Shopping for someone who lives in a headset is strange when you don't? Let’s be honest, every VR accessory looks the same, the wrong pick just becomes clutter, and half the "top 10" lists out there are written by people who have never worn a headset in their lives. So here’s MY list: only gear I actually use, have tested myself, or recommend to my own students. It is split in two, gifts for the VR player and gifts for the person trying to become a content creator (there may be some overlap in the two!)
Now, onto the gifts!
For the VR player
Best overall: Meta Quest 3S
If they do not have a headset yet, start here. It is the cheapest way into the full Quest library and it runs everything the Quest 3 runs, so nobody is getting a watered-down version of VR. Starting November 2 it also comes with a free game, Golf+ or Resident Evil 4 depending on the offer running that week. If they already love VR and you want to give them the sharper lenses and better mixed reality, step up to the Quest 3.
For the PlayStation household: PSVR2
Some people are console people, and that’s just fine. If your gift recipient already owns a PS5, the PSVR2 is their headset, full stop. Over the Quest it has OLED display with real HDR, eye-tracked foveated rendering, and haptics built into both the headset and the controllers, plus exclusives like Horizon Call of the Mountain and Gran Turismo 7 that you can’t get anywhere else.
For the shooter fan: Plurastock Phantom
If they live in shooters like Ghosts of Tabor or Contractors, a gunstock changes the game completely. The Phantom is the one I’m currently using, and it just feels right in a way the cheap stocks never do. It is a 4-in-1 magnetic stock that snaps between melee, pistol, SMG, and rifle with no rebuilding. Use code ATOM10 for 10% off.
For the shooter fan, option two: ProtubeVR
Another excellent gunstock compay worth knowing about. I have tried their ProVolver Elite and their ForceTube haptic stock, and they also do a signature series with replaceable parts themed around games like Lightkeepers, Into the Radius, Roboquest ad more, which is a great touch if your recipient has a favorite. Use code PTVR5_ATOM for 5% off.
For the gamer who’s been really, really good this year: KAT Walk C3 Ultra
This is the big one. A VR treadmill that lets you actually walk through your games instead of pushing a thumbstick, and it is the single most "I can't believe this exists" gift on this list. Keep an eye out for frequent sales and the occasional free add-ons. Use code ATOMBOMBBODY for $130 off.
For the person who wants to feel VR: bHaptics TactSuit Pro
A haptic vest that lets you feel what is happening in the game, directional hits, rumbles, the works. This is for the person who already has the headset and wants everything after that to feel real. Get 3% off using the link above.
For the seated player: RotoVR gaming chair
A motorized chair that turns with you in VR, built for seated and cockpit games like racing and flight sims. If your recipient's favorite VR nights are long Elite Dangerous sessions, this is their chair. Get 50% off using the link above.
For the artist: Logitech MX Ink
A pressure-sensitive stylus for Quest that turns the headset into a sketchbook. This is a niche gift, but for the right person it is the only gift. If they draw, sculpt, or keep saying they want to try VR art, this is it.
For the roleplayer: Voicemod Key Pocket
A pocket-sized gadget that brings Voicemod's real-time voice changing and soundboards to anything that is not a PC, phones, consoles, and the Quest 3 and 3S included. If your gift recipient narrates their VRChat nights in character voices or just wants to mess with their friends, this is pure fun in a tiny box. Use code ATOM for 10% off.
ProxiMat VR mat
A big, soft mat that marks the center of your playspace. Your feet always know where you are, which means fewer punched walls and longer comfortable sessions. I especially use it every time I record thanks to front facing marker so I know which direction the camera is. Using the link above gets you 10% off.
ZyberVR Quest accessories
Two of theirs I use myself. Their charging dock is what my headset and controllers live on every night, and their multipurpose 3-in-1 sticks are great for going maul in Beat Saber, using it as a golf club in Walkabout, and more. Using the link above gets you 15% off.
For the golfer: DeadEyeVR DriVR Elite
If they play a lot of Golf+ or Walkabout Mini Golf, this is the gift. A weighted club attachment that makes virtual golf feel like an actual round, and the putter combo covers the short game too.
PowerA wireless earbuds for Quest 3 and 3S
Thanks to an included dongle, these are low-latency earbuds made for the Quest, no wire snagging on everything mid-session and no audio delay throwing off their timing during rhythm games (I use these for Supernatural!)
VR Wave prescription lenses
If they wear glasses in the headset, stop everything and get these first. Playing VR with glasses jammed inside the headset is miserable, and custom prescription inserts fix it completely. This is the most "why didn't I do this sooner" gift a glasses-wearing VR user can get. Use the link above for 5% off.
Stocking stuffers (all small, all useful)
You do not need to spend big to get this right. The AMVR FC1 facial interface is a cheap comfort upgrade every Quest owner appreciates, a long link cable is the difference between playing PCVR tethered vs wireless but full of lag.
For the creator in your life
VR Content Lab
If you are a content creator or know one: you can gift VR Content Lab, my course on building a VR channel from zero. At checkout there is a send-as-gift option, you just put in their name and email with an optional message. It is $57 for lifetime access but will go on sale for $37 Nov 27-30 at vrcontentlab.com.
RØDE NT-USB+
This is the microphone I record every at desk audio from, tutorials, voiceovers, all of it. If the creator in your life is still recording on a headset mic, this is the single biggest quality jump they can get in one purchase.
RØDE Wireless GO II
For everything that is not at the desk. Headset audio (I sync it with the video in post), Interviews, event coverage, filming B-roll around the room, this is the little wireless system is excellent quality and extremely portable.
The lighting upgrade: Neewer LED panel kit
Good lighting and a clean background do more for video quality than a new camera. This is the exact combo I point students to, a two-pack of dimmable bi-color LED panels. I use these for EVERYTHING and have had them for years.
Elgato 4K S capture card
For the creator who wants to record or stream PSVR2 gameplay alongside their VR content.
Books that built me
I read, ALOT. Some I’ve kept, some have gone straight to the donation bin. Here are some that actually changed how I run things. Start with Why by Simon Sinek is the reason I can explain my business in one sentence. Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller fixed my messaging. This Is Marketing by Seth Godin is the only marketing book that never made me feel gross. Atomic Habits by James Clear is the systems book I hand to everyone. Deep Work by Cal Newport is how the videos get made. Superfans by Pat Flynn is the reason I chase true fans instead of follower counts, a small engaged audience beats a big passive one every time.
Disclaimer
Some of these are affiliate links, which means I earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. I only put things on this list that I use, have tested, or recommend to my own students, affiliate or not. Prices change constantly this time of year, so I left them off, click through for whatever is current.
As always keep on creating, and never lose that drive to improve!
