VR fitness kills your VR headset: Meta Quest 3 has a sweat problem

Users are reporting frequent failures of their Meta Quest 3 headsets after intense VR fitness sessions. The reason: sweat is seeping into the electronics. While Meta is replacing the devices, there is no permanent solution yet.

According to numerous reports in the Meta Community Forums and on Reddit, cases of Quest 3 headsets failing after intense fitness sessions are piling up. Users of fitness apps like Supernatural, Les Mills XR Bodycombat, and Eleven Table Tennis are particularly affected.

The reports suggest that sweat is apparently seeping into the Quest 3’s sensors, leading to malfunctions. The typical failure symptoms are always similar: head and controller tracking stops working, the headsets no longer start properly, or they get stuck in a boot loop. In some cases, charging also stops working.

In one particularly drastic case, a user had to have their headset replaced four times within four months because it repeatedly failed after intense training sessions with fitness apps. Other affected users also find themselves having to send in their devices regularly.

While Meta is replacing the defective devices free of charge, they are usually only replaced with refurbished units.

Sweat collects in the Quest 3’s facial interface

The reason for the failures seems to be that sweat seeps between the two parts of the facial interface due to capillary action. It collects there, eventually penetrating through the mounting holes into the headset and can damage the electronics.

It is not known whether the problem also occurs with the new Meta Quest 3S. We have already requested a statement from Meta and will provide it as soon as it arrives.

Although the Quest 3 is also marketed as a fitness VR headset, sweat-inducing VR fitness apps such as Les Mills XR Dance or FitXR can damage your VR headset. | Image: Odders

What you can do preventively

The following solutions can protect your Quest 3 from damage caused by sweat:

• Use a headband to absorb sweat
• Regularly wipe the facial interface during training
• Remove and thoroughly clean the facial interface after each fitness session
• Use special facial interfaces with ventilation, such as the Razer Facial Interface or Meta’s open mixed reality interface
• Never hang the headset upside down by the headband

Meta itself has so far only commented on the issue in the forum with general advice: users should wear headbands, train in cooler rooms, and wipe the headset regularly. There is no technical solution yet, such as better sealing of the electronics like in smartphones.

OPINION

Meta advertises Quest 3 as a fitness device — then it must also withstand sweat

The issue is particularly explosive because Meta actively markets the Quest 3 as a fitness device. The fact that sweaty workouts can lead to failures calls into question the headset’s suitability for this purpose.

One thing is clear: sweat is a serious problem for the longevity of the Meta Quest 3 and thus also for the attractiveness of VR fitness overall. As long as Meta does not offer a solution, users are left to their own devices to protect their headsets.

It remains to be hoped that the company will recognize the signs and make sweat resistance a focus in the further development of its VR hardware.

Many thanks to our reader Florian Pacheiner, who brought the topic to our attention.

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