active-pack-knuckles — Image courtesy Meta

Meta Quest ‘Active Pack’ Accessory Bundle Will Bring Index-like Straps to Quest 2 Controllers

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Oct 13, 2022

If you haven’t already cobbled together your own third-party solutions, Meta is now offering an ‘Active Pack’ that includes a few things to keep your Quest clean, and Touch controllers safely in-hand as you work out in VR. And that last one seems to be taking some clear inspiration from Valve’s Index controllers.

Despite the glut of fitness-focused VR games out now, like Supernatural or Racket: NX, stock Quest 2 headsets just aren’t built with sweat in mind.

Now Meta is pitching a new Active Pack kit for Quest 2 that includes a wipeable facial interface, an extra pair of wrist straps, and adjustable knuckle straps—priced at $70.

Image courtesy Meta

Like with the Valve Index controllers, which in prototype stage were actually called ‘Knuckles’, the strap allows you to crank down your controllers so they not only stay put when you’re swinging around wildly, but also provides a greater degree of immersion since you can technically let go of the controller and ‘pick it back up’ when you need to grab a virtual object.

Quest 'April Mega Sale' Brings Up to 64% Off Some of VR's Best Games

As for the facial interface, which is made of PU, you can find those almost anywhere now, especially after the debacle where the foam face pad on Quest 2 was irritating people’s skin. Anyway, if a free silicone facial insert didn’t already arrive in the box, you may be eligible for one if you bought a Quest 2 headset or Quest 2 fit pack before August 24th, 2021. Click here to request one for free.

Sofian

The prices of all their accessories are ridiculous.
- Nevets
  
  Not to their shareholders.
- ViRGiN
  
  lmao – what are your alternatives?
  $70 facial interface alone from Kiwi?
  $30 controller straps from Kiwi?
  $49 bobovr strap?
  - Sofian
    
    Alternatives to a $40 10w charger? $30 1m usb charging cable?
    Plenty.
    - ViRGiN
      
      I listed prices above. Find me cheaper of those things and better quality.
      - Sofian
        
        You can visit VrCover and Kiwi design stores.
      - ViRGiN
        
        I didn’t find them better quality and cheaper. Not to mention even paying for shipping.
  - Gonzax
    
    Anything by BoboVR is better and considerably cheaper. Meta’s prices are ridiculous, I agree with Sofian.
Christian Schildwaechter

That seems rather dangerous. I have both the Index Controllers and third party straps for the Quest 2 that look similar to the solution provided by Meta. The Index straps are vastly superior regarding comfort and ease of use, and most importantly allow you to really let go of the controller without worry thanks to being fully integrated and fitting tightly to the back of the hand. The third party straps for the Quest 2 are attached at both the tracking ring and inside the small hole at the button intended for the regular hand strap, less comfortable, but still rather solid, as pulling on them will push the battery cover towards the top of the controller.

On the Meta straps both ends connect to the battery cover, so if you let go of the controller, trusting it to be fixed to your hand like the Index controllers, and then make a large, swinging motion, this may cause the whole battery cover to detach and send the rest of the controller flying through the room. This can cause serious harm. When Nintendo first released the Wii, they had to send out stronger replacement hand straps, because the original, flimsy ones ripped too often, causing players to throw their Wiimote straight into their TV, usually ending its life. And I imagine even a thin strap would provide more resistance than a battery cover that is intended to be removed regularly without any tools.
MeowMix

Meta bringing this accessroy so late to the game makes we wonder if they’ll continue the white Touchv3 (Jedi) controllers for their next gen headsets. If yes, these would be the cheap entry controllers, and if ppl want something better they can buy the TouchPro controllers. It would also be a good sign for Quest2 owners as that means they’ll continue to have access to controller replacements.
- ViRGiN
  
  I personally think that “controller issues” are some abstract thing. Games are majorly designed about ‘tracking-behind-the-back’ issues. For something like grabbing from holsters, that’s mostly up to the game implementation – when looking sideways, maybe you will have to reach your crotch to actually reach your pocket. There is no hip tracking, and not even lighthouse solves that.
  
  Joystick drift is a real thing – and it sucks especially in VR – but truth to be told, it’s like every company in the last couple of years had problems with that. Switch JoyCons, even valve index. The Meta 3D render of the thumbstick looked very spikey and premium – something like those 150 euro xbox elite controllers.
  Meta has great customer support, so there is zero reasons to be worried anyway. Just like Elite strap issues. Meta replaced/refunded everyone who asked. Mine day 0 purchase is still in perfect condition.
  - Gonzax
    
    I can’t believe I’m saying this but I agree and yes, Index had, and still has, a lot of problems with drift, their Index controllers are great but the joysticks are terrible.