VR headsets need a chin strap, or something...

[AlpineGTA]

When flying DCS in VR the biggest irritation I have is, when you have to look down into the cockpit, the headset tends to lift away from your face and everything goes blurred. The only solution is to either have the straps so tight it's uncomfortable and you have red marks on your face for the next 5 weeks (and even that doesn't cure it completely), or to hold the headset with your hand against your face whenever you're looking down. The further down you have to look, especially if you've got your chin buried in your chest craning hard to click that switch that's tucked down and behind you on a side panel, the worse it is. It seems the only solution is to have some sort of chin strap connected to the headset that prevents it from lifting away from your face when looking down. I suspect most manufacturers haven't given much thought to this in the designs of their straps. I imagine they assume most VR games are played with you just looking forward most of the time. And for most people, I imagine, that's probably true. We're a niche bunch!

[zildac]

When flying DCS in VR the biggest irritation I have is, when you have to look down into the cockpit, the headset tends to lift away from your face and everything goes blurred. The only solution is to either have the straps so tight it's uncomfortable and you have red marks on your face for the next 5 weeks (and even that doesn't cure it completely), or to hold the headset with your hand against your face whenever you're looking down. The further down you have to look, especially if you've got your chin buried in your chest craning hard to click that switch that's tucked down and behind you on a side panel, the worse it is. It seems the only solution is to have some sort of chin strap connected to the headset that prevents it from lifting away from your face when looking down. I suspect most manufacturers haven't given much thought to this in the designs of their straps. I imagine they assume most VR games are played with you just looking forward most of the time. And for most people, I imagine, that's probably true. We're a niche bunch!

Yup, this exactly. Looking down pain in the backside as hmd moves up.

[Mr. Big.Biggs]

Never had the issue with my Index. Staying right where I put it. 
what you flying with?

[dburne]

Can't say I have noticed the issue with my Reverb G2.

[TAW_Impalor]

With G2 my only problem when looking down is poor tracking. Bind everything important to HOTAS to avoid looking down.

[KWard]

1 hour ago, Mr. Big.Biggs said:

Never had the issue with my Index. Staying right where I put it. 
what you flying with?

 

I also have an Index, and I do have the problem. In fact it seems like I have to readjust the fit every three seconds or so.

 

[Mr. Big.Biggs]

27 minutes ago, KWard said:

 

I also have an Index, and I do have the problem. In fact it seems like I have to readjust the fit every three seconds or so.

 

Interesting....  

[nobuttons]

I've never had this problem with my Pimax or my Index.

Curious where on your head the back strap is fitting and where on your face the foams are resting? Is it possible a different configuration might work better for your head shape?

[hsth]

Don't know what headset you're using but did you already have a look at Studioform Creative | Valve Index Accessory Oculus Quest 2 Comfort Acce ? Helps great in balancing the weight and the extra strap makes it really comfortable.

[Fri13]

13 hours ago, AlpineGTA said:

When flying DCS in VR the biggest irritation I have is, when you have to look down into the cockpit, the headset tends to lift away from your face and everything goes blurred. 

 

What HMD you have, and how you have it set? You should in all HMD's place the strap behind your skull back, so it is pulling HMD below, not from above. 

This is the problem in the Quest 2 that its normal strap is so flexible and gets only above your head that it doesn't hold so well, but the Elite Strap addition should fix that problem.

 

You should get the strap from below your skull, and then use the top/center strap to support HMD and strap from falling around your neck. 

 

[AlpineGTA]

I'm using the G2 but also have a Quest 2 that suffers from a similar problem, as did my Rift S and PSVR. I have the back of the strap properly cradling the base of my head but it still moves.

Because the strap is attached by swivel points on either side and a strap on the top, it's naturally prone to swivel upwards. In fact, that's exactly what you do when you remove the headset, or if you want to take a quick peek out, you swivel it up off your face because there's no other direction it can go.

 

You're right, I'm sure a lot of it is down to the individuals face shape and some don't feel affected but I'm sure I'm not the only one who experiences this.

[Fri13]

5 minutes ago, AlpineGTA said:

Because the strap is attached by swivel points on either side and a strap on the top, it's naturally prone to swivel upwards. In fact, that's exactly what you do when you remove the headset, or if you want to take a quick peek out, you swivel it up off your face because there's no other direction it can go.

 

You are doing it wrong. You do not swivel the HMD up. Instead you pull the strap off back of your head first and then you pull HMD forward from your face. It is not meant to be tilted upward, that is sign you have way too loose the strap if you can do that.

 

And it doesn't need to even be tight to never drop from your face when it is properly adjusted back of your scull and tightness. If you have it too loose, then it will fall off as there is nothing holding it on your face. 

[AlpineGTA]

No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying because of the way it's constructed it has a natural tendency to swivel upwards. You don't pull the strap off the back off your head if you're not taking it off but are just having a quick peek out. I'll be surprised if most people do that when you're just peeking under. I'm using that as an example of how it's naturally inclined to move. 

 

How you decide to take it off your head is a different issue to how it moves once it's seated on your head. With the PSVR and Rift S, I use the method you suggest, I loosen the back first because they have the twist clamps on the back. With the G2 and Quest 2, because they're velcro and stretchy, I tend to lift it up off my face first so I don't disturb the way I have the velcro adjusted.

[Fri13]

2 minutes ago, AlpineGTA said:

No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying because of the way it's constructed it has a natural tendency to swivel upwards.

 

It doesn't swivel upwards when you have it properly tightened. It isn't then even too tight, but in longer sessions anything will leave some kind marks (even if your face would be on pillow) from even slightest pressure, but the tightness in those is suppose to be set even and good. No need to overtighten anything. 

 

2 minutes ago, AlpineGTA said:

You don't pull the strap off the back off your head if you're not taking it off but are just having a quick peek out.

 

That you actually need to do, and that is the reason why Microsoft went to do the flip-up mechanism to their line to make it possible. If you don't have that, then you are suppose to remove the backside first and then the front. Of course no one is denying to pull it as wanted but you will get lenses to your hair and grease them up that way more easily, than when pulling out forward. 

 

This is how the MS idea works across multiple brands. So you can just flip it up to see outside and then flip back down. But problem is that the structure is not so strong to hold it down on your face when you look around as all the weight is below the forehead support. 

 

 

2 minutes ago, AlpineGTA said:

I'll be surprised if most people do that when you're just peeking under. I'm using that as an example of how it's naturally inclined to move. 

 

I don't think that people with glasses can do that at all, as their glasses gets caught by the HMD and you can scratch the lenses and damage glasses. That was again the reason why Microsoft went to flip-up design to allow even glass wearers to do so. 

Oculus and Valve went different direction to allow pass-through so you can see outside in black and white with the front cameras if you need to see outside.

 

2 minutes ago, AlpineGTA said:

How you decide to take it off your head is a different issue to how it moves once it's seated on your head.

 

They are related. As you need to set the HMD securely on your face, with proper tightness and backstrap position. That is there to deny you just pulling it upward away. 

 

2 minutes ago, AlpineGTA said:

With the PSVR and Rift S, I use the method you suggest, I loosen the back first because they have the twist clamps on the back.

 

As it is designed to be done so across the other HMD than those flip-up designs. They are the ones that you first flip-up and then you take the support band out. 

 

2 minutes ago, AlpineGTA said:

With the G2 and Quest 2, because they're velcro and stretchy, I tend to lift it up off my face first so I don't disturb the way I have the velcro adjusted.

 

That is the problem in Quest that has been criticized, that you need adjust each time after takin it off. Just trust, they are meant to be removed by first pulling the strap back of the head and then pulling HMD away forward. And then mount in reverse, first place the HMD on your face and then place strap back of your head and tighten. 

The G2 has the similar strap as the Rift CV1 had.

 

 

 

 

The strap in CV1 was excellent, Oculus designed the front section with sprins. So you could just pull the strap away from rear and then raise it above head. You never needed to touch the velcro parts. It just worked. It securely caught back of your skull and felt very comfortable. 

 

It just sounds that you want to peek around with the HMD, so you keep the straps loosen so you can grab the HMD on your face and pull it easily up from your face. So you have too loose strap and hence when you look down you will have the HMD slip by the gravity off from your face. 

 

If you have problems with the face marks, you should check aftermarket ones that allows you to have softer, larger surface area without sharper edges but more cushioned ones.

But again, if you compare the HP G2 HMD to Rift CV1, they very similar. But Oculus did take a note from the CV1 and redesigned their Rift S strap with much larger forehead support, and it works because they do not have that flip-up mechanism weakening it like Microsoft did design. 

 

 

[AlpineGTA]

Well, I appreciate the very thorough post and that you're trying to suggest a solution but, whether we agree or disagree about the mechanics and adjustment of the headset (and I'm sure there are other factors involved, such as the shape of my head and seating position), the fact remains that I have it adjusted correctly, it does lift from my face and I need a chin strap, or something!  

 

As an aside, on the issue of comfort, I've always found the halo type head strap, like that on the Rift S, to be most comfortable. It seems to even the pressure out around your head better and just feels generally more comfortable. I know a lot of people seem to rate the G2 as being really comfortable but I just don't see it. Maybe I'm an alien!

[Hellcat]

Could it be a double chin issue ? Easy now just joking 

[WolfcatVader]

Also, make sure you are positioning the cable correctly.  I bring the cable around in front of me, push it up slightly, and tuck it right behind my belt buckle.  Keeps it from gently pulling on the back of the headset while you are flying.

[kurtz667]

Had the same prob with the rift s,  but no prob with my g2

 

[AlpineGTA]

Maybe I've found my solution. It's interesting that he says his girlfriend, who has a small head, now finds it comfortable to wear, as I do have a small head myself!

 

 

[jib]

13 hours ago, AlpineGTA said:

Maybe I've found my solution. It's interesting that he says his girlfriend, who has a small head, now finds it comfortable to wear, as I do have a small head myself!

 

 

Yeah I was going to say a Studio Form type headstrap place near the front really helps to stop the HMD slipping down and helps with comfort.

 

https://www.studioformcreative.com/product-page/go-quest-deluxe-strap-black -only $16.95

 

I have a Quest 2 and use this strap and also use a counter weight and it is pretty comfortable.

I might try a cheap halo strap later in the year but don't know how much more comfortable I need it.