If you’re my age, you’re old enough to remember the first time you popped a rumble pack into your N64 controller and played Star Fox 64. The experience was something I’ll never forget, and even though practically every modern piece of electronics today has some sort of haptic response in it, the joy of feeling the action in a game hasn’t waned.
That’s why you need to pick up the next-generation Woojer Vest 4, which is $50 off right now on an early Black Friday special. The Vest 4 just came out a few weeks ago (it’s not even a month old!) and upgrades the Woojer Vest 3 experience with a new lighter, slimmer and more breathable construction that makes wearing the vest while gaming much more comfortable.
So what in the world is a haptic vest, you ask? It’s a way to experience full body rumble from your games, music, movies, or anything else in your life that makes sound. Woojer’s patented technology intelligently turns sound into haptic feedback, and it does so without mixing in the noises you don’t want.
Assume you’re playing an online game like Call of Duty or even a VR game like Forefront and want to feel the shooting and explosions, but not the voices of the other players. Woojer already automatically cancels out things like voices and music while gaming because it understands that gamers want to feel effects, not ambient music or other players’ voices.
Conversely, if you’re playing a game like Lumines Arise on your Steam Deck, the pumping bass of the music will perfectly vibrate into your inner soul thanks to the Woojer Vest 4. It’s impressively immersive and brings a whole new dimension to all your entertainment. I use it every time I play a VR multiplayer game like Breachers or Forefront, but it’s also excellent for non-VR games when you really want to get in on the action.
How does a haptic vest work?
Whether you’re using a Woojer Vest 4, Woojer Body Strap, or one of Woojer’s older products, they all work the same way. You load the Woojer app onto your smartphone and then turn on your Woojer vest. The app automatically connects to your Vest or Body Strap and gives you full control over the volume, haptic intensity, mode, and more.
From here, you’ll either plug a pair of wired headphones into the Woojer unit or pair Bluetooth headphones to the Woojer via the app, matching the vibration perfectly in sync with the sound. Lastly, you’ll plug your source into the Woojer unit — I most commonly connect my Meta Quest 3 or Steam Deck via the included 3.5mm audio cable — to feed sound into the Vest or Body Strap. You can also use Bluetooth to wirelessly stream your music to the vest.
And that’s it! There’s no other configuration needed unless you want to select a specific mode or change settings in the Woojer app. It’s impressively simple and is far easier than how older haptic vests and straps used to work. I enjoy this most for gaming, but they’re also great for really feeling the beat in your music or turning an average at-home movie into a theater-like experience with full body rumble.
If a full vest is too much for you, the Woojer Body Strap 4 is also available (pictured above next to the Steam Deck) and offers a single point of rumble that can be placed on your chest, stomach, back, or even your leg, if you prefer.
