Moving back to carts - what is the overall best (quality / price / longevity) non-Gillette system to try?

[Umma2gumma]

So far I tried the old Schick Xtreme 3, the new one with “fat” handle, and Equate 3-blade “Xtreme wannabe” from Walmart.

The old Xtreme, despite - or perhaps due to - extra flex, seems to have the best combination of shave quality and comfort.

The new Xtreme is more rigid (the handle connection to the blade doesn’t flex), but feels a little harsher and shaves the same. I also don’t really like the weird shape of the handle, but I could live with it.

The Equate is the only cart to ever give me weepers. It’s far more rigid and very sharp and I did not use enough caution with it.

Will keep rotating them. At any rate, I am all set for at least a year now.

 

[F308gt4]

Shick hydro 5 works great, and I can use them for at least a month per cartridge.

 

[JerseyMike]

Shame you don’t like Gillette. To me, the Mach 3 Turbo , and Gillette Sensor offer the best shave of all the carts out there. And they can be had very cheap if bought in bulk , at the right place.

 

[MNshaver71]

I like Harry's and Bic Flex 3 when I'm not using my DE. I actually just shaved with the Bic Flex 3 and Proraso green cream the other day and it was a great shave.

 

[modernshaver1965]

just used a bic hybrid 5 an easy BBS in WTG/ATG and touch-ups. best cart ever for me

 

[J-MN]

Schick Hydro 5 is the best I've used, but I'm not up on what's all available these days since I stopped pursuing anything else after being so satisfied with it. After switching to DE razors, the Hydro 5 is now mostly used for travel, but I still think it provides a great shave. It's already been stated, but I would reiterate that the Hydro 5 cartridges last a long time, so the cost doesn't bother me much.

 

[RigelDust]

To me Schick or Gillette are the best. Two razor heads work well enough and name brand seems best.
I only have a few for travel and what not.

 

[Old beard]

The Mach3 generics are ok. I have tried many brands and unfortunately Gillette are the best for me. Others are not sharp enough they pull, to much goo, don’t last or feel rough. You might find others are just fine for you.

 

[shave/brush]

Another vote for the Trac II razor. I think 2 blades that don't pivot is the best way to go. You can get it at Amazon for only $7.00.

Amazon.com: 7oclock Pii Trac Ii Razor (Compatible With Tracii Blades) by 7oclock: Beauty

Amazon.com: 7oclock Pii Trac Ii Razor (Compatible With Tracii Blades) by 7oclock: Beauty

www.amazon.com

 

[AshleyQ]

I’ve tried all sorts of cart blades and always come back to Gillette fusion Proglide


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[Tedolph]

Dear Sir, please don't do this.

Cartridge razor shaving can cost you as much as $8000 over a 50 years shaving career and will lead to unnecessary exfoliation and thus razor burn. May I humbly suggest that you consider switching to a straight razor? Although it may seem counter-intuitive, once you have mastered proper technique, it is the gentlest shave you can possibly get. Moreover, it will save you a ton of money.

 

[Umma2gumma]

Shame you don’t like Gillette. To me, the Mach 3 Turbo , and Gillette Sensor offer the best shave of all the carts out there. And they can be had very cheap if bought in bulk , at the right place.

I don't like giving money to a company that decides to publicly label and marginalize me in bad faith.

At any rate, even without all of this, I personally find Schick carts to be superior to Gillette in both the closeness of shave, and longevity. This is, of course, a very YMMV thing.

Dear Sir, please don't do this.

Cartridge razor shaving can cost you as much as $8000 over a 50 years shaving career and will lead to unnecessary exfoliation and thus razor burn. May I humbly suggest that you consider switching to a straight razor? Although it may seem counter-intuitive, once you have mastered proper technique, it is the gentlest shave you can possibly get. Moreover, it will save you a ton of money.

Thank you.

The straight razor is definitely not for me. If I had the required 100% concentration at all times while shaving, I'd stick with DE. I am switching back to carts because my mind is guaranteed to wonder off at least once a week, leaving me with some razor burn.

I've been shaving with carts since my mid-20s, and never had any issues other people were having with them, they are very gentle on my skin.

Cost wise, yes buying Gillette carts at regular store prices will be super expensive, especially for people for whom they don't last.

I was always able to use a 5-blade cart for a month, especially with Schick Hydro 5. Now I am on a 3rd week of shaving with Schick Xtreme 3 disposable, and I don't see why I can't stretch it for another week - I am using shaving soap, so I don't rely on their lube strip. At $1 per blade at Sam's, that's $12 a year, just a little pricier than DE blades. Even if I can only squeeze 3 weeks out of one, it's stll $17 a year, not going to break a bank.

 

[para]

The Costco Kirkland triple blade is a good value.

 

[OhioBob]

Schick Hydro 5 is the best I've used, but I'm not up on what's all available these days since I stopped pursuing anything else after being so satisfied with it. After switching to DE razors, the Hydro 5 is now mostly used for travel, but I still think it provides a great shave. It's already been stated, but I would reiterate that the Hydro 5 cartridges last a long time, so the cost doesn't bother me much.

+1

 

[Chandu]

Cartridge razor shaving can cost you as much as $8000 over a 50 years shaving career and will lead to unnecessary exfoliation and thus razor burn.

I would just say this. If people like the shaves they get from a cart they aren't wrong. They clearly don't irritate many folks, me included. And the cost.... I'm sure many at B&B spend more than $13 per month shaving. 8000/50=160 160/12=13.

 

[Umma2gumma]

I've been buying my carts at Sam's and Costco before switching to DE's over a year ago. Their cart prices are significantly less than what you'd see at Target or Walgreens. I estimated my shaving costs before DE at $3 per month not counting aftershave. About $2 for a cart (actually came out around $1.68 IIRC, based on warehouse pack prices at that time) and the rest for lubricant.

Schick Hydro 5 is the best I've used, but I'm not up on what's all available these days since I stopped pursuing anything else after being so satisfied with it. After switching to DE razors, the Hydro 5 is now mostly used for travel, but I still think it provides a great shave. It's already been stated, but I would reiterate that the Hydro 5 cartridges last a long time, so the cost doesn't bother me much.

Yes, has been my experience as well. Unfortunately Sam's not stocking them anymore (at least not that one store) and I am not shopping at Costco during the epidemic because I don't want to stand in a mile long checkout line. (For those who don't know that, at Sam's you can scan items in your cart and pay with their app and bypass checkout altogether, just get your electronic receipt scanned at the exit).

ADDED: Actually it looks like Costco is not carrying them, either. Wonder why both of them would drop Schick Hydro 5 at the same time...

But I am finding that Schick Xtreme disposables are very close in performance and nearly half the price.

 

[benos]

I went from never really shaving other than running a beard trimmer over my stubble, to Harry's, to DE. I always liked Harry's; I never really had any razor burn with it, and the cost was pretty cheap. I just became curious about DE, tried it, and liked it more.

 

[Badgerstate36]

If I were to go back to carts, Id probably go with the Bulldog (made by Schick) or a Schick Hydro 3 or 5. I like the Bulldog for the bamboo handle and the fact that the carts are fairly affordable.
I used to really like the Schick Hydro because the blades have enough spacing that it doesnt clog up as much as Harry's does but the lubrication pools on the head are annoying because you will literally have strings of lubricant coming off of your face. If they got rid of that and made it something less aggressive, Id be a big fan of the Hydro.
Thats why when I travel and cant pack my DE, I pack either a Bic Sensitive or a Schick Xtreme 3. I like the Schick because it works well and doesnt have the gel pools that the Hydro does.

 

[Tedolph]

I would just say this. If people like the shaves they get from a cart they aren't wrong. They clearly don't irritate many folks, me included. And the cost.... I'm sure many at B&B spend more than $13 per month shaving. 8000/50=160 160/12=13.

It all depends. There are some people here in the B&B straight razor community who take pride in exclusively using drug store soaps and aftershaves to be as cheap as possible. Thus, with things like Williams or Cella brick soap, and Pinaud/Brut/Afta, etc. aftershaves it is possible to get the annual cost down below $10.00 per year. That just can't be done with cartridge razors even if bought at whare house prices.

As for comfort, I can't tell anybody else how much discomfort is tolerable for them. What I can say from my own experience having used DE, SE, cart, electric and straight razors over many rears, is that a straight razor gives me the most comfortable shave compared to any of those with the least skin damage by far.

 

[dojpros]

I was you and I went Harry's.