much more balanced than the
standard Quest 2, tightening with an adjustment knob to fit your head size
without forcing you to press the headset too tightly against your skin or
leave a large nose gap. Unlike the Elite Strap, it sports built-in
headphones that sit just on the outside of your ears, easily adjustable to
fit different ear heights and sizes. That saves you from buying separate
headphones or worrying about dangling cables.
Unfortunately, the
Vive Deluxe Audio Strap and Quest 2 adapter combine to be very expensive,
about the same as the Elite Strap with Battery and Carrying Case bundle but
without the benefit of extra battery life. Also, while the adapter comes in
a dozen colors, the Vive strap is black only, which may not "go" with the
white Quest 2. If either is a deal-breaker for you, don't worry. The other
best Quest 2 straps are cheaper, have better color options, and don't
require as much modding to work.
Best for large heads: Eyglo Elite Strap
Eyglo Elite Strap
Cradle your cranium
Reasons to buy
+Provides similar benefits to Elite
Strap
+Affordable replacement
+Fits any head size
+Removable foam for cleaning
Reasons to avoid
-May block over-ear headphones
-Foam may get sweaty
The Eyglo Elite Strap is an affordable alternative to the Quest 2
Elite Strap with a unique design that caters to folks with large heads.
Anyone who frequently gets headaches from the Quest 2 foam pushing into your
forehead will appreciate a strap that treats big skulls as the default.
Eyglo even sells the headset in small, medium, and large sizes, so folks
with regular-sized heads can still enjoy a discounted "elite" experience.
Like
the Elite Strap, the Eyglo Elite Strap adds far more support to the back of
your head, cradling it with soft PU-leather foam. However, because it uses
foam instead of the Elite Strap's leather, it's more likely to absorb sweat
and get dirty; thankfully, the foam attaches to the plastic back via velcro,
so you can easily remove and clean it. Also, like the Elite Strap, it has an
adjustable knob on the back that opens wider than any human head in
existence, so you can easily slip in and tighten it to match your size.
Like
most Elite Strap replacements, it requires you to take your Quest 2 apart to
install it, but it should be worth the improvement. We'll note that unless
you angle the strap to sit higher on your head, the sides sit very close to
your ear, so you may have difficulty wearing your favorite over-the-ear
headphones. Anyone with earbuds should be fine, of course.
Best cloth strap upgrade: VR Cover Headstrap Replacement
VR Cover Headstrap Replacement
Subtle-yet-significant
upgrade
Reasons to buy
+Adds a second back strap for
better weight placement and grip
+Thicker than stock straps+Straps can be wiped or washed
+Comes with long strap for larger head
+Half the price of Elite Strap
Reasons to avoid
-Missing the perks of an Elite Strap
-Canvas will absorb sweat
Anyone looking for a replacement strap will likely turn away from VR
Cover's canvas strap, which looks similar to the stock Oculus strap
(pictured above). But it's not a one-to-one replacement: it has two back
straps cradling the top and bottom of the head, giving you a much more
balanced and supported fit. You'll connect a T-strap with either a short or
long strap, giving folks with large heads a better option that won't feel so
tight. Overall, it's much better thought out than what Oculus provided out
of the box.
Selling at a slightly lower price than most Elite
Strap replacements, the VR Cover model provides some benefits that a larger,
more rigid Elite Strap won't. One, it'll actually fit inside most of the
best Oculus Quest 2 cases, whereas
Elite Straps take up extra room and require a special case. Two, it lets you
slide on or remove your Quest 2 much more quickly once you've found your
proper setting; with the Elite Strap and its imitators, you'll have to
carefully loosen and tighten the knob every time. And three, it doesn't add
weight to the headset.
Of course, a soft canvas Quest 2 strap
won't provide the same firm structure as an Elite; and while it can be wiped
down, it'll still collect sweat rather than repelling it. But these small
downsides shouldn't stop you from investing in this upgrade. But don't stop
there: the
best Quest 2 VR Cover accessories
are all high-quality and will upgrade more than just your strap.
Best Elite Strap imitation: VOKOO Head Strap
VOKOO Head Strap
Better than the OG strap
Reasons to buy
+Similar design to Elite Strap
+Reasonably priced
+Leather can be removed and washed
Reasons to avoid
-Leather foam will require
frequent cleaning
-May not fit larger heads
The Elite Strap doesn't sell out as often as it used to, nor do they
break as often as they did right after the Quest 2 launch. But if it does
run out of stock again and you want to try a third-party alternative with
similar perks at a slight discount, consider the VOKOO head strap.
Like
the Elite Strap, it has a sturdy plastic back with an adjustable knob
that'll better distribute the headset's weight and gives you a sturdier fit,
plus an improved overhead strap over the stock strap. It has PU leather pads
instead of rubber along the back of the strap, but these can be removed and
washed. You'll find it comfortable to wear for long periods.
Best Elite Strap Battery alternative: VR Power 2 for Oculus Quest 2
VR Power 2 for Oculus Quest 2
Fixing the Quest 2's
shortcomings
Reasons to buy
+Gives you 8 to 10 hours per
charge
+Attaches easily to almost any
strap
+Acts as natural
counterweight
+Better weight and charge
efficiency than VR Power 1
+Costs less than Elite Strap
with Battery
Reasons to avoid
-Fits less
well on Elite Straps than stock strap-
-Can feel heavy on back of
head
Okay, this isn't technically a strap, but it's worth mentioning here.
Many people buy the Elite Strap with Battery to double or triple the
headset's notoriously short battery life, rather than caring as much about
the change in comfort. But if you want an alternative to the Elite Strap
that costs less while offering more battery life, consider Rebuff Reality's
VR Power 2 accessory.
Weighing 0.62 pounds, the VR Power 2 acts
as a counterweight that naturally balances the front-heavy weight of the
headset. With 10,000mAh of juice, it offers more than double the 4,676mAh
Elite Strap with Battery capacity. That should add up to give you true
all-day battery capacity if you have the time and VR legs to handle it. Even
if you don't typically play that long, you'll no longer have to charge your
headset obsessively after every session; the battery displays its current
power capacity on the outside, so you know when to recharge it.
VR
Power 2 straps onto the back of your standard Quest 2 strap, but Rebuff
Reality designed its straps to have extra give to fit onto larger straps
like the Elite Strap or (in theory) most of the best Quest 2 straps. It sits
on the back of your head above the strap, resting comfortably thanks to the
padding on the inside of the battery. If you're moving quickly for exercise
apps, you may not appreciate the extra weight. However, for more slow-paced
apps, it could be just what you're looking for.
Bottom line
While
the cloth strap that ships with the Quest 2 might be considered good enough
to start with, gamers who play a lot in VR will find that it leaves a bit to
be desired. Particularly if you're a power user that plays the
best Quest 2 games for hours at a
time or wants to
use a mouse and keyboard in VR.
The headset is just too front-heavy to be comfortable for long.
The
best Quest 2 headstrap alternative, the KIWI Elite Strap, is also pretty
simple to install. It provides incredible comfort thanks to a bevy of pads
all around the strap — all of which are removable and washable — and the
double adjustment hinge ensures the strap won't snap, unlike the official
Elite Strap. If you prefer to tinker, the Frankenquest mod will add in a
pair of quality headphones to the deal without much fuss thanks to the
timeless design of the HTC Vive Deluxe Audio Strap.
Among the
best Quest 2 accessories, the KIWI
elite strap is a must-buy for anyone who wants a more comfortable, immersive
VR experience.