Ultralight Safety Razor?

[MrSpeedy]

Rule of Backpacking: Ounces matter. Ounces add up to pounds.

Ounces equal pounds; pounds equal pain.

Honestly, I wouldn't take a shaving kit while backpacking. If you are out for a week, no big deal. That shave when you get off the trail is luxurious. If you are out for longer than that, you'll be going into town to resupply so take care of it then. Either send some stuff to yourself and/or bounce it forward to the next town. Or just grab an orange Bic and take care of it in a Walmart bathroom.

If you did take a shaving kit into the backcountry, it's just more stuff to go into the bear bag at night. It's not worth it to me. But we all have our luxury items we bring.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Ounces equal pounds; pounds equal pain.

Honestly, I wouldn't take a shaving kit while backpacking. If you are out for a week, no big deal. That shave when you get off the trail is luxurious. If you are out for longer than that, you'll be going into town to resupply so take care of it then. Either send some stuff to yourself and/or bounce it forward to the next town. Or just grab an orange Bic and take care of it in a Walmart bathroom.

I think the OP is traveling with a backpack, maybe spending some times in urbanized areas. So, he doesn't want to look like a bum.

 

[McBlade]

If you did take a shaving kit into the backcountry, it's just more stuff to go into the bear bag at night. It's not worth it to me. But we all have our luxury items we bring.

After a week a beard gets itchy. On the plus side, all the soup and chunks of food it catches could provide an emergency food supply if you get into trouble.

Washing can be a big problem if you spend a lot of time living out of doors. Sometimes water is hard to come by or it's just too damn cold to jump in the river (especially if it's frozen solid..). Either you can embrace the stink or sponge bath twice a day.

With the latter, it really helps if you shave your armpits (all three of them). I don't know what evolutionary purpose armpit hair serves but it sure is good at soaking up odours.

I also shave my head which again makes washing easier in cold conditions. In the kind of weather where snow melts on your face and then freezes again on your eyelashes, you do not want to be sitting around in a tent waiting for your hair to air dry...

On a long trip a lightweight razor can be a really useful part of the load out.

 

[Two Tonic]

I think the OP is traveling with a backpack, maybe spending some times in urbanized areas. So, he doesn't want to look like a bum.

It's one thing to not shave when back country camping. It is quite another to not shave and wear unwashed clothes around people in a village or city.

Unless you are an A-list movie star, YOU WILL LOOK LIKE A BUM.

You do not want to look like a bum if you have any sort of encounter with your nation's constabulary.

I will never forget the time I merely crossed the street to go to the bus station in a northern California city some decades ago. I was wearing a backpack and stopped by irate police, who threatened me with arrest. I had heard warnings about the police in that city, and was just passing through, as quickly as possible. Sure enough, it seems crossing an empty street in front of a bus station on a Saturday was considered a capital offense in some places in California (in Colorado in the old days, just walking with a backpack in some places was semi-illegal if you didn't have a Colorado drivers license).

I pleaded with them, saying I was just trying to catch a bus out of town. They snarled: Good! Get out of town! Now! If we see you again, you are going to jail!

I always shaved when traveling in my youth. If I hadn't been clean shaven, there are many times the police probably would have arrested me.

These days, there are a lot more unshaven guys who look like bums, and many of them are street people and crazy, which tends to make some people nervous, including restaurant owners. Plus, there are a helluva lot more bad tempered police.

That goes for the TSA, too.

Seriously, when you travel, shave every day.

It's not that hard, especially with a disposable like the BIC Sensitive. My understanding is you can shave with some gels without a lot of face prep and washing. I have a can of gel I rarely use, and have been meaning to test this, perhaps with a BIC. Has anyone tried this? If you can get gel in a tube, that would seem to be a good travel option. The astronauts use it.

 

[huck1680]

Rule of Backpacking: Ounces matter. Ounces add up to pounds.

I get it. But if you're travelling and shaving are you using a shaving stick with a brush? Or some other method...perhaps oil? At any rate, I'm not suggesting a full blown kit...for myself, my Merkur travel razor with a tuck of blades and the leather carry case weighs in at 73 gms. Then it's a brush and a soap stick.

 

[nemo]

Merkur 45030.

Yup, also known as the Merkur Bakelite or Merkur 45

14 grams

 

[emwolf]

Yup, also known as the Merkur Bakelite or Merkur 45

14 grams

one of the prettiest razors in existence.

 

[Jorvaljr]

i like the aluminum handled techs. The heads are super light and the handle weighs almost nothing. And for back packing i suggest this

 

[emwolf]

I've been shaving with the Above The Tie Windsor Pro in aluminum. Very light, but still substantial as any ATT razor is.

 

[RazorDragon]

The Henson AL13 is made of aluminum so it’s pretty light. I own one… And it’s a fantastic razor as well!

It’s a great razor but Aluminium is not near robust enough for travel

 

[LJBraaten]

I know you asked for a safety razor, so these may not work for you. I carried a plastic trac II type razor (a little hard to find now) which I cut off, leaving only about 1.5” of handle. Same could be done with a disposable. Later I learned how to shave with just a trac II cartridge, held between my thumb and forefinger. I just hand lathered my face with whatever soap I happened to be carrying, ivory or Dr. Bronners.

 

[ERS4]

It’s a great razor but Aluminium is not near robust enough for travel

I'm sure we don't use a razor to pry nails in the bathroom.

Aluminium alloys are used to make wings and sports car frames.
And while aluminum isn't as stiff, its lighter weight also makes it less impactful when it hits the ground.

There are many existing vintage razors that use aluminum alloys, which also proves to be less fragile than thought.

 

[RazorDragon]

I'm sure we don't use a razor to pry nails in the bathroom.

Aluminium alloys are used to make wings and sports car frames.
And while aluminum isn't as stiff, its lighter weight also makes it less impactful when it hits the ground.

There are many existing vintage razors that use aluminum alloys, which also proves to be less fragile than thought.

Aluminium alloys can be extremely tough but drop a pure Aluminium razor and the chances are it’s toast. Too malleable.

 

[ERS4]

Aluminium alloys can be extremely tough but drop a pure Aluminium razor and the chances are it’s toast. Too malleable.

Modern aluminum razors like the “Razorock lupo“ or “Henson“ use aerospace-grade 6061 aluminum.
6061 was even processed into tactical equipment.

Modern industry rarely uses pure aluminum to manufacture goods.

 

[Alberez]

Hey guys... If I were going to do some travelling with a backpack, what's the lightest, most packable safety razor I can find? Preferably, something that is currently on the market. I have a short handled travel razor, but it still has a bit of weight to it. Looking for something plastic, or something like that. Recommendations are appreciated.

I think that weight at that level is sort of negligible. What I would choose is a travel razor, like the Parker A1R. You can even replace the head by one of your liking, if you prefer a Merkur or Mühle.

 

[GR5233]

I would also recommend the aluminum tech. Really light weight

 

[drb1956]

OMG! With all the disposables on the market, pick one. All made of plastic, don't weigh anything. My fave for travel is the Gillette Sensor 2.

 

[Touchedubois]

Yup, also known as the Merkur Bakelite or Merkur 45

14 grams

I used that one as a regular razor for many years. It work great. Also comes with a traveling case. Cheap durable and extremely lightweight.