Woojer Vest 3 has got to be one of the weirdest products I’ve had to look into. I had no idea it was a thing, but apparently, these types of haptic devices have been popular for quite some time. Woojer is one of the most well-known brands, and the Vest 3 is their main product. Its idea is simple: they want to make you feel the sound, not just hear it. It’s great for any content, but especially video games.
Design
The Woojer Vest 3 comes in a big box, complemented by a USB PD Charger and a USB-C cable. The main piece, the Woojer Series 3 Vest, features a one-size-fits-most design that embraces an industrial aesthetic. With a subtle nod to sci-fi video game worlds, the vest gives off an understated vibe—stylish in its own unconventional way, without feeling overly silly (there is some inherent silliness, of course).
The build quality of the vest itself is remarkable; it has a solid heft. From the materials to the finish, there’s an unmistakable sense that this is no low-cost piece of tech.
The Woojer Vest 3 is equipped with six patented Osci V2 TRX haptic transducers, designed to deliver powerful, polyphonic vibrations without producing external noise. These transducers operate within a frequency response range of 1-250Hz, covering a spectrum that effectively translates low-end sounds into tactile feedback that you can feel across your body.
The vest’s transducers are strategically arranged in a stereo haptic array: two on the front, two on the sides, and two on the back.
Will you look dorky with this thing on? A bit, yes. But then again, it’s not something you should wear outside so that hardly matters. What does matter is what it does — and how well it does it.
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Setting it up
Personally, I like things that are plug-and-play: you take them out of the box, and they are good to go. The Woojer Vest 3 is not like that: when you first take it out, it looks like space pilot gear with a panel that reminds me of that thing Darth Vader has on his chest. There is no obvious way to connect it to anything, and you end up standing in your living room, lost and confused. How exactly do you connect it to a PS5?
For that, I had to do some Googling. The easy answer is: there’s no easy way. Well, there’s no neat way. In fact, despite Woojer’s apparent support for game consoles, it’s barely there.
The PS5 doesn’t support split audio out of the box, meaning you can’t easily send audio to multiple devices at once. On a PC, you could manage this with software like Voicemeeter, but on a PS5, you’d need extra hardware that can connect via Bluetooth, capture the PS5’s audio, and then send it to both your headphones and a device like a Woojer vest. This setup could need some fine-tuning to keep audio timing in sync, which can get a bit tricky.
A simpler solution is to connect the PS5’s audio output directly to the Woojer vest, then plug your headphones into the vest itself. This method also works well with a phone. By the way, the audio cable? Not included. There’s basically no good way to start using it with your console without some additional trips to Amazon.
In other words, it’s a mess, and this alone can ruin all the fun if someone wants to use it immediately if it’s a gift.
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Woojer suggests iPhone users connect through a 3.5mm Bluetooth transmitter. You can plug this transmitter into the iPhone using a 3.5mm-to-Lightning/USB adapter, like the one Apple offers.
For Android users, Woojer recommends using a USB-C Bluetooth transmitter, as many Android devices don’t include a standard 3.5mm jack.
All right, so let’s imagine you’ve done all that. What’s next?
In action
When you first power on the Woojer Vest 3, its sheer vibration strength is instantly noticeable, packing an intensity that can feel excessive at default settings. Adjusting the intensity down a few levels quickly brings it into a more comfortable range, which is good to know for anyone who prefers a more subtle effect.
Woojer promotes this vest not only for gaming but also as an immersive add-on for movies and music. For those without a dedicated sound system, it could be a unique way to add a tactile element to movies, bringing some of that cinematic rumble into a smaller setup. Personally, I still prefer my 5.1 sound system, even if it’s a bit limited, as it delivers a more balanced audio experience overall (you can’t really combine them either, as the Woojer Vest 3 is intended to work with headphones)
For music, the vest offers a club-like feel, with bass that hits directly in the chest, simulating that live-music intensity. It’s a strange but undeniably cool sensation, though not something I’d use every time—especially with a decent subwoofer on hand, where the vest can start to feel a bit redundant. The experience is fun and engaging but perhaps best enjoyed in doses rather than as a regular setup for music.
The Woojer Vest can enhance immersion in gaming by providing tactile feedback for various in-game events, such as picking up weapons or experiencing gunfire. This feature creates a heightened sense of realism and intensity, making gameplay feel more real. However, this experience tends to shine most in shooter games. Extended play sessions can be overwhelming, as the vest delivers some serious vibrations that may be too intense for some.
In driving games, the vest’s feedback isn’t as precise when it comes to sensing curbs on either side. Nevertheless, it does allow you to feel the road’s nuances, from bumps and rumble strips to gear shifts and engine vibrations. This physical sensation, combined with the force feedback from a steering wheel, effectively translates the feel of driving into your body.
While the vest is an impressive addition, it’s important to note that its performance can be hit or miss. While it’s all very cool, don’t expect it to be reliably cool. It’s not a dedicated device that the developers think of: it takes sound and transforms it into vibrations. Sometimes it gets it very right (especially with no music) but sometimes the effect is not that impressive. It’s neat. But not everyone can pay 500 USD for “neat.”
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Verdict
The Woojer Vest 3 is interesting, as it’s both cool and very uncool. This is a weird device for someone truly dedicated to enhancing their gaming experience as much as possible, and on that front, it mostly delivers. But it also makes some of it worse: it takes an ungodly amount of time to set up, and wearing it is not that comfortable, especially in the warm months when the vest gets toasty in minutes. It’s not 100% reliable, but when it works, it works spectacularly. Our advice: try it it and return if you don’t like it. For things like that everyone needs to try out for themselves.