Schick Hydro 3 and 5

[K.T.]

I'll have my second shave with the Hydro 5 today.

After concluding that a gel probably works better than lather with this razor, I did something I thought I would never do again: I dug out my can of Edge gel.

I put it in my bathroom last night in preparation for today's shave. When I got up this morning, I got a sinking feeling in my stomach; even if the Hydro does end up being a great shaver, the experience of using a cartridge razor and canned gel feels so artificial and plastic. I felt cheap. I felt like I was giving up a ritual that's an expression of my individuality and moving to something terribly generic. It felt like I was eschewing home cooked meals in order to eat food at McDonalds.

I'll give the Hydro a fair shake, but I'm certain it'll see service as an emergency razor, no matter how well it shaves. DE wet shaving is so much more of a heartfelt activity.

K.T.

 

[michiganlover]

I'll have my second shave with the Hydro 5 today.

After concluding that a gel probably works better than lather with this razor, I did something I thought I would never do again: I dug out my can of Edge gel.

I had my forth shave with the Schick Hydro 3 today.

My feelings on it are pretty much unchanged. I am not a huge fan of the gooey gel that get's deposited to my face, which results in a lather that can't be easily shaved off.

That's great if you are one of those people using canned goo, and you only apply it once. The gel however is meaningless to me, since I fully intend on re-lathering between passes.

I got some Barbasol I occasionally use as a pre-shave so maybe I will have to give it a try with that for giggles.

Overall, I still think this is probably the best cartridge razor on the market today**, especially for the carefree, quick shaver that tends to be the norm outside of this board.



**I don't consider the Sensor/Atra/ Trac II to be currently marketed products, even though you can still buy blades for those razors.

 

[Cuttingboard]

Yes you can use Hydro 3 blades on the Hydro 5 handle and Hydro 5 blades on Hydro 3 handle.

I thought so but wanted to be sure...thanks!

 

[DougK]

After reading this thread I went out and picked one up (3 blade type) and tried it this morning. It does have a learning curve, and it seemed my excellent AOS Lemon lather was dumbed down by the goo/lube from the cartridge.

And man, your face feels like it is covered in slime with this razor. The slime is really really slick, but my insticnt was to press harder to cut through the layer of slime...I don't know if I am supposed to or not, but it certainly required more pressure than my DE.

Overall the shave was not bad, although I feel I should be using a can of cheap shave cream rather than my good stuff. I will admit there was no irritation and the shave was not super duper close (which is what I like since I am prone to ingrows)

I will use it for a while just to see if there is more technique than I give it credit for.

The gel does get really slick and clings to your face pretty tenaciously. I definitely have to rinse more thoroughly between passes with this razor than with other cartridge razors. So far, that's the only thing I don't like about this razor. I certainly can't complain about quality; all three shaves I've done with the razor have been smooth, comfortable, and effortless with DFS results.

While it may be more fun to shave with a DE, the Hydro 3 may turn out to be a worthy and more cost-effective replacement for my Mach 3 and Trac II. I'll wait until both my sample carts are used up before rushing to a final opinion, though.

 

[K.T.]

Second shave with the Hydro 5 today.

Yes, it's good. I found that you do have to use a fair amount of pressure. I pressed moderately hard and got much better results than during my 1st shave, when I used light pressure.

I'm still impressed by how it shaves under the jawline and the neck. It beats my DEs in this regard.

With the paddle head of the 5, I found it more effective to blow air into my cheeks and moustache area to flatten out the nooks, crannies, and small curves. This let me press the razor more solidly onto those areas.

I got a BBS with little irritation.

One area where DE beats the multi-blade cartridges, though, is in hunting down those stray individual hairs that get missed. I tried this with the Hydro 5 paddle head, but it covered such a broad area I was afraid I would get irritation around that whisker. It was very difficult to hunt down just that one whisker without re-shaving a good portion of adjacent skin. So while I got BBS, there were a few stray whiskers here and there. Maybe the 3 blade cartridge is better in that regard, being narrower.

I'm happy with the way the Hydro 5 performs. I'm still sticking to DE wet shaving, but the Hydro does have a place in my rotation.

K.T.

 

[OldSaw]

Yesterday was shave #4 with the Hydro 3. It was a quick two pass shave that I did in my truck with some latherless shave cream that my wife got on clearance at Sally Beauty. It was just this side of BBS and I felt like I needed to press a little harder.

Today was shave #5 and I really tested the limits of this thing. With absolutely no prep, I quickly face lathered some TOBS avocado onto my dry face. I could tell the blades were starting to dull yesterday so I pressed fairly hard. I mean I was really working this thing hard & fast and produced a few weepers on my neck. The result was BBS with just slight irritation.

The slimmyness has simmered down quite a bit and I don't feel like I am wasting my good lather any more.

I'm getting used to how to grip and work it. Trimming is still a little like working in the dark but I'm getting better at that too.

Shaving with a DE while living on the road as a truck driver can be a bit of a problem. Some days I just don't have the time or energy. With the Schick Hydro I definitely see myself shaving nearly every day, even if that means using a pan and a splash of bottled water while parked behind a warehouse in some remote location.

I really hate to admit it, but I'm going to buy a pack of refills. I will still use my 40's Superspeeds when I am home, while my new road companion will be the Hydro.

 

[OldSaw]

I took my time with shave #6 today and received another BBS shave using 3 passes.

Cost per shave is getting down to about 30 cents, not bad for a cartridge.

 

[K.T.]

3rd shave seals it... BBS with just about no irritation (I went over my moustache area one or two touch-up passes more than I should have - very, very slight irritation). Hydro 5. Once you get the hang of it, getting a close shave is super easy.

I still feel like I can get a closer, more controlled shave with a DE. But the Hydro 5 is fast, easy, and gets a good enough BBS that I'm not complaining. DE gives a cleaner, closer feeling BBS, but takes longer and you're flirting with irritation to get it.

I'm still very pleased at how the Hydro 5 shaves my neck and jawline. I can pretty much go at it without any fear of cuts or burn. With my DE, I'll often nick the underside of my jaw. I'll also get low to moderate irritation doing multiple passes on my neck and under my jawline, trying to get it smooth. The Hydro seems to have this beat.

I'm happy to have this razor in my rotation. I can use for a fast DFS to BBS when I don't have very much time to shave, or when traveling. the DE wet shaving experience is much nicer, IMO, but Schick has put out a cartridge razor that I'm not ashamed or embarrassed to reach for.

Next for me to try are the Hydro 3 cartridges. My brother picked up the Hydro 3 and reports an irritation-free BBS on his second shave. I'll try the 3 and see how it compares to the 5.

K.T.

 

[NavyHopeful]

After reading all the favorable reviews, I bit the bullet and bought a Hydro 3. I needed something to use when I'm edging up my neckline (I shave my own hair with a pair of clippers) and I could also use it for those quick shaves or for traveling. Of course I couldn't use it with my good shaving cream, so I got a can of Barbasol as well, which has intrigued me for the past couple months.

I'm gonna use these bad boys tomorrow morning and see how it goes.

 

[DougK]

I got five and a half shaves out of my first Hydro 3 cartridge and I've shaved with the second cartridge for part of one shave and two full shaves. All have been exceptionally smooth and comfortable. I shaved with my Mach 3 this morning just to compare the two razors again. I think that while both razors are equally effective, the Hydro 3 is much more comfortable to shave with.

I also had the opportunity to compare a "high-end" canned foam (Proraso) to a "low-end" foam the past few days while traveling because I failed to plan ahead when packing for my business trip and was forced to use a travel-size Gillette Foamy (with ComfortGlide, so the can says). That made a big difference: although the shaves were still smooth, the Foamy didn't allow me to get as close as Proraso and I needed an additional pass to get all the stubble. The gel strip on the Hydro seemed to make the Foamy lather a bit thick and sludgy and I had to rinse the razor much more frequently, while the gel has little practical effect on the Proraso lather other than leaving a slick residue.

I'll have to try the razor with some other shaving creams and soaps to see what happens. I'm also curious to try the Hydro 5 because you can flip the gel strip out of the way for use in tight spaces, which might help me get a little closer in some areas. Overall, though, I think Schick has a good little razor on their hands; if they keep the cartridge prices reasonable, I won't mind keeping them handy for the days I don't have time for a full DE shave.

 

[danfred]

I switched to the DE razor a few years ago, after using the cartridge shaving system for many years prior. I must admit I have never looked back with DE system. Luv it.

Since I have that well know affliction RAD, the new Schick system interested me, and I succumbed to purchasing the 5 blade system which I tried for the first time this morning.

Well all in all it proved to be a very good shave. I lathered up with my brush and did 3 passes (WTG, ATG, and Across the grain). My only concern is the amount of gel it expels during the shave.I would make a pass with the razor only to find a vapor trail of gel on my face. I kept rinsing my razor figuring the blades had plugged up with shave cream.
The trimmer feature I found to be quite good enabling you to shave under your nose as well as trim your sideburns.

A good product but again too expensive for this cowboy. I'll look forward to going back to my Red Tip

 

[bobgroger]

I have been using the Hydro3 for a week now. I am going to rate it a notch below the Mach3 in every area except price. My main objections are the slime deposited on your face seems to prevent a close shave, and the best I could get was better than SAS but less than DFS. The stubble grew back more quickly than the Mach3, and MUCH more quickly than a SuperSpeed and Feather. After 3 hours I looked like Don Draper. Well, at least my beard looked like Don Draper's. There was for me more irritation than a M3, maybe because I had to press so hard to get through the slime. Maybe with the second cartridge I will try to bust off or otherwise disable the slime dispenser. Oh, and you nearly have to sandblast your face to get the slime off when you are done.....

Bob G.

 

[OldSaw]

This morning was shave #7 with the Hydro 3 on three days of beard growth. I continue to be impressed by this cart. The slime effect is much less, but today's shave had quite a bit of drag. With my usual 3 passes and blade buffing I got another BBS shave.

I think I will push this thing to the limit and see how many decent shaves I can get from it. At 7 shaves the cost is starting to become reasonable.

 

[michiganlover]

This morning was shave #7 with the Hydro 3 on three days of beard growth. I continue to be impressed by this cart. The slime effect is much less, but today's shave had quite a bit of drag. With my usual 3 passes and blade buffing I got another BBS shave.

I think I will push this thing to the limit and see how many decent shaves I can get from it. At 7 shaves the cost is starting to become reasonable.

Glad to hear of your continued success with the Hydro 3.

I bought some of the Hydro Moisturizing Shave Gel to use with the Hydro 3, if I get bored with teaching myself straight razor shaving, and want a break. I figured it might be a good adventure to use the two products together as Schick intended.

 

[OldSaw]

Glad to hear of your continued success with the Hydro 3.

I bought some of the Hydro Moisturizing Shave Gel to use with the Hydro 3, if I get bored with teaching myself straight razor shaving, and want a break. I figured it might be a good adventure to use the two products together as Schick intended.

Now there's a novel idea. Let us know how that works.

For me, the most difficult thing is trimming around my goatee and sideburns. I'm thinking of shaving the goatee off this weekend and see how this new fangled toy works on my chin and under my nose.

 

[OldSaw]

Today was shave #8 and I can tell that the blades are not quite as sharp. However, I still got a near BBS shave, which is just amazing to me.

I had to do a little more blade buffing than normal to get the BBS (well almost) finish I was looking for. It actually was BBS in most areas, but it felt like I missed a couple of spots when I was washing my face during my shower, which could have just been me rushing. Lather was from the remnants of a Mitchel's Woolfat puck.

The slime strip is still producing a fair amount of the slippery stuff. At my current rate of use the cost is down to 25 cents per shave, which isn't bad for a cartridge. This is the first cartridge that I have been able to get a whole week's worth of DECENT shaves from since the Schick FX Diamond.

I can hardly believe I have dedicated 8 shaves to this razor. I miss my DE, but I am determined to see how many shaves I can get from this thing AND be as reckless as possible. I don't know what else to say, I mean I'm beating on this thing like it was my old '65 Chevy Impala back in high school and it keeps giving me great shaves.

 

[K.T.]

I continue to get great shaves with my Hydro 5. I'm very happy with it, especially considering it's a cartridge razor.

DE is still king for me, though. I feel that DE gives me a cleaner feeling BBS, one that's closer and smoother. My face just feels cleaner and better groomed.

But the Hydro is still great. BBS, but not quite up to the quality of a DE BBS. Where the Hydro shines for me is the ease and speed at which I can get a close shave. And with no irritation. Plus it works on the jawline and neck better than a DE for me.

If anyone is skeptical about cartridge razors, I think this one may change your mind.

I wonder if Gillette's new offering will be as good as the Hydro.

K.T.

 

[michiganlover]

I wonder if Gillette's new offering will be as good as the Hydro.

K.T.

Don't place your bets....

I have no interest in trying the "improved Fusion". The Fusion was a horrible product, so instead of scrapping it for an entirely new product, they are trying to improve upon it. That's bad engineering.

My projection is that the new Fusion will be the worst razor Gillette has ever made.

 

[drandall]

Don't place your bets....

I have no interest in trying the "improved Fusion". The Fusion was a horrible product, so instead of scrapping it for an entirely new product, they are trying to improve upon it. That's bad engineering.

My projection is that the new Fusion will be the worst razor Gillette has ever made.

from our standpoint, this is undoubtedly true...but i was reading an article that said the fusion was one of the most successful gillette launches. the main problem since then has been blowback over the high cost of cartridges and the fact that a large base of mach/sensor users refuse to upgrade.

no doubt the "new fusion" will try to go after those people....i just wonder aside from new styling, what they're gong to try and hook them with....

 

[OldSaw]

I continue to get great shaves with my Hydro 5. I'm very happy with it, especially considering it's a cartridge razor.

DE is still king for me, though. I feel that DE gives me a cleaner feeling BBS, one that's closer and smoother. My face just feels cleaner and better groomed.

But the Hydro is still great. BBS, but not quite up to the quality of a DE BBS. Where the Hydro shines for me is the ease and speed at which I can get a close shave. And with no irritation. Plus it works on the jawline and neck better than a DE for me.

If anyone is skeptical about cartridge razors, I think this one may change your mind.

I wonder if Gillette's new offering will be as good as the Hydro.

K.T.

I guess that's one way of saying it. There is definitely a difference in how the final result feels even when both are BBS and I have not been able to pin it down. In fact the Hydro does a much better job on the tricky areas around my Adam's apple and just under my jaw near my ears.

Today will be #9 when I get out of bed. Right now I am enjoying a cup of coffee, playing poker, helping my wife with a crossword puzzle and catching up on B&B.