Can you replace the Meta Quest 3S cloth head strap?

Here's why you might want to replace the Meta Quest 3S head strap

The Meta Quest 3S ships with a simple cloth Head strap that adjusts via a loop-and-band system. While the cloth strap makes it easy to put the headset on and take it off quickly, the design has several downsides.

Some people find it uncomfortable for several reasons. Depending on your head shape, the strap can pinch ears or put an uncomfortable amount of weight on them. The strap also doesn't do much to balance the weight, leaving your face to accept most of the pressure. Because it's cloth, it'll also absorb any sweat generated from playing in VR, which means it's less than sanitary to pass around to friends and family if you've been playing seriously sweaty apps or games.

Thankfully, the best Meta Quest 3 head straps all work with the Meta Quest 3S. Several companies are also developing a separate line of Quest 3S head straps that don't have the 3.5mm headphone jack slot on the right side since the Quest 3S lacks this port. Even if you use a head strap designed for the Meta Quest 3 with a slot for the 3.5mm port, it'll still fit the Meta Quest 3S because both headsets use an identical side rail design.

If you're looking for some suggestions, I'd recommend picking up two different brand's head straps for your Meta Quest 3S. The BoboVR M3 Pro is my personal favorite head strap as it uses a halo-style design which means the head strap makes a ring shape that rests on your forehead and the back of your cranium.

This alleviates most of the weight from the face, although there's still a nice tight seal around the facial interface to keep light out. This head strap also comes with rechargeable, magnetically detachable batteries that drop on the back for extra weight balance and hours of additional play time for your headset.

If you're not a fan of halo-style designs, Kiwi Design's head straps use premium batteries and an elite strap-style design that cradles the back of your head and distributes the weight along the top. My son prefers this style of head strap and finds it most comfortable. Plus, Kiwi Design's batteries are among the safest in the industry and provide double the battery time of a single normal capacity BoboVR battery.

No matter which you choose, most Meta Quest 3S alternative head straps will give you a better fit and provide better hygiene than the stock Quest 3S cloth strap. Both head straps I recommended not only come with batteries that prolong your Quest 3S's battery life but are also far easier to clean so you can feel comfortable passing around the headset to friends and family this Holiday season.