Surprising Comfort Experience

[Kierkegaarden]

Reading reviews and posts about fit and comfort, it seemed like some experienced discomfort during or after use. So I was concerned how this might affect my mom.

My mom is an 82 yo tiny woman with bone/muscle/joint challenges, so I tried to temper her expectations and make sure she was aware that comfort issues may exist. And she has never worn any headset prior to Vision Pro.

She just received her VP yesterday and tried it for the first time today. Used it straight for about 2 hours, no pain or discomfort at all. No complaints about the weight or anything. She also uses the optical inserts and said everything was crisp with no blurriness.

She is so thrilled with this device. And I thought she might have to work up to longer sessions, but that isn’t the case. She would have spent more time with it but had to attend to her two kitties 😺.

Just thought I would share this experience from someone that is clearly not the target age demographic, but picked up on the interface quickly and has had zero issues with fit and comfort.

It seems strange that probably all of the “reviews” that complain about the weight, fit, etc. are from reviewers that are a fraction of my mom’s age. Why do you think this is?

If you’re concerned about the weight, fit, or uncertainty about this device, I would suggest getting to an Apple Store and trying it out for yourself — and make sure to focus on the most basic elements (fit, comfort, interacting) — no sense in viewing photos/videos/apps if you are uncomfortable or confused.

 

[fatTribble]

This is great to hear. Thank you for sharing this story. I’m sure, like many of us, your Mom is enjoying a glimpse of future tech.

When I did the 30 minute demo I didn’t notice the weight at all. Maybe it was the excitement of the moment. When I later got my own VP and used it longer, I did notice the weight. So speaking for myself, it just seemed different than my first experience but it wasn’t bad.

My Dad was from the same generation as your Mom. He was a navigator in the Navy and told me once he would compute their location based on buoys. He was so amazed to get his first iPhone and see the blue dot in Maps that so accurately gave the current location. He also used to build radios as a kid with vacuum tubes. So the idea that his iPhone had over a billion transistors seemed hard to fathom. My take is that folks from that generation just appreciated things more for what they are. He certainly never complained about the kind of connector his iPhone had, for example.

 

[mpetrides]

Indeed. This small almost-74 year-old also feels no discomfort wearing my Apple Vision Pro for hours at a time. FWIW, I am using the dual band, not the solo--the solo did get uncomfortable over time.

The whole weight issue is overblown IMHO. I'm not denying that some folks may find the AVP uncomfortable, just saying that enthusiast websites like this, as well as YouTube and other media, sometimes amplify complaints and focus on the negative. Time for a more balanced (no pun intended) perspective on this issue.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

This is great to hear. Thank you for sharing this story. I’m sure, like many of us, your Mom is enjoying a glimpse of future tech.

When I did the 30 minute demo I didn’t notice the weight at all. Maybe it was the excitement of the moment. When I later got my own VP and used it longer, I did notice the weight. So speaking for myself, it just seemed different than my first experience but it wasn’t bad.

My Dad was from the same generation as your Mom. He was a navigator in the Navy and told me once he would compute their location based on buoys. He was so amazed to get his first iPhone and see the blue dot in Maps that so accurately gave the current location. He also used to build radios as a kid with vacuum tubes. So the idea that his iPhone had over a billion transistors seemed hard to fathom. My take is that folks from that generation just appreciated things more for what they are. He certainly never complained about the kind of connector his iPhone had, for example.

That’s a neat story about your Dad, and I agree completely about the appreciation aspect. It made me think of an interview I listened to recently with Tom Furness, who was a pioneer in VR work — he worked on flight simulation for the military — he’s 80, but you wouldn’t know it by listening to him and hearing his enthusiasm for new technologies.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

Indeed. This small almost-74 year-old also feels no discomfort wearing my Apple Vision Pro for hours at a time. FWIW, I am using the dual band, not the solo--the solo did get uncomfortable over time.

The whole weight issue is overblown IMHO. I'm not denying that some folks may find the AVP uncomfortable, just saying that enthusiast websites like this, as well as YouTube and other media, sometimes amplify complaints and focus on the negative. Time for a more balanced (no pun intended) perspective on this issue.

That’s good to hear that you’re having a similar experience. My mom has only been using the solo band — she likes the padding of this one, and it will be interesting to hear what she thinks of the dual band.

 

[calderini]

Reading reviews and posts about fit and comfort, it seemed like some experienced discomfort during or after use. So I was concerned how this might affect my mom.

My mom is an 82 yo tiny woman with bone/muscle/joint challenges, so I tried to temper her expectations and make sure she was aware that comfort issues may exist. And she has never worn any headset prior to Vision Pro.

She just received her VP yesterday and tried it for the first time today. Used it straight for about 2 hours, no pain or discomfort at all. No complaints about the weight or anything. She also uses the optical inserts and said everything was crisp with no blurriness.

She is so thrilled with this device. And I thought she might have to work up to longer sessions, but that isn’t the case. She would have spent more time with it but had to attend to her two kitties 😺.

Just thought I would share this experience from someone that is clearly not the target age demographic, but picked up on the interface quickly and has had zero issues with fit and comfort.

It seems strange that probably all of the “reviews” that complain about the weight, fit, etc. are from reviewers that are a fraction of my mom’s age. Why do you think this is?

If you’re concerned about the weight, fit, or uncertainty about this device, I would suggest getting to an Apple Store and trying it out for yourself — and make sure to focus on the most basic elements (fit, comfort, interacting) — no sense in viewing photos/videos/apps if you are uncomfortable or confused.

Kind of strange as well. For the 1st 3 days or so my AVP was very uncomfortable after about an hour or so. So much so, that I have opted for the "top strap" mod. (Small Strap already purchased form Apple, my 3d printed "attachment" should be here today.
BUT.
The more I wear it the more I kind of get used to it. It no longer really bothers me physically even after a couple of hours of wear. (And I am using the Fabric strap-Not the double one). Still going to try the top strap thing since I've got all the pieces, but probably could have done without.

Now if I could only stop my right eye from watering.
Slowly, drip by drip, making a little damp spot at the bottom of the seal. And just the right eye.
Think it has something to do with the fans as there is no discomfort or anything.
Just the tears.
Tears of joy?
Perhaps.
But only on the left side of my brain I guess.


So glad your Mom is enjoying it. I did think this would have a valid use case for certain forms of accessibility.

 

[G5isAlive]

That’s good to hear that you’re having a similar experience. My mom has only been using the solo band — she likes the padding of this one, and it will be interesting to hear what she thinks of the dual band.

I couldn't notice a difference in comfort with the solo band versus dual, and the solo is soooo much easier to use. sometimes if it isnt broke, don't fix it.

btw, loved reading about your mom and confirming what I had suspected about some of the haters here, that even an frail 82 year old tiny woman has a stronger neck than they do.

 

[G5isAlive]

Now if I could only stop my right eye from watering.
Slowly, drip by drip, making a little damp spot at the bottom of the seal. And just the right eye.

so my eyes don't water, actually the opposite, my eyes often feels dry. I think the pressure on the sides of my face tends to retard blinking (which moistens the eye). Not enough that I have gotten eye drops yet, but I probably will the next time I go into the drugstore. Perhaps your drip is a symptom of the same problem, the eye is trying to be moist but you aren't blinking enough?

 

[fatTribble]

so my eyes don't water, actually the opposite, my eyes often feels dry. I think the pressure on the sides of my face tends to retard blinking (which moistens the eye). Not enough that I have gotten eye drops yet, but I probably will the next time I go into the drugstore. Perhaps your drip is a symptom of the same problem, the eye is trying to be moist but you aren't blinking enough?

My friend is an ophthalmologist. He did say that anytime you are concentrating on screens you blink less and your eyes get dry. If you use eyedrops, get good ones like Theratears. Also his suggestion. He doesn’t like the cheaper ones.

 

[Roller]

Reading reviews and posts about fit and comfort, it seemed like some experienced discomfort during or after use. So I was concerned how this might affect my mom.

My mom is an 82 yo tiny woman with bone/muscle/joint challenges, so I tried to temper her expectations and make sure she was aware that comfort issues may exist. And she has never worn any headset prior to Vision Pro.

She just received her VP yesterday and tried it for the first time today. Used it straight for about 2 hours, no pain or discomfort at all. No complaints about the weight or anything. She also uses the optical inserts and said everything was crisp with no blurriness.

She is so thrilled with this device. And I thought she might have to work up to longer sessions, but that isn’t the case. She would have spent more time with it but had to attend to her two kitties 😺.

Just thought I would share this experience from someone that is clearly not the target age demographic, but picked up on the interface quickly and has had zero issues with fit and comfort.

It seems strange that probably all of the “reviews” that complain about the weight, fit, etc. are from reviewers that are a fraction of my mom’s age. Why do you think this is?

If you’re concerned about the weight, fit, or uncertainty about this device, I would suggest getting to an Apple Store and trying it out for yourself — and make sure to focus on the most basic elements (fit, comfort, interacting) — no sense in viewing photos/videos/apps if you are uncomfortable or confused.

Thanks for sharing your mom's story! Is she using it with the single or dual loop? It's not too surprising that some people don't complain about the weight and fit but others do for a variety of reasons.

It's worth noting that some older users who aren't as mobile or able to get out as much as they used to may appreciate the AVP more, especially when more immersive video is available or it's easier for people to record immersive "home" video.

 

[Ensyed]

I went to the store and tried several seals. Realized that the iPhone measurement was incorrect. Returned the original one I had ordered and bought the one w the correct seal.
works well for me. With the single band.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

I went to the store and tried several seals. Realized that the iPhone measurement was incorrect. Returned the original one I had ordered and bought the one w the correct seal.
works well for me. With the single band.

Please share the seal numbers — the one you were given through the app and the replacement — would be good to know.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

Thanks for sharing your mom's story! Is she using it with the single or dual loop? It's not too surprising that some people don't complain about the weight and fit but others do for a variety of reasons.

It's worth noting that some older users who aren't as mobile or able to get out as much as they used to may appreciate the AVP more, especially when more immersive video is available or it's easier for people to record immersive "home" video.

She’s been using the single/solo band and loves it. She’s also still mobile, thankfully, and will probably use the VP equally for productivity and entertainment. To your point, I was talking to her recently about the potential benefits of the device for some elderly in nursing homes. And the immersive videos would be fantastic!

 

[Kierkegaarden]

Kind of strange as well. For the 1st 3 days or so my AVP was very uncomfortable after about an hour or so. So much so, that I have opted for the "top strap" mod. (Small Strap already purchased form Apple, my 3d printed "attachment" should be here today.
BUT.
The more I wear it the more I kind of get used to it. It no longer really bothers me physically even after a couple of hours of wear. (And I am using the Fabric strap-Not the double one). Still going to try the top strap thing since I've got all the pieces, but probably could have done without.

Now if I could only stop my right eye from watering.
Slowly, drip by drip, making a little damp spot at the bottom of the seal. And just the right eye.
Think it has something to do with the fans as there is no discomfort or anything.
Just the tears.
Tears of joy?
Perhaps.
But only on the left side of my brain I guess.


So glad your Mom is enjoying it. I did think this would have a valid use case for certain forms of accessibility.

Let us know how the top strap mod piece works for you, and what it looks like. Curious if this elevates the comfort for you.

And interesting to hear about your tears. Does the fan just blow on the right side, or do you feel it on both sides? My mom has a problem with tearing when she is walking outside on a windy day, but she hasn’t noted anything inside the VP at this point.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[Eugr]

The weight is OK, it's the light seal digging into the forehead and/or cheeks that is uncomfortable. It's better with the dual loop band though. Properly sized light seal also makes a difference.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

The weight is OK, it's the light seal digging into the forehead and/or cheeks that is uncomfortable. It's better with the dual loop band though. Properly sized light seal also makes a difference.

What size light seal do you have, and did you try different sizes to arrive at it? When I sized at home, I was given 21W, but in store gave me 23W (could have something to do with inserts though). My mom was also sized at 23W (with inserts). I was thinking of going to the Apple Store tomorrow to just try on different light seal sizes to compare fit — do you think this would be worth it, or are the 21W/23W size differences minute?

 

[Eugr]

What size light seal do you have, and did you try different sizes to arrive at it? When I sized at home, I was given 21W, but in store gave me 23W (could have something to do with inserts though). My mom was also sized at 23W (with inserts). I was thinking of going to the Apple Store tomorrow to just try on different light seal sizes to compare fit — do you think this would be worth it, or are the 21W/23W size differences minute?

I was measured as 25W with inserts and 21W without. Initially got 25W, but it was digging into my cheeks too much. Booked a demo at the store to try different light seals and settled on 33W. 21W and 23W have the same shape, just different depth, so there should not be any difference in comfort. 33W puts a bit more pressure on the forehead, but is not digging into my cheeks that much. It's also a bit shallower, so it slightly increases the FOV, although it gives me "eyes too close" message periodically.

 

[flofixer]

the dual loop band made a big difference in comfort for me. just didn't look as cool, haha

 

[mpetrides]

so my eyes don't water, actually the opposite, my eyes often feels dry. I think the pressure on the sides of my face tends to retard blinking (which moistens the eye). Not enough that I have gotten eye drops yet, but I probably will the next time I go into the drugstore. Perhaps your drip is a symptom of the same problem, the eye is trying to be moist but you aren't blinking enough?

I've noted both a sense of dryness in both eyes and a little tearing of my left eye. But I often use my AVP in front of the fireplace (a sealed gas-log fireplace, so no particulate irritants) for hours in the evening. And, of course, it is winter in the North Woods and Siri tells me the humidity in my house is 17%. My conclusion, the dryness is more a result of the drying that comes of heating the house, accentuated and with my attention focused on it when I wear the AVP.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

On comfort, I too have gotten very used to the single-loop band. I think it just takes a while to figure out where and how to wear it on your head. I remember the first day I had the AVP that I did experience some discomfort, so moved to the dual loop for awhile. But a few days later I tried the single-loop band and have been with it ever since. I understand that different head shapes may have different experiences.

But, I think Apple likely knew that people would adjust to the single-loop band, and so didn't focus as much on the dual loop. Perhaps they could have put a video out that discussed this, but likely a can-o-worms to try to discuss.

No tearing or dry eyes. But occasionally what drives me nuts is I'll get an itch on my face that I can't reach unless I take the AVP off. And, I don't like to take the AVP off as it disrupts my flow

 

[Bob Sanders]

I suspect that many of the comfort issues are related to overtightening the solo band. After one instance with the solo band being tight and uncomfortable, I found that leaving the adjustment the looser side allows me to wear the AVP for hours on end without discomfort. I don't even turn the dial anymore, it's at the right size now and just slips on and off.

 

[MarkNewton2023]

I suspect that many of the comfort issues are related to overtightening the solo band. After one instance with the solo band being tight and uncomfortable, I found that leaving the adjustment the looser side allows me to wear the AVP for hours on end without discomfort. I don't even turn the dial anymore, it's at the right size now and just slips on and off.

Good point! The comfort issue related to tightening the band is because not many people are using a regular goggle for their work or entertainment. AVP (Apple Goggle or iGoggle) is a computing goggle. Those who are regularly wearing a goggle will not have issue adjusting to wear iGoggle or Apple Goggle. Getting used to wearing a goggle for any situation is the key to be comfortable wearing iGoggle or Apple Goggle. Keep calm, get used to wearing a iGoggle or Apple Goggle for life and be happy 😊 Life is too short to be unhappy😊 Enjoy life to the full 😊

 

[mpetrides]

I suspect that many of the comfort issues are related to overtightening the solo band. After one instance with the solo band being tight and uncomfortable, I found that leaving the adjustment the looser side allows me to wear the AVP for hours on end without discomfort. I don't even turn the dial anymore, it's at the right size now and just slips on and off.

I think this also applies to those of us wearing the dual band. I find it comfortable for hours on end (3-4 hours at a time) not that I am wearing it ever so slightly more loose than I was at first.

The disconcerting thing, and the thing that made me feel like it needed to be tighter, is that if I bend over to do something with the dog or to tie a shoe, the AVP feels very loose. It took a while for me to convince myself that this did NOT mean that the whole thing was going to fall off my face and, given that fact, that I should simply ignore the sensation.

I might have to try the solo band again with a looser setting, although I am so comfortable right now with the dual band that I'm not sure why I'd want go back to the solo--except perhaps for the fact that I love the design, especially the tightening wheel.

 

[Polinsky]

On comfort, I too have gotten very used to the single-loop band. I think it just takes a while to figure out where and how to wear it on your head. I remember the first day I had the AVP that I did experience some discomfort, so moved to the dual loop for awhile. But a few days later I tried the single-loop band and have been with it ever since. I understand that different head shapes may have different experiences.

I experienced the exact same sequence. Solo to dual and back to solo which now feels very comfortable. Watched an entire movie last night in cinema mode. Great experience.

No tearing or dry eyes. But occasionally what drives me nuts is I'll get an itch on my face that I can't reach unless I take the AVP off. And, I don't like to take the AVP off as it disrupts my flow

Indeed. I fight and try to endure the itch, but eventually I'll lift up the VP and get a finger in to scratch.