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Tighten Up Your VR Game With the Best Head Straps for Quest 2

Spending hours in the virtual world? Make your VR headset more comfortable with one of these head straps.

Virtual reality is fast becoming the next big space in video games. The Meta Quest 2 is the current leader among the best VR headsets that don’t require a PC to run — though the PSVR2 has just released as competition— but it does have issues (not least a price hike). My biggest gripe is the Quest 2’s head strap. It’s aggressively average, which means it can and should be replaced with something more pleasant to use for long periods of time.

The best head straps have plenty of support around the back of your head, as well as firm fittings to the front. In order to test out these Quest 2 head straps, I spent a lot of time playing in VR. It’s not easy playing games for a living, but I endured it for you. Here’s a list of my favorites.

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A new version of this headset was recently released with a new ratchet on the back and a more comfortable front shape. The extra comfort now makes this my go-to head strap.

One of the most important parts of a head strap is the padding, as it keeps your head secure while maintaining a good comfort level. This head strap from Yoges took that importance onboard and went all-in on making sure your head is padded everywhere. The strap even has extra pads that offer a counter to the pull from the back as the ratchet is tightened.

For long-term use, the Yoges offers one of the most comfortable experiences I’ve had so far. My only gripe is the center strap. It’s a little too short for my head, so it doesn’t feel as secure across the top.

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Kiwi

The Kiwi head strap is a great budget alternative to the Elite strap, with a few nice editions that make it stand out from the competition. My son loves using this for long Beat Saber sessions, so it’s a firm favorite in our house.

Often when you’re wearing glasses with VR, the headset can often be uncomfortable to remove. I’ve banged my glasses and knocked them off a few times. The Kiwi head strap can tilt at an extreme angle, allowing you to put the headset on without knocking it into your face. It’s a far more comfortable experience than the Elite strap.

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Yoges

I am constantly impressed with the comfort of the Yoges straps. The padding all around makes it incredibly secure and the added weight of the battery helps to balance the front screen. The battery is only 5,000mAh but that’s enough to fully charge the Quest 2 about one and a half times, so should keep you playing for a good long while.

$50 at Amazon

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When I was looking to upgrade to an «elite» head strap for my virtual reality experience, I didn’t necessarily want to spend the cash for the official Oculus Elite version. I was looking for an Oculus Quest bundle that combined accessories, and I found this one from Esimen. 

It includes a nice carrying case, which is what sold me on this. The strap is as good as others on this list, but the case is a bonus that the others lack.

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I bought the Elite strap as a bundle with my Oculus Quest 2 at launch, and while some people have suffered from breakages in that first batch, mine has performed admirably. This latest run of the Elite strap has removed the flaw altogether, so if you want to have a fully branded head strap, this is your best choice.

I’ve used my Elite strap for more hours than I count. From playing sweaty and energetic games like Supernatural to sitting in VR for an eight-hour workday, the only time the Elite strap felt uncomfortable was when I tightened it too much. If you can get it dialed in, it’s great.

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Colohas via Amazon

One of the best things about a wireless VR headset like the Quest 2 is sharing it with others. Having brought my headset to a number of parties, I can say that hearing a disappointed «aww, OK» when you tell someone they can’t play because the battery died is a real bummer. I’ve used third-party battery packs that clip to your belt in the past to keep other headsets going, but the Oculus-made battery strap for the Quest 2 is something entirely different.

For starters, the added weight of the battery strap is a good thing — because it’s in the back of the headset, it causes a balancing effect that removes pressure from your nose and forehead. The battery also adds 2 hours of gameplay, and you never have to take it off. If you want to charge the headset, you just charge the battery. The power will flow through to both with no noticeable performance differences. It’s such a joy to use that I genuinely can’t imagine using a Quest 2 without one at this point.

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Helpful head strap accessories

Having a better head strap is going to improve your VR experience, but there are also ways to improve your new head strap that will make it even better than that. Here are some of our favorite add-ons.

Anker

I’ve used Anker battery banks for my phones for years now, so it makes sense that I’d favor them for my Oculus, too. You could just put it in your pocket and attach the cable, but it works much better when connected to your head strap in any number of ways. I’ve even used velcro.

The bank isn’t too heavy, but it has enough bulk to help offset the Quest 2 headset and plenty of power to top up your Quest 2.  

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Amazon

While I think it is a better idea to buy a complete head strap replacement, it can cost more than you might have. After all, the headset wasn’t cheap in the first place. This cool little add-on from Kiwi adds a halo ring to the existing head strap to increase your comfort.

Adding a halo to the back of your head distributes the weight more evenly and makes it much more comfortable over long periods. 

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What should you look for in a head strap?

There are a few essential things to look at when choosing a head strap:

  • A good halo that sits comfortably around the back of your head will help keep some of the weight away from your neck, making the Quest 2 feel lighter than it is.
  • Padding is essential. Your skull has minimal padding; that padding needs to come from the head strap, not you.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Does the Quest 2 Elite strap still break?

While there are still isolated reports of breakages, the issue that plagued the Elite straps seems to have abated. Most of the issues we see now are from misuse as opposed to regular wear and tear. Our last bullet point on what you should look for exists because of this issue, so make sure whatever strap you choose has good reviews and doesn’t break regularly.

Technologies

I Put Apple AirTags on Basically Everything and You Can Too Thanks to This Labor Day Deal

I use AirTags for travel and tracking everything from my bike to my keys. If you want to stock up, you can get a four-pack for $70 right during Amazon’s Labor Day Deal.

Labor Day deal: With Labor Day weekend comes some pretty significant savings, especially on top tech like the Apple AirTags. During Prime Day in July, the four-pack dropped to $80. But right now, Amazon’s Labor Day deals have this four-pack down to just $70. That’s a 29% discount, saving you $29. Just remember, deals like these can be fleeting so scoop up this deal while you can.

Not long ago, as I waited at baggage claim after a trip to Paris, I became increasingly nervous as bag after bag dropped onto the carousel, none of them mine. I knew there was no need to panic, though. Back at Charles de Gaulle airport, I had dropped a sophisticated little tracking device into my trusty rolling suitcase before handing it over and heading to my gate. So, I pulled out my iPhone, and with just a few taps, I could see that my bag had never left the City of Light. (Merde!)

Over the years, I’ve come to depend on Apple’s AirTags to keep track of my easy-to-lose valuables. They’re not just good for luggage, I use them to track wallets, bikes, keys and even my car. I tell everyone who will listen that you can never have too many of these handy devices. 

Here’s how the Apple AirTag (like the one that was in my suitcase on that fateful trip) works. It uses an ingenious method of tracking itself, detecting its location from nearby iPhones and using them to anonymously piggyback the coordinates to a secure server where I could look it up on my iPhone. Until just a few years ago, this would have seemed like a scene straight out of a spy movie.

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Instead of wondering if my belongings were stuck on an abandoned luggage cart or strewn across the tarmac, I could see in almost real time that my suitcase was still chilling at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. I was able to calmly tell the airline my bag didn’t make the flight, and it made arrangements to have it delivered to me a few days later.

Apple AirTags are all about peace of mind

By itself, an AirTag isn’t much. A smooth, round, 1.26-inch puck that looks like a glossy white breath mint, it sinks to the bottom of a bag or dangles from a key chain (with a compatible key ring, sold separately). It’s meant to disappear.

Activating the AirTag was a simple process of pairing with my iPhone. And then, because it obviously doesn’t really do anything out of the box, I forgot about it.

But the next time I couldn’t find my keys? Sorcery. My iPhone didn’t just tell me they were somewhere nearby — it walked me directly to them, thanks to the AirTag’s built-in Ultra Wideband chip. Suddenly, all that time I’d spent retracing my steps and overturning couch cushions in the past felt like ancient history.

Now I have AirTags in or attached to every significant item I’d want to keep track of: My everyday laptop bag, my camera backpack, the suitcase I use most when traveling, my key chain, my car and a smaller sling bag I take on walks. I can pull up the Find My app on any of my Apple devices (or sign in to iCloud on any web browser) and see where my items are and the last time the AirTags registered their locations.

AirTags aren’t just for my everyday items. People I know in the movie business tell me that AirTags are tossed into nearly every bag and Pelican crate, not solely to ensure that the valuable equipment inside doesn’t walk away but also to quickly differentiate equipment amid similar-looking containers. Some of my friends also attach AirTags to their pets’ collars (though experts say there are better ways to track your pets).

AirTags are also useful for things that you want to keep close by

Being able to detect my luggage a continent away provided a sense of relief, to be sure. But at the local level, my AirTags will also trigger an alert when I get too far away from them. For example, if I accidentally forget my camera bag in the car when I stop somewhere for lunch, a Find My notification appears telling me I’ve left it behind. It works the same for newer AirPods models as well.

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Sharing is now a big part of AirTag tracking

My family has two cars, and I wanted to be able to track them both. But it used to be inconvenient to pair the AirTag in the car my wife drives to her iPhone (and the one in my car to my iPhone).

To guard against unwanted tracking, an AirTag will notify nearby iPhones of its existence, so whenever I drove my wife’s car without her in it, I got a notification that an AirTag was traveling with me. (If the owner is near the AirTag, the alert does not appear.)

However, ever since the release of iOS 17, AirTags are shareable, which solves this problem. I shared my AirTag with my wife, and she with me, so regardless of which car I’m driving, I can find it more easily in a crowded parking lot without getting constant, unnecessary alerts. 

A more recent feature is the ability to temporarily share an AirTag’s location with someone I trust. In my luggage example above, if the suitcase was in the airport with me, but the airport’s staff hadn’t yet been able to locate it (not uncommon during peak travel times), I could share its location with an attendant who could quickly retrieve it from areas inaccessible to the public.

Apple AirTag specs

  • Diameter: 1.26 inches (31.9 mm)
  • Height: 0.31 inches (8 mm)
  • Weight: 0.39 ounces (11 g)
  • Splash, water and dust resistance: Rated IP67 (maximum depth of 1 meter up to 30 minutes)
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
  • Battery: Replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery

The only minor annoyance about AirTags

An AirTag includes Bluetooth, the U1 Ultra Wideband chip and an NFC chip to share basic details when it’s in Lost Mode. That’s all powered by a CR2032 coin cell battery, which in my experience lasts roughly a year before I need to replace it.

I get notified when a battery is starting to get low, although there’s no gauge to see how much is left until it goes into the red. And it’s easy to change batteries. But my small fleet of AirTags means I need to swap multiple ones each year. I buy them in packs of 20 that I slowly work through.

AirTags also make great gifts

Apple AirTags consistently appear in our gift guides throughout the year because you can always find another use for one. They’re often reduced in price when sold in packs of four. And there’s an ever-growing ecosystem of ways to mount them, from sturdy vaults that adhere to a car to discrete fabric holders that will keep your favorite classic bomber jacket from flying away. Whenever I show someone how I use AirTags on a bag or keychain, I kind of wish I had a pocket full of AirTags to hand out because once someone sees how it works, they’re sold.

When will this deal expire?

We don’t know how long this deal will last. We saw four-packs available at a slightly higher price ($80) during Amazon Prime Day, and these four-packs do go on sale a few times throughout the year. This particular deal could expire at any time without notice, even before Labor Day weekend is over, so if you know you want to pick some up, I recommend placing your order while you can be sure to get this price, because I’m confident you’ll find new uses for them once you have a few.

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Score a Free USB-C Charger When You Buy a Top-Rated EcoFlow Power Bank This Labor Day Weekend

Never stress about running out of a charge thanks to this sweet Labor Day deal on a handy power bank.

EcoFlow makes some of our favorite portable batteries and chargers. Its brand-new Rapid series includes compact, fast-charging power banks designed to keep all your devices running on the go. For Labor Day, EcoFlow is bundling in a free charger when you buy from the series.

I found that EcoFlow has set up a tiered promo depending on how much you spend. If you spend at least $59 on Amazon on Rapid series products, you’ll receive a free 30W EcoFlow wall charger. If you step up to $139 or more on Amazon, EcoFlow sweetens the deal with a free 65W fast charger instead. Both gifts are added automatically once you meet the spend threshold, so you’re getting an essential charging accessory for free while picking up new portable power gear.

EcoFlow’s Rapid power banks are designed for people who want compact, fast, and reliable charging when they’re away from an outlet. The lineup includes different capacities to suit different needs, whether that’s keeping a smartphone alive during travel, charging a tablet between meetings, or even giving a laptop an emergency top-up.

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With USB-C Power Delivery support, these packs can charge devices quickly and efficiently, which makes them stand out in a crowded market of slower, bulkier power banks. And there’s no better way to take advantage of this than with a free USB-C charger included.

We like that EcoFlow isn’t just another brand jumping into portable power — the brand already has a strong reputation with their larger home backup batteries and solar generators, and this new line extends that reliability into everyday carry gear. Features like pass-through charging and high-speed output make the Rapid line practical for daily use, whether you’re commuting, traveling, or working remotely.

The compact designs also mean they’ll slip easily into a backpack, messenger bag or even a jacket pocket. If you’re in the market for a portable charger, this promo is an especially easy way to stock up. We’ve seen plenty of brands charge extra for wall adapters, but EcoFlow is bundling them in for free if you jump on the deal.

Why this deal matters

This deal stands out because EcoFlow is offering a meaningful freebie — either a 30W or 65W fast charger — just for buying into its new Rapid lineup. Portable batteries are always useful, but getting an extra high-quality wall charger bundled in saves you money and makes the deal much more valuable.

Since these promos are tied to spending thresholds and are only live for Labor Day, it’s a great time to grab one if you’ve been considering a new power bank.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Aug. 30 #545

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Aug. 30, No. 545

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.


Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a fun one. A few of the words took me a minute to unscramble, but the theme was so clear that the answers were pretty obvious. If you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story. 

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: No small matter

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Think Godzilla or Goliath.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

  • SEEN, VISE, VISES, LOAN, TAMS, SALE, SALL, GIVE, GIBE, SLIT

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

  • HUGE, MIGHTY, MASSIVE, COLOSSAL, GIGANTIC, ENORMOUS

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is BIGDEAL. To find it, look for the B that’s five letters down on the far-right row, and wind up and then down.

Toughest Strands puzzles

Here are some of the Strands topics I’ve found to be the toughest in recent weeks.

#1: Dated slang, Jan. 21. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! Jan.15. I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT. 

#3: Off the hook, Jan. 9. Similar to the Jan. 15 puzzle in that it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK

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