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Design Flaw with Nintendo Switch Joy-Con
- Thread starter Mysterious
- Start date
Really there's 2 major problems I immediately see with their design:
1. They work differently than every single other thing that connects to the joycons. The Switch and grip connect to the joycons from the bottom up; the straps are inexplicably the the opposite. Also, you normally use the joycon buttons to detach them, but with the straps the buttons do nothing.
2. It's possible to put them on the wrong way. This is design flaws 101.
1. They work differently than every single other thing that connects to the joycons. The Switch and grip connect to the joycons from the bottom up; the straps are inexplicably the the opposite. Also, you normally use the joycon buttons to detach them, but with the straps the buttons do nothing.
2. It's possible to put them on the wrong way. This is design flaws 101.
I feel like people aren't seeing the post I just made with the video and images. It answers the question unequivocally. It certainly is a design flaw in what I believe to be an afterthought of the grey lock and wrist rope addition. The reason I call this an afterthought is because once I removed those two pieces, the sliding functional worked absolutely perfectly, what I would imaging ideal design would have been.
I haven't done additional testing since the original video, but the issue is one of two things.
A) The grey locking piece is too large and is in a state where it is constantly applying some pressure to the "locking teeth". Think of it like a brake system on a car where the breaks are always rubbing against disk.
B) The strap rope is too large and has the same effect as I hypothesize in the option A.
It is one or the other (or perhaps a combination of both of these pieces). As soon as I removed the pieces, the whole thing works perfectly. It's a really simple fix you can apply if you want to use them, but the tough removal was preventing you.
http://imgur.com/a/QwLpF
https://youtu.be/guM5BkavNWE
I haven't done additional testing since the original video, but the issue is one of two things.
A) The grey locking piece is too large and is in a state where it is constantly applying some pressure to the "locking teeth". Think of it like a brake system on a car where the breaks are always rubbing against disk.
B) The strap rope is too large and has the same effect as I hypothesize in the option A.
It is one or the other (or perhaps a combination of both of these pieces). As soon as I removed the pieces, the whole thing works perfectly. It's a really simple fix you can apply if you want to use them, but the tough removal was preventing you.
http://imgur.com/a/QwLpF
https://youtu.be/guM5BkavNWE
Nostremitus
Member
Mine was like that the first few times I used it. It's better now.
flipswitch
Member
I almost broke mine trying to detach it. Won't be putting them on again.
They're not that bad. At first I was having trouble removing them, but I didn't realize there was a lock switch at the bottom of the strap. Other than putting one on backwards, I haven't had any issues since then. Even putting it on the wrong way isn't that hard to fix, after you realize that you have to remove it the opposite way you'd expect.
FunkyDealer
Banned
I've only used them once because of this.
Just tried mine for the first time. Yeah, this is poor design. It is like they made them tight so that they won't fly apart when in use, but then why have the lock? I have to believe that tightness wasn't intended, but then how did they make it to market like this?
None of it makes sense unless a change to spec during manufacturing caused the issue and they were in too deep to correct it due to time or frugality.
I see a free wrist strap exchange in our future (much like the Wii remote cover debacle).
None of it makes sense unless a change to spec during manufacturing caused the issue and they were in too deep to correct it due to time or frugality.
I see a free wrist strap exchange in our future (much like the Wii remote cover debacle).
drotahorror
Member
Just curious but, how do you know you almost broke it? Did something chip off?
Bjoern the Smexy
Member
To be quite honest, it's a really weird safety issue that you can even put them on upside down.
And it's pretty easy to put them on upside down, too. You slide the JoyCon into both the Switch and the Grip from the top, but with the wrist straps you slide them in from the bottom. This is really...dumb. Big oversight in my opinion.
Key advice.
I think this, along with the scratching screens problem, are the two biggest design flaws of the console.
Straps being first because it's just the way it is, you can simply attach those the wrong way and poof, you're screwed. (Unless you know how to get them off properly, which the average joe doesn't.)
JershJopstin
Banned
I always assumed that lock tab was just for removing the cord. Feel a bit dumb, but everything else about the Switch's design was so obvious...
I'm able to get them off without too much difficulty locked though. Strange.
I'm able to get them off without too much difficulty locked though. Strange.
Spiritwalker
Member
I'm an idiot so I put them on upside down the first time. Pretty much had to rip them apart, but luckily there was no damage.
mocolostrocolos
Member
Yeah, I find it hard to remove. Feels like I have to use unnecesary force, and will break if not measured.
This is interesting but I wonder if it has more to do with you reseating the rail than with taking out the lock. Or perhaps the screws were too tight and bending the plastic in and you tightened them the right amount when reassembling.
This was my issue when I did it on Day 1 - I put it on wrongly and it went too far.
Intuitively, I thought that I needed to pull it to the right to remove it. In fact, it needed to go left (Which is obvious when you consider that that's the way it went on, but with a new unit I hadn't got my head around where the entry point was)
Wouldn't say it was effortless even then, though; still needed a distinct amount of force.
It isn't supposed to. You don't have to press the button. If you realize this and put them on the right way they are actually not that hard to detach.
I agree on it being badly explained though.
giancarlo123x
Banned
No shit my dude, I don't even use them because I'm afraid something is going to snap.
Tribes of Trusty
Member
Yes it's shitty. I put them the right way, but when I want to get them off (yes I know you have to unlock and push the button thank you very much), it needs a ridiculous amount of force compared to the console/controller.
Definitely some design oversight here.
Edit : also, why does the strap being put from the upside when everything is being put downside (the system, the controllers) ?
Definitely some design oversight here.
Edit : also, why does the strap being put from the upside when everything is being put downside (the system, the controllers) ?
SweetDonuts
Member
Yeah, had to take them off yesterday with a lot of force and got worried I broke it after they finally decided to slide off. No idea why they're made so stiff.
I put on the wrist straps wrong the first time I used them, added 5 minutes of frustration keeping me from Zelda @ the time 
I cut my hand slightly while pulling the strap off... but I haven't had any problems with the strap now that I know how to put it on/remove it. Really bad design imo
I cut my hand slightly while pulling the strap off... but I haven't had any problems with the strap now that I know how to put it on/remove it. Really bad design imo
RoadHazard
Gold Member
I've put mine on exactly twice, definitely in the correct orientation both times, and they've been VERY hard to get off. And yes, I know about the lock thingy. Even with them unlocked, it feels like I'm gonna break something. So I don't use them anymore.
Again: you do not! Push the button. It is not needed. You just unlock, grab the Joycon at the lower end and slide the grip upwards.
Dr. Black Jack
Member
The me to invest in yourself OP.
It's the opposite actually.
Once I realised the buttons is not used it was quite easy to remove them. Use them all the time now.
The first time was a struggle though.
Mine do have a little wiggle to them. I do hope I didn't manage to slightly damage them when I first struggled to pull them off.
Why are the straps interchangeable and not just designed for the left and right joycon separately. Only discovered the other night they have a + and - side. Up til then i thought we got one + and one - in with the console. Handed girlfriend what i thought was the right one for her controller so she just slides it on without thinking and boom, wrong way round. It's silly.
I don't have a Switch yet, but I was just looking at the straps on Target's website.
Am I missing something or isn't it pretty obvious how to put these on? You just want to match up the plus and the minus.
seems like almost everyone in here said they put them on wrong initially though.
UnemployedVillain
Member
I don't have a Switch yet, but I was just looking at the straps on Target's website.
Am I missing something or isn't it pretty obvious how to put these on? You just want to match up the plus and the minus.
seems like almost everyone in here said they put them on wrong initially though.
When you're in a rush to play those games man, can't be bothered looking at markings and symbols
drotahorror
Member
I don't have a Switch yet, but I was just looking at the straps on Target's website.
Am I missing something or isn't it pretty obvious how to put these on? You just want to match up the plus and the minus.
seems like almost everyone in here said they put them on wrong initially though.
As much as I can remember they didn't come in boxes, they just came n plastic sleeves. I got lucky and put mine on correctly the first time, but I definitely didn't notice the + or - initially.
I think the joycons are actually better held vertically with 2 hands than sideways.
Go ahead and play around with the 2 handed vertical config. Your thumbs can easily reach the stick and button diamond with little problem or interference with each other. It feels as comfortable if not more so than holding the joycon sideways. And then you have access to the real trigger/bumper buttons with either index finger which is much better than hitting those mushy hard to press sideways bumper buttons.
And, as an added bonus, you don't have that confusing experience where you have trouble navigating the UI because you are holding the the controller in a position the UI isn't expecting.
I wish Snipper Clippers let me choose the vertical 2 handed way of holding the controller because rotating in Snipper Clippers feels terrible with the sideways bumper buttons - strap or no strap.
Go ahead and play around with the 2 handed vertical config. Your thumbs can easily reach the stick and button diamond with little problem or interference with each other. It feels as comfortable if not more so than holding the joycon sideways. And then you have access to the real trigger/bumper buttons with either index finger which is much better than hitting those mushy hard to press sideways bumper buttons.
And, as an added bonus, you don't have that confusing experience where you have trouble navigating the UI because you are holding the the controller in a position the UI isn't expecting.
I wish Snipper Clippers let me choose the vertical 2 handed way of holding the controller because rotating in Snipper Clippers feels terrible with the sideways bumper buttons - strap or no strap.
Miniature Kaiju
Member
That you can put the straps backwards is a terrible design flaw. It's baffling that it went into production without being noticed.
Also, the rails on the straps and the JoyCons themselves seem to have very loose tolerances - I've seen JoyCons that wobble in place, while attached to the Switch, I've seen straps that slide in and out of the JoyCons really easily and ones that are almost impossible to remove. Feels like QA is all over the place.
Also, the rails on the straps and the JoyCons themselves seem to have very loose tolerances - I've seen JoyCons that wobble in place, while attached to the Switch, I've seen straps that slide in and out of the JoyCons really easily and ones that are almost impossible to remove. Feels like QA is all over the place.
Tribes of Trusty
Member
Holy shit you're right it is way easier that way !
People putting them on wrong not noticing not only the markers, but also the wrist strap would be on the top of the controller instead of dangling down from the bottom, hah. I guess if you are fumbling about in a dark room not looking it's an easy mistake to make. But the straps being on top should be a pretty good clue that something is wrong hah.
Its in the manual