Practical: Dual Knit Band lets your old Apple Vision Pro become new and improved – 9to5Mac

Interested in the new M5 Apple Vision Pro? Chance Miller spent the last week with the upgraded hardware, including a new strap, which you can read about in his review for 9to5Mac.

Separately, I’ve spent the last few hours using my M2 Apple Vision Pro with the Dual Knit Band, which you can purchase separately from Apple for your existing Apple Vision Pro.

Since impressions of the Dual Knit Band made up a large part of our Apple Vision Pro (M5) review, I’ll keep this piece brief. However, I want to share a few thoughts since Apple provided a sample for testing.

Like Apple’s two other bands, the new solution comes in three sizes: small, medium and large. You can find your size using the Apple Store app for iPhone and iPad.

I’m interested in both the size of the box and the amount of paperwork with pictures. Remember, the iPhone 17 Pro is basically a single piece of paper barely bigger than a Post-It note that tells you about the eSIM. Apple products seem to lose the paperwork over time, but it’s nice to have it there.

Anyway, my immediate first thought upon picking up the strap is, “Hey, that’s heavy. That’s intentional, of course, since the new strap includes tungsten to provide counterweight to the headset itself. Those weights are only included in the back of the strap, not the part that goes over the top of your head.”

You may recall that ResMed makes its own Apple Vision Pro strap, sold by Apple, which similarly included counterweights for a more balanced feel when in use. This product has six different removable weights attached to the strap with velcro, allowing you to adjust the weight distribution based on comfort.

Apple’s Dual Knit Band is easier on the eyes than ResMed’s solution and likely strikes the right balance for more Apple Vision Pro customers.

The new Dual Knit Band is the right default solution and is constructed quite well with a single dial to adjust the tightness of the back and top band. I initially set the back band to about the same setting as the Solo Knit Band, then pulled out the dial to adjust the top tightness of the band. However, I realized that by tightening the top strap you can loosen the back strap. Here, in my experience, the promised comfort is unlocked.

For me though, I fall into the camp, thankfully I think the Solo Knit Band is sufficient. I say luckily because I also think it looks better. As we’re learning with the AirPods Pro 3, comfort and fit vary greatly from person to person. Maybe it’s the size of my giant watermelon that makes the Solo Knit Band work well for me. True story: universal hats almost never fit me.

The new Dual Knit Band is the closest thing to a one-size-fits-all band for the Apple Vision Pro — at least without feeling as sterile as the Apple Watch-like Dual Loop Band. Apple still sells it, although the small and medium are no longer available.

For me, I’m happy to have and use the Solo Knit Band that came with the M2 Apple Vision Pro. Apple sells it separately for $99, but I wouldn’t suggest anyone buy it as a stand-alone purchase. Still, the possibility exists. Ideally, choosing a wristband would be part of the buying process, you know, like choosing a mouse or trackpad with an iMac, or any wristband with an Apple Watch.

If the Solo Knit Band didn’t exist and I didn’t already have it, I’d be perfectly happy with the Dual Knit Band. I just think the Solo Knit Band looks cooler and comfort just wasn’t an issue for me.

However, fit is not just a preference. For example, my daughter has only used the Dual Loop Band with no problems so far. Meanwhile, my son can only use the ResMed band. Neither has tried the Dual Knit Band yet, but I suspect it might work for both.

For anyone disappointed by the lack of an Apple Vision Pro exchange program, the Dual Knit Band can breathe new life into your M2 Apple Vision Pro. You’ll just miss the improved performance, sharper text and longer battery life of the M5 Apple Vision Pro.