Oculus Quest 2 is right around the corner, and VR Cover is updating its popular set of offerings for Facebook’s new headset. Should you pick them up? Find out in our VR Cover Quest 2 Review!
There are going to be some people that find the Oculus Quest 2 a perfect fit from the first moment they put it on. More power to those lucky few but, for the rest of us, there’s a growing list of options to improve comfort. We’ve already reviewed the official Elite Strap and there’s another unofficial Halo Strap on the way, but VR Cover’s Facial Interface set is worth a look even if you’ve already invested in some of those alternatives.
Why? Because unlike other offerings, the Facial Interface doesn’t replace Quest 2’s strap but instead just the foam lining that rests on your face. In its place, you put a new venting frame and one of two foam face linings, covered in PU leather. All of this comes with a handful of extra benefits.
Cozy, Cleaner VR
For starters, yes, you may well find the softer, spongier lining more palatable when fitted to your face than the Quest 2’s firm, surprisingly rigid solution. You get two different sizes varying in comfort (more on that in a bit) but an hour spent using either under the stress of Schell Games’ Until You Fall proved more comfortable for me than even just using the normal facial lining during Upload’s weekly in-VR podcast. If anything, though, that says more about just how much room for improvement there was in Facebook’s original design.
Perhaps more importantly though, the leather lining is great for when you’re playing more active VR games. Instead of getting your original foam lining covered in sweat that it will absorb over time, your sweat stays on the surface of the leather lining and is quickly cleaned off. It makes VR hygiene much simpler which is especially crucial in these uncertain times and you won’t be half as concerned about turning your once-shiny Quest into a smelly sweat sponge only you can use. I could take the headset off, wipe the lining clean, and then pass it over to my partner without much hassle.
From VR Cover’s perspective, October was probably a good time to launch the Quest 2 too. As the colder months come back in, the dreaded VR lens fog – which refers to users’ warm heads misting up a cold headset’s display – starts to plague devices once more, but VR Cover’s new facial interface set for the standalone helps make this a thing of the past. The lining has a gap to allow lenses to breathe much more easily so, even if you do get some fog, it will disappear faster than with the in-the-box lining.
After an hour or so of playing, though, I would take the headset off with either lining to find I had not only VR face, but some dark marks from where the leather was resting. The image below was after an Until You Fall session in which I was probably wearing the strap a little too tightly. It will soon clear up but maybe don’t use VR Cover just before a meeting.
Readjusting Your View
You get two different sizes of foam lining with the VR Cover kit, a smaller ‘Standard’ lining and a padded ‘Comfort’ one, and it’s important you choose the right one for you.
As the name suggests, the Comfort option was definitely the cozier of the two for me to wear but kept my face further away from the lens. It meant I could never really see the screen as clearly and had to change from my usual mid-range IPD setting to the narrower option for a better picture. For me specifically, this is a bit of a problem as, at that setting, the Quest 2’s protruding lenses dig into my nose and the bottom center of my display distorts a little.
The smaller one, meanwhile, gave me the same experience as the normal Quest setup, albeit with more comfort. It’s the one I’ll be keeping on my headset from now on, even if I can’t wear it as comfortably for as long as the other. That said, everyone’s head sizes and preferences are different, and you might find the Comfort option works best for you. Given they both come in the same kit, there’s no need to worry about which to choose.
Extras
There’s also a bit more in the box that adds to the value with the VR Cover Facial Interface set. For starters, you get those two linings which, not only can accommodate different comfort preferences but also provide quick and clean switching between users. There’s a nose guard, too, that lets in less light for extra immersion and, finally, lens covers to leave over your Quest 2 when you’re not using it.
VR Cover Oculus Quest 2 Review Final Impressions
It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the already well-liked VR Cover brand remains consistent on Quest 2. The padded leather linings maker for a nicer fit than the solution you get with Quest 2, and keeps your headset clean when playing apps like Beat Saber and Until You Fall. For me personally, the Comfort-sized lining is far too padded to maintain immersion, but the Standard version works perfectly, and both come included. If you’ve already got a new strap and want to push your Quest 2 comfort experience that bit further, the VR Cover Facial Lining set should suit you just fine. Just be sure to check a mirror after you’ve used it.
VR Cover’s Facial Lining Kit costs $29. You can sign up to find out more about VR Cover shipping here. What did you make of our VR Cover Quest 2 review? Let us know in the comments below!
