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Sensor vs Contour?

How much of a difference in shave is there between the Gillette Sensor and the Gillette Contour (or Atra)?

Do the sprung blades of the Sensor make a significant difference?
And does the guard with the microfins on the Excel actually do anything?

I guess this question is in the same league as the “are three blades better than two” debate.
I shaved with a Sensor Excel last night and it was equally as good as the Mach 3 but the face feel is very different.
So is the Contour equally as good as the Sensor?
 
Everyone is different, the products were probably launched by the sales and marketing believing that additional products would create additional revenue.
Gillette had an R&D department that was constantly developing new products. Thus the Atra plus was developed, the Excel in addition to the Sensor, the Mach3 Turbo, the Proglide and ProShield.
 
Everyone is different, the products were probably launched by the sales and marketing believing that additional products would create additional revenue.
Gillette had an R&D department that was constantly developing new products. Thus the Atra plus was developed, the Excel in addition to the Sensor, the Mach3 Turbo, the Proglide and ProShield.
Yes you’re right - YMMV here as everywhere else.
I’m interested to compare the difference for myself.
I generally prefer the feel of rigid unsprung blades.

It will also be very interesting to hear if other people experience much difference in shave quality between the Sensor and the Contour.
 
Yes you’re right - YMMV here as everywhere else.
I’m interested to compare the difference for myself.
I generally prefer the feel of rigid unsprung blades.

It will also be very interesting to hear if other people experience much difference in shave quality between the Sensor and the Contour.
have been using Sensor carts, just ordered Contour, are they constructed differently than the Atra Gillette carts?
 
The Contour and Atra carts should be exactly the same. Atra was the US name. Contour the European name AFAIK.
Just be aware that Vector type carts have been released as both Atra and Contour in Asia and elsewhere. Ensure you order European or North American current or NOS stock.
 
do you know if they are all mfg in the same factory? Where the factory(s) is located?
Gillette has factories in Brazil, USA, Germany, Poland, Russia, China and Vietnam. They also have local factories in SE Asia and possibly India. Do they have a plant in Mexico?
 
asking because on the DE side, St. Petersburg Gillette DE blades have a very good reputation, wondered if the same were true of the Atra, Sensor, TracII carts currently made?
 
asking because on the DE side, St. Petersburg Gillette DE blades have a very good reputation, wondered if the same were true of the Atra, Sensor, TracII carts currently made?
Boston and Berlin are Fusion plants, all Mach3's come from China. The Sensor3 and Blue3 come from Brazil and Poland. GII and possibly Contour carts come from Poland. I would guess everything else comes from China. I don't really have an interest in Blue II/Good News type products. Vietnam is a new international plant, I have no idea what it is producing. Russia did produce Slalom carts in the past.
 
Boston and Berlin are Fusion plants, all Mach3's come from China. The Sensor3 and Blue3 come from Brazil and Poland. GII and possibly Contour carts come from Poland. I would guess everything else comes from China. I don't really have an interest in Blue II/Good News type products. Vietnam is a new international plant, I have no idea what it is producing. Russia did produce Slalom carts in the past.
thanks Sabre
 
So I finally got an original Contour to compare with my original Sensor:
51EDD22A-E50B-45E8-A5E7-D2FDD28AB948.jpeg

I’ve got a lot of love for the Contour since it was the razor I used when I was a teenager and the Gillette factory and distribution centre was right next to my school in Isleworth!

It’s also got a fantastic handle - all metal, wider and 10g heavier than the Sensor handle.

There’s no getting away from the fact that for me the first shave with the Contour (original so no lubrastrip) felt a lot cruder and harsher than the very comfortable and relatively sophisticated Sensor Excel (with lubrastrip and microfins).
But by paying attention to technique and good prep it did deliver a wonderful shave with a very satisfying and efficient result.
When I was a teenager I remember getting terrible razorburn but not this time 35years later :)

It’s stating the obvious but the Contour really is just a Trac II with a pivot eh?
A much rawer experience than the Sensor all round but a truly great shave.

In other news the Lidl Cien twin blade carts fit the Contour too.
My local Lidl doesn’t do the system razor any more but the disposables are 12 for £1.00 and a good fit:
A97B880E-AE76-40AE-AB1A-AEC62F279556.jpeg
 
So I finally got an original Contour to compare with my original Sensor:
View attachment 987984
I’ve got a lot of love for the Contour since it was the razor I used when I was a teenager and the Gillette factory and distribution centre was right next to my school in Isleworth!

It’s also got a fantastic handle - all metal, wider and 10g heavier than the Sensor handle.

There’s no getting away from the fact that for me the first shave with the Contour (original so no lubrastrip) felt a lot cruder and harsher than the very comfortable and relatively sophisticated Sensor Excel (with lubrastrip and microfins).
But by paying attention to technique and good prep it did deliver a wonderful shave with a very satisfying and efficient result.
When I was a teenager I remember getting terrible razorburn but not this time 35years later :)

It’s stating the obvious but the Contour really is just a Trac II with a pivot eh?
A much rawer experience than the Sensor all round but a truly great shave.

In other news the Lidl Cien twin blade carts fit the Contour too.
My local Lidl doesn’t do the system razor any more but the disposables are 12 for £1.00 and a good fit:View attachment 987983
No side by side with the Vector? Afterall they are identical according to Wikipedia ;)
 
Shaved with my heavy solid metal Gillette Atra (Franken-Sin-Atra)? and a vintage gillette atra non lube cartridge. 2 pass shave with brush and cream. Got a lovely smooth shave. The last 2 weeks were with my Schick Super II Classic (Trac II) and as you say the Atra feels like a Trac II with a pivot.
 
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