This $45 Headstrap Enhances Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro Headset Experience

Vision Pro is quite a head-turner in many aspects, but there’s no denying it falters a bit in the comfort department, right after the price sticker shock hits you. Apple’s usual knack for aesthetics has given us a headset that looks great on the outside, but doesn’t quite hug the head as it should on the inside. The good news? This shortfall is easily mended.

Critics often chalk up Vision Pro’s comfort issues to its weight, solely because it’s crafted from metal. But, contrary to what you’d expect, the headset isn’t drastically heavier than its rivals. For instance, Quest 3’s display part—sans the headstrap or facepad—tips the scales at 394 grams. In comparison, Vision Pro’s display housing is only a slight 81 grams heavier, weighing in at 475 grams.

Now, weight is crucial for comfort, sure, but the real game-changer is how the headstrap manages this weight.

Interestingly, even with Quest 3’s standard soft strap, comfort isn’t a given. Luckily, Meta had the forethought to introduce an after-market ‘Elite Strap’, adding 183 grams to the headset, making it weigh 642 grams with the facepad. This is actually a tad heavier than Vision Pro’s 625 grams with its standard strap and facepad.

Interestingly enough, the extra weight from Meta’s Elite Strap ends up boosting comfort. Similarly, Vision Pro’s initial ‘Solo Knit Band’ isn’t all that cozy either.

Recognizing this, Apple included a ‘Dual Loop Band’ with every Vision Pro, featuring a top strap to better disperse the weight. It’s an improvement over the original strap, but it’s not a perfect solution.

It’s a shame because the Solo Knit Band has a lot going for it. It cradles the head, is easily adjustable with a side dial, and feels soft to the touch. The downside? Using it means sacrificing the top-strap advantage of the Dual Loop Band. You’re essentially forced to choose between the two.

Apple could have hit a home run by merging both designs. Fortunately, a fix is available through third-party solutions, which manage to solve the comfort puzzle without requiring as much cash as Apple’s fancy Elite Strap might have.

After testing various third-party straps for the Vision Pro, I’ve hit the jackpot with one that meets all my needs: it blends seamlessly with the Knit Band, allows for use without the facepad to lighten the load, and draws me closer to the lenses for a broader field of view.

Enter the ANNAPRO A2 strap for Vision Pro. It’s practically what Apple should have included from the start. At $45, it’s a small price to pay for making Apple’s pricey $3,500 headset feel much better.

I’ve been putting it to the test for a few weeks and can confidently say it’s transformed the Vision Pro into a much more comfortable device for longer use. It makes tackling a new ultrawide virtual monitor practical on Vision Pro, upping its appeal for regular work tasks.

The company was kind enough to send us the headstrap to test and even threw in a 10% discount for our readers: just use the code ROADTOVR at checkout on Amazon if you decide to get one.

The Annapro A2 slides effortlessly onto Vision Pro’s struts and pairs nicely with the Knit Band, though it can also support the Dual Loop if you fancy extra top-strap stability. It comes with four pad sizes (5mm, 12mm, 18mm, and 25mm) to fit various head shapes.

For me, the 5mm pad hits the sweet spot, letting me ditch the facepad and move the lenses closer to my eyes, expanding the field of view and enhancing the augmented reality experience with an open periphery.

Clearly, Apple opted for style over comfort with Vision Pro, designing a sleek-looking device akin to oversized ski goggles. But this choice led to significant comfort trade-offs, a common gripe among users.

Thankfully, affordable third-party accessories like these address such issues superbly. It works so well that I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple’s next Vision Pro version takes cues from this approach from the get-go.