I couldn't think of a worse beginners kit

[Jbird45]

For the record, some will disagree with me, and that's ok. I don't mind the smell of Arko, even though it reminds me of bug repellent.

BUT, if I was absolute beginner, I would probably quit after using this for the first time and go back to canned goo. If the smell of the Arko didn't make you second guess yourself, the smell of a new boar will.

I'm not saying these are bad products, just saying this is like taking a polar plunge instead of wading in the warm pool.

A synthetic brush and Proraso would be a better "starter" in my opinion, but I guess that would raise the price.

At least there isn't a bottle of the Veg in there, or I would have thought this is what you give someone as a prank.

 

[silverlifter]

Well, to be fair, it is labelled as 'Economy' class. It does have that Ryanair vibe

 

[Multum in parvo]

I wouldn’t mind the Arko nor the boar but the razor and the blades.
This is the budget set that I did for a friend a couple of days ago. Total value EUR 10-12.00

 

[Mike M]

For the record, some will disagree with me, and that's ok. I don't mind the smell of Arko, even though it reminds me of bug repellent.

BUT, if I was absolute beginner, I would probably quit after using this for the first time and go back to canned goo. If the smell of the Arko didn't make you second guess yourself, the smell of a new boar will.

I'm not saying these are bad products, just saying this is like taking a polar plunge instead of wading in the warm pool.

A synthetic brush and Proraso would be a better "starter" in my opinion, but I guess that would raise the price.

At least there isn't a bottle of the Veg in there, or I would have thought this is what you give someone as a prank.

View attachment 1393288

Looks like it was put together by the Gillette marketing department to put people off DE.

 

[SharpieB]

For the record, some will disagree with me, and that's ok. I don't mind the smell of Arko, even though it reminds me of bug repellent.

BUT, if I was absolute beginner, I would probably quit after using this for the first time and go back to canned goo. If the smell of the Arko didn't make you second guess yourself, the smell of a new boar will.

I'm not saying these are bad products, just saying this is like taking a polar plunge instead of wading in the warm pool.

A synthetic brush and Proraso would be a better "starter" in my opinion, but I guess that would raise the price.

At least there isn't a bottle of the Veg in there, or I would have thought this is what you give someone as a prank.

View attachment 1393288

Not the best starting kit but the brush is excellent though.

I have many high end brushes and still use my $10 Omega 10049 from time to time.

 

[Jbird45]

Not the best starting kit but the brush is excellent though.

I have many high end brushes and still use my $10 Omega 10049 from time to time.

I have the 10048 and it is a fantastic brush, as is the Proraso boar, but they do have a funk at first. But for a complete beginner who doesn't know it will have a funk to it I'd be caught off guard

 

[HazMat Shaver]

I normally start guys out with an Omega Boar brush. I will hand them 3 brushes to try. One new in-the-box Omega Boar, One Omega Boar I helped break in with around 10 shaves, and one top-notch badger brush knot in a handle I made. It sure sells my brushes quickly but the guys who really want to go "Low Cost" take the broke-in Boar. Everyone has to have a choice in my opinion.

 

[FarmerTan]

I wouldn’t mind the Arko nor the boar but the razor and the blades.
This is the budget set that I did for a friend a couple of days ago. Total value EUR 10-12.00

View attachment 1393303

That razor absolutely rocks my friend. That's as good as it gets.

Anything more expensive is just more expensive, not "better" in my proud opinion.

 

[Toothpick]

The markup on that kit is pretty darn good though. At $27.50 they are making a profit of $27.00

 

[thegeneral]

In the US Derby Premiums are so cheap I wouldn't mess with Derby extra. The styptic pencil and Arko soap are solid. Omega is defiantly a good brush.

 

[Smooth and Sharp]

I wouldn’t mind the Arko nor the boar but the razor and the blades.
This is the budget set that I did for a friend a couple of days ago. Total value EUR 10-12.00

That razor rocks!

 

[FarmerTan]

The markup on that kit is pretty darn good though. At $27.50 they are making a profit of $27.00

Amen!

 

[Baz4262]

 

[Medivh]

The razor might not be that good and the blades are definitely not very good. I had the 10049 a while ago and it was my only boar brush, but even after countless attempts I never liked thr bush and sold it. It just eats too much soap and cream to make what my other brushes do, but using much less material.

 

[samhain666]

Nobody took issue with original price of almost 50$???

I paid similar money when I got my first premade wetshaving kit and there was EJ DE89, tube of green Proraso, blade sampler pack /Deraby, gillette 7'oclock, polsilvers, astra green...), styptic and the same brush as in this picture.

I have to say including Proraso was biggest issue of that kit...I discovered my skin does not like mentholated products. Since menthol can be iritative I belive Proraso green is not the best to start with

 

[musicman1951]

None of my Semogue boars had that funk smell.

Just sayin'.

 

[AlBHappy]

When I started, I got the Gentlemen Jon kit. Astra blades, great, Shave puck, great, Brush, great, Alum Block, great, Scuttle good, razor was nice, but the head was awful. It wasn't even on each side. I ended up tossing it, but the other stuff was good. I still use the brush, block and scuttle.

 

[TheBeast]

This was my first ever kit I bought from a chain drugstore (picture below). It was after NYE in sale and I got it under 20 USD. Soap smelled terribly in my opinion, the brush struggled to make lather and it was eating it all (that might have been due to my non-existing experience of lathering), those blades cut me up. I packed it up and threw in the back of a bottom shelf. It took me a year to dare and try it again.

I kept the razor and now I think of it as a nice mild shaver for any body parts. The brush serves to clean my shoes. The soap puck shrunk in its tube to 1/2 of its size afer 3 years.

I stuck with safety razors, now I own three more and I'm wokring on my shavette technique in preparation for straight razor.

 

[Sinnbad11]

I can't imagine handing off a new boar to a newbie. If one expects soft luxurious brush and ends up with a new boar they will be sorely dissatisfied.

At least for another 20-30 odd shaves...

 

[rockviper]

I actually don't see anything wrong with that starter set at all.
- The boar is great
- Arko lathers super easy
- Weishi is a nice mild razor
- Derby is an okay blade
- the sytptic pencil will come in handy when learning.

Is it a GREAT kit? Of course not, but it will get the job done.