In my experience, the Meta Quest 2 is not the most comfortable device to use straight out of the box. The front-heaviness of the headset puts pressure on the face that can become uncomfortable after just a short time.
The comfort can be improved by upgrading the facial interface, that cushiony pad between your face and the headset. But with such a large selection of facial interfaces available, it’s important to know which one is best for your needs. In this article, we look at some of the best Quest 2 facial interfaces available, starting with the one that comes in the box.
Make sure to read until the end of the article to hear about an exciting new Kickstarter campaign for the world’s first custom-fit interface.
Stock Quest 2 interface
The stock interface is made from spongy foam wrapped in a fabric material, which is packaged alongside a removable medical grade silicone cover. The silicone cover did not originally come with the Quest 2 when it was first released, but has now been included after complaints that the fabric on the interface was causing mild skin irritation for some users.
Without the silicone cover attached, the stock interface is uncomfortable. The fabric can feel abrasive on the skin and because the material is porous, it soaks up sweat like a sponge. However, with the silicone cover in place you are in for a much better experience.
The silicone cover fits securely around the fabric interface and doesn’t shift or come loose, even with vigorous activity. The smooth, soft silicone material feels good against the skin and is easy to wipe down which makes it a lot more hygienic than the fabric alternative. The cover also prevents most of your sweat from being absorbed into the foam.
However, the sweat has to go somewhere, so as it’s not being absorbed by the spongy interface it will usually pool on the silicone cover and drip down your face. Another drawback of the silicone material is that when things get hot and sweaty, it can stick to the skin which might feel unpleasant.
The stock interface also lacks ventilation. When you’re being active in VR, the temperature inside the headset rises and without adequate ventilation, condensation begins to form on the lenses. Having said that, if you don’t work up a sweat too often when using the Quest, you will probably find the stock interface with silicone cover adequate for your needs.
Alternative Quest 2 interfaces
I could spend time going over and comparing the many different interfaces available but I will cut right to the chase. There are two facial interface kits currently on the market that I highly recommend depending on budget and preferences, starting with the cheaper of the two.
VR Cover Fitness Facial Interface
The Fitness Facial Interface and Foam Set by VR Cover costs $29 USD and comes with the facial interface, two interchangeable foam pads, a removable nose piece and lens cover.
This facial interface offers better ventilation than the one that comes bundled with the Quest 2. There are vents that allow hot air to escape from the top and cool air to come in through the bottom, resulting in less condensation on the lenses during active play sessions. The interface is also made from a flexible plastic material that is better able to shape itself to the unique contours of your face for a more snug fit.
The removable foam pads you get with the set have a PU leather surface which has all the wipe down advantages of the stock silicon interface just discussed, but in my opinion, feels better against the skin. The two interchangeable pads provided are also different thicknesses, giving you the choice of having your eyes closer to the lenses for greater immersion (using the thinner pad) or having increased comfort (using the thicker one).
Lastly, there is the detachable nosepiece that helps to prevent light leak by bridging the gap between your nose and the headset. This offers increased immersion when compared to the stock Quest 2 interface and, whilst the feeling of the nosepiece against my skin was noticeable at first, I soon forgot about it. However, if it does bother you there’s always the option to remove it.
BOBOVR F2 Fitness Facial Interface (Upgraded Version)
The BOBOVR F2 Fitness Facial Interface (Upgraded Version) is a bit more expensive than the VR Cover alternative, coming in at $43.99 USD. For your money, you get a similar package to VR Cover’s Fitness Facial pack, this includes a flexible facial interface with air ventilation grills, a removable nosepiece, a single removable PU leather foam pad and a lens cloth.
Whilst you receive one less removable foam pad than VR Cover’s product, BOBOVR’s fitness facial interface includes an adjustable air circulation fan. The fan magnetically attaches to the top of the facial interface and actively pulls hot air out of the top vents which draws cooler air in through the vents at the bottom.
This method of active ventilation is superior in reducing condensation on the lenses when compared to VR Cover’s passive ventilation. If lens condensation is an issue for you, then it might be worth spending a little extra for the added ventilation the BOBOVR provides because it makes a big difference.
The BOBOVR fan lasts around 3-5 hours at full charge and can also be powered by the USB C port on your Quest 2, but powering it this way will drain your Quest 2 battery faster.
World's only custom-fit Quest 2 interface
We’ll wrap up the article by mentioning a promising Kickstarter Project for a Custom-fit Oculus Interface that’s just been launched. A company called THEMAGIC5 is planning to use data from a face scanning app to create personalized interfaces that are molded to the unique contours of your own face.
The result is a snug fitting interface that offers an even distribution of weight across the face. This means more comfort, less tension on the head straps and a reduction in those ugly red marks you get around the eyes and forehead after using the headset for some time.
As the project is in its beginning phases, I haven’t personally had the opportunity to test the customized interface for myself, but common sense suggests a tailor made facial interface will provide a superior fit to anything currently available.
The creators launched a successful Kickstarter campaign back in 2017 using similar technology to create custom-fit swim goggles. That project even received support from highly successful entrepreneurs Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec. So the team has the knowledge and experience to deliver on their custom-fit solution.
You can find out more about the Kickstarter campaign here and back the project, with the super early bird backing options starting at only $35 USD.
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