When Apple announced the new M5 version of the Vision Pro last month, it noted that it made two big changes to the device: (1) Apple replaced the M2 processor with a faster M5 processor, and (2) Apple replaced the two bands that shipped with the original model (the Solo Knit Band and the Dual Loop Band) with a single new band: the Dual Knit Band. If you have the original version of the Vision Pro, you cannot upgrade the processor in your device, but you can upgrade your band by purchasing the new Dual Knit Band. This new band costs $99, and it is absolutely, positively worth paying for.
The original Solo Knit Band is a comfortable band with soft, breathable straps. However, it only goes around the back of your head; there is nothing on top of your head to help support the weight of the Vision Pro. If you wanted a band made by Apple that went on top of the head, you had to use the Dual Loop Band, but its straps are not nearly as comfortable as the Solo Knit Band. Fortunately, Belkin created the Belkin Head Strap for Apple Vision Pro, a $50 strap that goes over your head and works with the Solo Knit Band. I reviewed the Belkin product almost a year ago, and I’ve been using it ever since. It improved the Solo Knit Band experience. I liked it.
And now, I will never use that Belkin product again.
The new Dual Knit Band from Apple is a vast improvement over the Solo Knit Band. In part, that is because it includes two straps, one of which is over your head. But unlike the Belkin product, which was just a simple strap, Apple’s new band uses a soft, breathable strap for the top and back of the head. The Dual Knit Band comes in three different sizes, and when you place an online order through Apple, your iPhone scans your head shape to determine the appropriate size. (For me, it was a Large.)
If adding a second band to the top was the only thing that changed, that would have been great. But that is just the beginning of the improvements.
The band that goes around the back of your head is substantially different than the Solo Knit Band. First, it is heavier. The Solo Knit Band weighs 1.35 ounces; the Dual Knit Band weighs 6.9 ounces. Some of that weight is because there are two bands, not one, but most of the weight comes from tungsten inserts inside of the part of the band that goes around the back of your head. At first, you might think that making the band heavier defeats the purpose because the point of a better band is to reduce the heaviness of the Vision Pro on the front of your face. However, these weights actually make the Vision Pro feel lighter because the ones in the back counterbalance the weight. Thank you, laws of physics.
Second, the Dual Knit Band is different because the strap on the back is smaller and sits much lower than the Solo Knit Band. More on that change in a minute.
The third change is the dial. The Solo Knit Band has a dial on the right side that lets you tighten or loosen the band around the back of your head. The Dual Knit band also has a dial, but you can pull it out to switch between tightening/loosening the back band or the top band. For many years, some watches have featured a dial that performed a different function depending upon the crown position. This is a clever design that works really well for this band. It is fast and easy to adjust the fit. And it is much better than the Belkin product or the original Dual Loop Band because you can make the adjustment while you are wearing the device.
Add up these three improvements, and the end result is that the Dual Knit Band makes it much more comfortable to wear a Vision Pro as compared to the Solo Knit Band (either on its own or with the Belkin Head Strap) or the Dual Loop Band. The Vision Pro seems lighter than ever with the Dual Knit Band—so much so that when I first started wearing it, it was as if Apple had done something to the body of the Vision Pro itself to reduce the weight. It is a nice improvement.
Again, all of that would be enough for me to recommend this product. But there is one more thing, and this is my favorite part. Not only do the two breathable straps, one on top of my head and one low on the back of my head, make the Vision Pro seem lighter than ever, but they also make the experience of having something on my head feel incredibly comfortable. Wearing the Vision Pro with this new band feels really good. You know how sometimes, a certain article of clothing can just make you feel better when you wear it? Maybe it is a soft, comfortable pair of jeans, or a comfy sweater in the winter. The Dual Knit Band feels really comfortable on my head, like I’m wearing a comfy hat or a nice, soft pillow just below the back of my head. I’ve never felt that before with any other band for the Vision Pro, and it is wonderful.
I should note the obvious: these are my subjective opinions about how the Dual Knit Band feels for me based on the shape of my head. Your own mileage may vary. But the Dual Knit Band is a dramatic improvement for me, and I say that as someone who was comfortable with the Solo Loop Band, especially with the Belkin Head Strap. I understand why Apple is no longer shipping the Vision Pro with either of the prior two straps and is now shipping only this new Dual Knit Band. It is a substantial improvement, and I love that it also works with the original Vision Pro. If you own the original Apple Vision Pro, I strongly encourage you to purchase this strap.