Recently, VR Cover announced a line of replacement foam cushions for the HTC Vive. The cushions feature water-resistant PU leather and come in different thicknesses so you can personalize the fit. Now the company is offering an option for Rift owners, too.
The Vive foam replacements connect to the headset with the existing Velcro, which made the design incompatible with the Oculus Rift. To get around this problem, VR Cover “reverse engineered” the facial interface from the Rift HMD and designed its own replacement, which features a Velcro strip around the edge that is similar to the one found on the Vive.
The company also created a set of foam padding options that are specifically for the Rift. So far, VR Cover has described two versions: a thinner cover that brings your eyes closer to the lenses and effectively increases your field of view, and one that is comparable to the stock foam. VR Cover said it is working on other options that will be announced over the summer.
The Oculus Rift launched at the end of March this year. Prior to the launch, we were told the VR HMD would include a second facial interface that would make room for glasses. Oculus ended up backing away from that plan, but VR Cover has a solution of its own. The company has created a deeper facial interface that leaves room for glasses. The design doesn’t appear to incorporate any relief slots for the sides of your glasses, so if you have a wide head this likely still won’t help.
VR Cover said that it has Oculus’s blessing for this product, too. These aren’t official Oculus products, but the company helped VR Cover refine the design and ensure that the replacement facial interfaces fit properly.
VR Cover is running a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of Oculus Rift facial interface replacements and washable foam padding. VR Cover is offering the parts individually for €29 (~$32), in sets of two for €58 (~$64), or in packages of five for €145 (~$160). Each option includes a foam pad of your choice. Orders are expected to ship to backers in September.
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