Forget the Meta Quest 3, this haptic vest changed the way I play VR games

There’s only so much having a VR headset can do to immerse you in compatible games. While you’ll quickly find yourself sucked into slashing away at vicious monsters, completing puzzles, or chatting with like-minded players, whether it’s the outside world slightly leaking in or the battery dying, something will always take you out of it – but why not make it more immersive with a haptic vest like the Woojer Vest 3?

Well, when it comes to vests to go with the best VR headsets, there are a few options on the market. bHaptics is a major one, or the OWO is another rival, but I’ve recently been testing the impressive Woojer Vest 3, as well as the small but mighty Strap 3, and playing VR games has been a truly solid experience. It may not be perfect just yet, but there’s a clear reason why people spend a lot on these accessories.

How do they work? Well, it’s not as complex as translating in-game effects to haptic (vibrational) feedback, as that would mean that developers would likely have to work in haptic vest support for their titles. Instead, it takes the simple route of converting sounds into feedback, especially music, based on the bass.

Most haptic vests have multiple points that concentrate the feedback into specific places on your chest and back, with the Woojer being no different. It features six different oscillators, all of which are positioned around your torso to let you feel effects, whether it’s the rhythm when playing music on your gaming phone or enjoying the best action games when strapped into a VR headset.

I’ve spent years playing games and testing apps on VR headsets, and I’ve spent time testing the premium bHaptics TactSuit X40, alongside the company’s other accessories, and I’d still say the Woojer Vest 3 is the best I’ve used so far. A smaller size makes it more comfortable, and yet the feedback still packs a punch (one you can customize if you turn down the intensity).

The stab of a blade in Blade and Sorcery hits like a punch, while playing Beat Saber feels like you’re actually hitting each cube with an impact. Annoyingly, it’s another thing to charge and something expensive to keep juiced up for your VR sessions, but at the end of the day, it really does add immersion to your playtime in virtual reality.

However, it’s not just VR games that get a boost when using the Woojer Vest 3 (or the similar but cheaper and more limited Strap 3). When playing some of the picks from our guide to the best mobile games, it added an extra layer of fun, and while it was a simple translation from sound to haptic feedback, it was still an interesting prospect.

Admittedly, my favorite experience when using both Woojer devices wasn’t VR gaming or playing through my top Android games – instead, it was music. Booting up Sleep Token’s heavy metal riffs of the Even in Arcadia album left my chest booming with vibrations, as Caramel’s comforting nursery rhyme-style motif settled me in before some intense haptic feedback. It felt amazing, like the equivalent of being in a mosh pit without the worry that I’d be trampled by a stampeding crowd.

Pair that experience with the best earbuds, and you’re in for an absolute blast. Is it worth the usual $499 asking price for that alone? Probably not, but if you’re a gamer playing on multiple devices who also loves music, you’ll get plenty of use out of it. While the Strap 3 may be a smaller version of the vest itself, it’s equally brilliant, so you can save money and opt for that instead.

So, would I recommend getting a Woojer Vest? Yes, if you’re looking to use it for gaming and music. Overall, the experience made me very happy, but it’s a lot of money to spend on something you won’t get a lot of use out of, but compared to other haptic vests on the market, it’s easily the best I’ve used.

For more impressive tech, take a look at our guides to the best handheld consoles and the best gaming tablets while you’re here. Or, if you’re looking for something a little more nostalgia-inducing, see our list of the best retro handhelds.