Woojer Vest 3 review: a vibrating gamer vest – wacky, but kind of awesome

Another one of those vibrating things? Didn’t I just recently test a belt that converts sound into vibrations? Oh what the heck, sure, I’ll launch Battlefield 2042 again. At least that’ll provide an explosive experience. Oh, oh wow, this is actually a whole different ballgame compared to the Feelbelt. It really shakes and jolts me as I mow down enemies with my digital machine gun. And when a grenade explodes near me, in addition to the horrible bang, the vest rattles me. I’m loving this. But for nearly 700 francs/euros, it’s the least I expect.

The Woojer Vest 3 looks like a life jacket and consists of six oscillators, plates the size of beer coasters that translate audio signals into haptic feedback. This works with music, movies or games.

Easy to set up, but hampered by annoying cables

The vest connects to a device via Bluetooth or a cable (USB-C or 3.5 mm jack). This can be a smartphone, console or PC. I then connect my headphones to the vest. This is also possible via Bluetooth or a cable. As with the Feelbelt, the cable solution isn’t the most elegant. It’s faster, but it restricts my movement. Quickly getting up and opening the window is out of the question. Unless I use a particularly long cable.

My Beyerdynamic PC headphones don’t have Bluetooth, so I dig out my old Sennheiser Wireless. They’re paired via the associated smartphone app. I can also use it to adjust the vibration and volume or correct any vibration delay. The former two can also be changed directly on the vest.

However, for some reason the headphones aren’t recognised. Not that this really matters right now. Because while the connection from the source to the PC works with both Bluetooth and cable, and I hear sounds – the vest doesn’t vibrate. But if I connect it via USB-C cable, it works well The sound quality is also much better via cable than via Bluetooth. Restarting my PC and the vest finally solves the problem. Only my Bluetooth headphones still won’t connect to the app or the Woojer Vest.

Anyway, what bothers me more than the cable is that I can’t use my PC speakers. They’re connected via a small USB amplifier which doesn’t have a 3.5 mm input to receive the audio from my PC to the vest.

For my PC test, I rely on Bluetooth for sound input and wired headphones that I plug into the vest.

Perfect for shooters

The first thing I notice is how much the vest can vibrate. If I set it to max, it feels like a sports massage. Luckily, my face doesn’t look quite as racked with pain as it does when my trapezius muscles are kneaded. I still turn the intensity down a few notches. But this is how it should be. Just like headphones, which should always be a bit louder than comfortable, I expect a vest to have some power left over just in case.

The Woojer Vest 3 is touted for movies and music in addition to games. But as I’ve already determined with the Feelbelt, this is nonsense. I don’t want to wear a vest while watching TV or listening to music. These are passive experiences and I see too little added value in the extra sensation. While it is quite amusing to feel the fat bass of a hip-hop track such as «Full Clip» by Gang Starr against your body, for this price, I’d rather buy a decent subwoofer.

So I focus on games, and I’ve already found the right title for my first test. Trepang2 is brand new and promises frenetic shooter action in the style of F.E.A.R. After just a few minutes, I know this is exactly what the vest is designed for. Trepang2 is gritty, brutal and runs at a non-stop pace. Adding the eerie soundtrack to the mix, the vest vibrates almost constantly, making the game even more unnerving. However, depending on how loud the background music is, I don’t feel the vibration equally when firing my weapons.

On the manufacturer’s advice, I turn the music volume down to 20 per cent. This eliminates the continuous vibration and weapons firing is more noticeable. Picking up a medkit in particular is a treat. A short beep is heard, like a monitoring device in a hospital, followed by two loud heartbeats. The vest vibrates so strongly that I feel like I’m getting CPR. Awesome, but also kind of scary and thus perfect for this game.

A similar frenetic energy, albeit with significantly fewer pixels, is found in BattleBit Remastered. The low-poly Battlefield spin-off offers huge combat arenas and tonnes of action. The game has no music, so the vest doesn’t vibrate continuously. As the levels are big, it takes me a moment to get to the front. The closer I get to the fighting, the more the vest vibrates. I really feel like I’m charging into a war. The vibrations become more aggressive as large calibre weapons are heard, helicopters fly over my head and tanks flatten houses. I really wouldn’t have thought it, but the vest makes the game really impactful.

If I’m going to be in a Battlefield copycat, I might as well launch the original. Battlefield 2042 got a lot of things wrong, but the sound design was great from the start. This transfers one-to-one to the Woojer Vest. There’s practically no music here either. I spawn in an attack helicopter first. Immediately, I sense a constant rumbling that perfectly complements the aircraft noise. After all, this isn’t a sleepy transatlantic flight in an Airbus, but a lead-spitting ride through the war-torn USA. While my pilot makes reckless manoeuvres, I fire the on-board gun at anything unfortunate enough to be out of cover. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr, the thunderous machine gun rattles my vest to and fro. Lots of fun indeed. After what feels like an eternity in the hands of an absolute flying ace, we finally get hit by one too many rockets. With a loud explosion that I feel across my body, we crash into the roof of a stadium.

Five seconds later, I’m already sprinting through a bombed-out suburb with my assault rifle drawn. On the hill I spy an enemy soldier. I immediately shower him with a volley of my M5A3. Wow, this is definitely the best vibration feedback of any game so far. As powerful as the sound is, the vibration feels just as aggressive on my body. The vest really tempts you to deplete your ammunition, that’s how good it feels. The longer I play, the wider my grin gets. Battlefield 2042 and the Woojer Vest are made for each other.

When it comes to Battle Royale trailblazer PUBG, I’m struck by two things: First, how freaking good PUBG actually is, and second, how much the vest amplifies those adrenaline-fuelled moments of sneaking around or engaging in firefights. In PUBG, there’s no music and gunfights are sporadic, so it feels especially dramatic when the vest vibrates after I fire or am hit. In a game where I listen for every sound, I’m twice as startled when a sudden hail of bullets cuts through the silence. My heart’s in my throat. The essential PUBG experience.

Boltgun on the other hand, a retro shooter in which I play a legendary Space Marine, isn’t much better with the vest. As I run through majestic halls for the glory of the Emperor, I clearly hear the pounding of my massive armour. However, I don’t feel anything. Even when firing the eponymous Boltgun, I don’t feel the force the sound implies. The vest simply hums along faintly. Maybe the game’s sound profile is too flat to make individual elements properly noticeable.

Racing games like Forza Motorsport are also funny. However, I was hoping for more feedback. Thus, hardly any of the acceleration or centripetal forces in curves can be felt. But the power of the engine after I step on the gas or when I touch the grass again are communicated to me immediately.

Not a summer vest

But I can’t really wear the vest for long. Already after half an hour it becomes uncomfortable. It’s just too stiff. Even the comfortable padding on my sofa or office chair doesn’t help. It’s not as bad in standing VR games. I tried out Half-Life Alyx, which doesn’t produce a Battlefield 2042 feel, but is still fun. And since I have to put on a VR headset anyway, adding a vest isn’t cumbersome at all.

On the other hand, what’s immediately noticeable during this time of year is the heat. After ten minutes, I already have massive pit stains. During summer, the vest is near unbearable. Even with the air conditioning on, it’s still too toasty for me.

No head vibration… yet

The Woojer Vest can vibrate in a surprising variety of ways. It produces fine gradations – from a light whirring to strong, short vibrations that simulate an impact. With dedicated sound profiles, this could be so much better.

Currently, the vest converts any sound into vibrations. How strong and how long is determined by the frequencies alone. Deep sounds provide stronger vibrations than high ones. For comparison, controllers only vibrate at certain points. Game developers create special vibration profiles for just this purpose. Something the Woojer Vest lacks. This is set to change next year, as the U.S.-Israeli company explained to me in response to a query. An update is planned for early 2024 that will allow game studios to create dedicated vibration profiles. How many studios will actually devote work to such a niche product is questionable. Besides that, 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound should work for targeted haptic feedback.

Verdict: only for passionate enthusiasts

The Woojer Vest 3 surprised me. It truly enriches many action games. The vibrations really liven up shooters like Battlefield 2042 or PUBG in particular. I’m more immersed in the game, and it’s just fun feeling my whole body shake when I blast through a whole magazine. Playing the same game afterwards without the vest feels downright lifeless. Something’s missing, as if I was playing with the sound off.

The vest doesn’t work equally well in every game. The better the sound profile of the game, the better the vibrations. As there are no dedicated vibration profiles yet, you usually have to turn down the music. Otherwise, the vest vibrates constantly. For me, the vest is primarily suitable for shooters and racing games. Even games like Cyberpunk 2077 with plenty of shooting still don’t justify this extra peripheral. Too much dialogue gets in the way of things. And lengthy games aren’t ideal for the Woojer Vest anyway. After all, it’s still an additional device that I have to put on. In addition, I get sweaty quickly with it and the stiff vibrating elements also aren’t conducive to comfort.

The Woojer Vest reminds me a lot of virtual reality. It’s a great experience that makes gaming more immersive than a flat screen ever could. But it’s also cumbersome and exhausting, so I rarely grab for my headset. And unlike VR titles, I can play all of my games without a vest. The Woojer Vest 3 is a toy for enthusiasts. If you know what you’re getting into and have the wherewithal, you’ll definitely have fun with it.