In this video, I check out the Kiwi Design Battery Audio Strap.
You can buy the head strap currently for $108 with coupon KW10 direct from them, and its also $119.99 on Amazon US ➡️ https://amzn.to/3WiHS4N or for €129 from Amazon DE ➡️ https://amzn.to/3ka2BKl. UK and AU will hopefully get inventory soon.
This strap combines both their battery and audio head straps into one single ultimate head strap for the Quest 2, which offers increased playtime thanks to its 6,400mAh battery at the back, and great on-ear audio to improve sound quality and immersion in your VR games.
You may have already seen my battery audio head strap mod video that I did last month, where I put together both Kiwi design’s battery and audio straps, all whilst this strap was sitting in a brown box in the background. Weeks later kiwi design is now selling this combination of both battery and audio head straps in one single package.
In the box, you get the head strap itself, all built and ready to attach to your headset, there’s a small instruction manual, and a cable management clip.
Features & Design
Looking over the head strap itself. The foundations of it are pretty near identical to their Upgraded Elite Strap, with the difference of a thicker rear portion at the back of the strap to accommodate the 6,400mAh battery inside that will extend your gaming by an additional 2.5 hours.
At the back, we have the same rear foam added back, and up top, there is the same thick foam padded top strap that provides added comfort on the top of your head, which is great when using the strap for longer sessions.
Along the side of the strap, there is the same cup attachment system that easily clips onto the side rails of your Quest 2 headset, and halfway down there is the same hinge system that allows you to easily fit and remove the headset, whilst also allowing you to flip up the headset up to take a break, reach for a drink, or check your phone.
Attached to the hinge points on each side are the same audio on-ear headphones from their original Audio strap. These feature the same 40mm audio drivers, lots of vertical and tilt adjustment, and there’s the same thick padding for added comfort and a little outside sound deadening. Some say these can get a little sweaty, but I personally haven’t had a problem with them and I think they are great!
And finally, there is a little velcro clip that attaches on to the side of the head strap to channel the power strap along the side of the strap. It’s a little bulky, and its totally optional if you want to attach this to the head strap. Personally, I don’t think it needs it.
Battery & Charging
Charging the battery is done by plugging in a powered USB-C cable into the top-facing port on the head strap. If you have the strap’s power cable connected to the Quest 2, it will charge the headset first and then charge the strap’s battery. On a full charge, the Quest 2 battery will last an extra 2.5 hours, or longer if you’re using less demanding apps.
Four LEDs at the top of the strap will keep you updated on its battery status, and if you have it connected, and the Quest 2 is still on standby, it will slowly drain the battery in the strap over time. So it is best to remove the power cable from the headset if you don’t plan on using the Quest 2 for a long period of time. Just like the original battery strap, the USB-C port on the strap doesn’t pass-through data either when connected to a PCVR desktop machine.
Audio Headphones
Just like their Audio strap, the headphones sound great, with good levels of bass thanks to their on-ear design and their foam padding makes them comfortable to wear during long VR sessions. You can pivot them upwards when they are not being used, and I like that their position stays fixed when pivoting the head strap at its hinge point.
My Impressions
This Battery Audio Head Strap from Kiwi Design currently retails for $108 with 10%-off coupon directly from Kiwi design and you can also try my coupon code OQPLAY to get 5% off your order too. And you can check out my links in this article to learn more about this head strap and to buy one down below.
Kiwi design unfortunately hasn’t made any noticeable changes to this version of the strap when you compare it to their individual battery and audio straps. They could have taken this opportunity to reduce the width and slightly increase the length of the audio cable to allow you to stow it behind a facial interface foam pad. They didn’t add a button to the rear battery part of the strap to manually toggle charging. And they didn’t add the ability to lock the headphones outwards like a modded Deluxe Audio Strap.
But even without the opportunities of addressing these desirables, if you want the ultimate all-in-one Elite strap and audio combination for your Quest 2, with the addition of a rechargeable battery to extend your play time, you really can’t go wrong with this Battery Audio strap from Kiwi design.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Brief overview
0:51 – Unboxing
1:00 – Features & design
2:34 – Battery
3:22 – Headphones
3:48 – My impressions
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