Review: WaterField Designs' Shield Case Offers More Sensible Vision Pro Protection Than Apple's Travel Case

For users looking to transport their Vision Pro units and various accessories, Apple offers the Apple Vision Pro Travel Case as an optional $199 accessory. But if you're looking for a third-party alternative, WaterField Designs offers a Shield Case starting at $159 that might be worth considering, and I've spent the past few months using one for occasional travel to see how it fares.

First things first though, and that's the question of why you might want to consider something other than Apple's first-party case. Apple's case is a hardshell polycarbonate covered with a white ripstop outer shell to provide protection for the relatively fragile headset, with a microfiber inner lining protecting the Vision Pro from scratches or other superficial damage.

While that all sounds good and the Apple Vision Pro Travel Case seems to do a reasonably good job of protecting the expensive headset, it has been widely mocked for its overall size, the loose-fitting outer cover, and the white color that suggests it could become a dirt and stain magnet. Some have likened the overall appearance of Apple's case to an astronaut suit or some other item of space gear, and that's not wholly inaccurate.

Put simply, Apple's case is massive, with copious amounts of empty space inside as Apple has prioritized allowing users to keep their Vision Pro's head strap attached to the body of the device. The result is an oblong case measuring nearly a foot long by almost 9 inches wide and 6.5 inches thick. It's unwieldy on its own despite a carry handle, and there's little chance of it fitting well in a backpack, and even a modest carry-on suitcase will see a considerable amount of its interior space taken up by the case.

And that's where WaterField's Shield Case for ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ really shines. At under 8 inches square and a little over 5 inches thick, the Shield Case takes up less than half the volume of Apple's case, making it a much more sensible travel companion.

So how does WaterField manage to fit a Vision Pro and all of its parts into a significantly smaller space than Apple's case? It starts with requiring the user to remove the head strap, whether it be the Solo Knit Band or the Dual Loop Band. This reduces the required volume from something that would need to fit around an entire head to a much more compact package.

The main body of the Vision Pro and the integrated Audio Straps remain all in one piece, but the head bands fold up into fairly small and flexible pieces, making it easy to tuck them into the Shield Case. And given it's trivial to remove and reattach the head bands, this is an easy sacrifice to make.

WaterField's Shield Case has a plush inner lining with a good amount of closed-cell foam padding in the outer covering, so it protects the Vision Pro very well in my experience. You should of course keep the front cover that comes with Vision Pro in place at all times while transporting the device, as it provides additional protection from impacts and scratches.

Aside from the main compartment of the Shield Case that holds the Vision Pro body, WaterField has included an accessory pouch that fits within the void created by the Vision Pro, the Light Seal and the Audio Straps.

All of your various accessories can fit neatly inside that pouch, including both head straps, the cleaning cloth, the power adapter, and the USB-C charging cable. There are even two slots sewn into the lid of the pouch for storing Zeiss lens inserts if you use those with the Vision Pro, although you can also just keep them installed in the Vision Pro itself during transport since they are held firmly in place with magnets.

Inside the lid of the Shield Case is a plush slot where you can store the Vision Pro battery with its cable wound around it during transport. The case then closes up tight with waterproof zippers to keep everything secure, and there's even an additional zippered slot pocket on the outside of the Shield Case if you prefer to keep the charging adapter and cable or other small items there. In another nice touch, there is a small slot deep in the outside pocket where an AirTag can be tucked away to help you keep tabs on your Vision Pro.

An integrated nylon grab handle makes it easy to carry the Shield Case, though the case can also be easily gripped in one hand by most users. Two small D rings on the top rear edge of the Shield Case let you attach an optional $20 Simple Strap that uses small carabiner-style clips and an adjustable slide buckle to allow for easier carrying over a shoulder.

The Shield Case for Apple Vision Pro is available in several different material combinations, with the cheapest being constructed entirely of ballistic nylon on the exterior in either black or blue for $159. For $179, you can get the Shield Case in that same black ballistic nylon but with the front panel serving as an accent in either white, black, or chocolate leather. And finally, there's a configuration with the body of the case made of waxed canvas with a chocolate leather front panel, also priced at $179.

It's impossible to overstate how much of a difference the size of the Shield Case makes compared to Apple's Vision Pro Travel Case. With the Travel Case as my only option, I never really considered taking my Vision Pro on any trips, simply due to its overwhelming size.

When traveling by plane, I'm certainly not going to put my Vision Pro into checked baggage, no matter how well it's protected in a case, and there simply isn't room to reasonably pack that oversized case in a backpack or carry-on. But with WaterField's Shield Case, I still feel like I have adequate protection for my expensive and fragile Vision Pro, yet I can slide it into the bottom of my travel backpack and still have plenty of room for other items.

Note: WaterField Designs provided MacRumors with the Vision Pro Shield Case for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received.