Meta Quest: *Parents:* Important guidance and safety warnings for children's use here. Meta accounts for ages 10+ on Meta Quest 2 and 3; all other Meta Quest headsets for ages 13+. Certain apps, games and experiences may be suitable for a more mature audience. Meta quest features, functionality and content notice: Features, functionality and content are subject to change or withdrawal at any time, may not be available in all areas or languages or may be restricted; may require enabled software or service activation, and additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. It definitely makes Quest 2 a much more expensive proposition overall, so you might want to buy the headset first and see what mileage you get out of it but, if you’re already committed to standalone VR gaming, the Oculus Quest 2 Elite Battery Strap is a great add-on. I wrote about this a bit in my original Elite Strap review, but third-party accessories and comfort mods can do a great job of improving your kits comfort too. The VR Cover face lining is a great complement to any Quest 2 setup but it’s very possible that future strap designs get great comfort out of Quest 2, too. Obviously the big addition here is the battery extender unit. The battery itself is housed in the rear compartment of the strap, alongside the dial to fit to your head. Then a short USB Type-C cable threads along the left of the strap, running up to reach the charging port in the side of the Quest 2. You can charge the strap and the headset via another USB Type-C port just under the dial. From what I could gather, the Elite Battery Strap must be plugged into the Quest 2 to charge itself, and the headset’s charging indicator light will signal when both are at maximum capacity. Plugging in two USB cables to the Quest and the strap itself will only charge the former. Impressively, Quest 2 recognizes the battery extender when plugged in and lists separate gauges for both its battery and the core headset’s charge.

Lastly, it would be best if you had a strap that can twist but not break. You'll be putting the head strap through the wringer, so the side pieces need to hold up to that.

Helpful head strap accessories

The added weight included in the Elite Battery Strap (319g compared to the Elite Straps’ 173g) also comes with an appreciated side-effect. The heavier strap offers a nice counterbalance to the front of the Quest 2, helping to alleviate the pressure on your face just a little more than even what’s seen in the normal Elite Strap. The result is the most comfortable of all the accessories Facebook offers for Quest 2. Point being that, if comfort is your primary concern, you might see better and cheaper alternatives in the future. I still say that halo strap designs — seen on the PSVR and Rift S — are the most comfortable VR designs, placing weight on your forehead rather than your face. None of Facebook’s comfort options do this and I’ll be first-in-line to try out any mods that do.

Is Facebook’s most expensive Quest 2 strap also its best? Find out in our Oculus Quest 2 Elite Battery Strap review! META QUEST IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE https://www.oculus.com/quest-2/removable-facial-interface-alert. A ratchet to tighten up the Quest 2 is helpful as well. You don't always want the head strap to be as tight as possible, but you need it to stay at the right tightness despite your jumping around. Padding is essential. Your skull has minimal padding; that padding needs to come from the head strap, not you.So, how long do you get? Well, if you remember, I said the standard Quest 2 battery lasted me two and a half hours playing The Room VR from full to flat during my testing. With the Elite Battery Strap, I played Until You Fall and a few other titles for about three hours before the battery unit was depleted. But then I still had 75% reserve charge left on the headset itself for another two hours of play. So, all-in-all, we’re talking roughly doubling your maximum playtime with the Quest 2 Elite Battery Strap. Keep in mind that more passive apps like media viewers will drain the battery slower, too.