Your opinions on Schick Hydro 5 vs. Gillette Fusion Proglide

Discussion in 'Cartridge Razors' started by engrsaks, Sep 17, 2015.

  1. engrsaks

    engrsaks Well-Known Member

    Hello there,

    I hope you all are having a great day and enjoying your shaves, as always. I will keep this inquiry short and crisp.

    If you have shaved with both Shick/WS Hydro 5 and Gillette Fusion Proglide then :

    • How do you compare the shaving performance, comfort and mileage of the two razors?
    • If you are given the choice between these two razors only, which one will you pick for your daily shaves?
    • Are the blades of Schick hydro 5, spring mounted like Proglide (5 blades without springs will tear my face).
    I am interested in importing this razor from amazon USA, but I really wish to know if it is worth the hassle and price.

    Thank you

    Cheers!

    Saad
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2015
  2. Jerry-built Hustler

    Jerry-built Hustler Well-Known Member

    I haven't used the Hydro 5, but I do have the Hydro 3. There is some "play" in the blades, in that they're not completely fixed. They do move a little bit when pressed on. However, they don't have the linear, shock-absorber-like give you see on the spring-mounted blades in the post-Sensor Gillette carts. The Hydro blades almost give me the impression of being a bit loose, but I think that's intentional. I'm not sure whether that means the Hydro blades are spring-mounted or not, but my subjective impression is that Schick is trying to emulate Gillette's blade mount in a way that doesn't infringe the patent - in other words, they're a pale imitation, at least as far as mounting goes.

    I think the Hydro 3 shaves well enough, but overall I prefer Gillette's designs and engineering. As you know, however, I'm not a big fan of either the Proglide or the original Fusion.
     
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  3. mylesc1234

    mylesc1234 Active Member

    Before I made the switch to safety razors I used the hydro 5 and the fusion proglide. Those being the best 2 razors I had. I used the proglide for awhile and it would cut me or give me razor burn most of the time (not too bad but enough to annoy me) and I switched to the hydro 5 to see how it performed and I tell people to this day who are looking for a good cartridge razor to go with that one. It is the only cartridge I could use and not destroy my face. However the cost of blades alone was enough of a reason for me not to use them because both of those razors would always get hair trapped between the blades. But if I rated them I'd rate the proglide a 3.5 and the hydro 5 a 5
    Exluding the fact that hair gets trapped. Because that's all cartridges.
     
  4. engrsaks

    engrsaks Well-Known Member

    I'm sure that the hydro 5 and hydro 3 are pretty same. But, spring mounting blade technology came in 80's right? I'm sure that the patent restriction no longer hovers over Schick's head. Maybe Schick just can't "copy" Gillette because it is way too expensive to do so (remember the spot welding article I sent you?). After getting this information from you, I don't think there is any premium razor, where the blades are spring mounted (Bic flex 5, dorco pace 6 and 7 etc.).

    By the bye, the schick hydro cartridges are also not available in Pakistan, which is a huge disappointment for me . If a man like you (who is pretty observant) prefers Mach 3 over hydro 3, then with quite a good certainty, I can say that I won't like Hydro 5 any better.
     
  5. engrsaks

    engrsaks Well-Known Member

    I'm certain that it is a YMMV case. With Mach 3, I get good shaves but I also get razor burns and ingrowns if I shave everyday with it.
     
  6. mylesc1234

    mylesc1234 Active Member

    Yeah everyone's face is different. But I haven't known anyone who I've recommended the hydro 5 to that hasn't liked it. My girlfriend even uses it for her legs and loves it haha
     
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  7. engrsaks

    engrsaks Well-Known Member

    Hmmmm... yes, we can say its a good razor. But, as @Jerry-built Hustler said, the blades feel loose rather than mounted on a responsive spring. Without this spring blade technology, any razor beyond twin blades, causes skin problem for me. Still, I am somewhat inclined on testing and thoroughly reviewing this razor :). But, its still not worth the hassle for importing.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2015
    LevelupShaves likes this.
  8. mylesc1234

    mylesc1234 Active Member

    Anything below 3 blades irritates my skin so it is all personal preference.
     
  9. RaZorBurn123

    RaZorBurn123 waiting hardily...............

    I've never tried either one of the above mentioned :( when I used cartridge razors they were always Bic or some other two blade.
     
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  10. Jerry-built Hustler

    Jerry-built Hustler Well-Known Member

    I did say they appear a bit loose, but I meant that they appear that way when pressed on. I didn't mean that they're rattling around in the cartridge. The Hydro does seem like a well-made head, and it shaves well. I just can't figure out how the blades are intended to respond to pressure. From the back of the cartridge, the mounting looks quite similar to a Mach3, but the blades themselves don't move like a Mach3.

    What's important, though, is how it shaves. Based on what I remember when using it*, I can't tell that the mounting results in any ill effects when shaving. Nor do I feel like my face is being torn up by the blades for lack of a spring-mounted system. I just happen to prefer the feel of a Mach3 to a Hydro, but as Mylesc points out, the Hydro gets generally good responses from the people who have used it. It would certainly be worth trying if you had easy access to one. Whether it's worth the trouble to import is something else again.

    *I haven't used the Hydro in a while, so my comments on how it shaves are based on memory. The next time I use my Mach3, I'll use the Hydro 3 next to it and see how they compare. We'll see if my perspective changes any.
     
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  11. engrsaks

    engrsaks Well-Known Member

    I'll be very pleased to have your thorough review on this razor, Mr. Nathan. :)
     
  12. Justin Linker

    Justin Linker Wetshaving belieber

    I prefer the Hydro 5. In fact, it's my favorite cartridge razor. I do like the Proglide especially the look of it and the flip trimmer better than the Hydro. But for me, Schick blades have always been more comfy for my taste.
     
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  13. Jerry-built Hustler

    Jerry-built Hustler Well-Known Member

    I finally had a chance to compare the Hydro 3 (H3) side-by-side with the Mach3 (M3). The short version: I still like the M3 better…quite a bit better, in fact. For the reasons why, keep reading.

    I used the M3 on an Art of Shaving engraved nickel handle, with a brass core. I used the H3 on a “stock” Axe-brand handle* (nla). It may not have been fair to the H3 to compare it with an M3 on such a superior handle, but imo, it’s a “real world” scenario: I always use cartridges on the best handles I have. The M3 on AoS handle is how I use it. I’m not aware of any good aftermarket Hydro handles, so the stock handles are about as good as it’s going to get.

    The difference in handles was noticeable immediately. The H3 handle, while ergonomic and comfortable to hold, was much lighter, giving the razor a less substantial feel. The weight of the brass AoS handle really made the M3 feel more substantial on my face. Again, the differences in handles might not reflect differences in the quality of the cartridges, but the fact that I can’t get a nicer handle for the H3 is a strike against it, per my own preferences.

    I had several days’ worth of stubble, so the carts had their work cut out for them. I lathered up some DRH sandalwood shaving soap, and went to work. I started with the M3, doing a full pass on the right side of my face, then used the H3 on the left. The M3 mowed down the stubble easily and efficiently. The H3 was noticeably less efficient, and it took quite a bit more work to get through the growth. Also, the H3 *seemed* less efficient at sweeping away the soap lather, such that sometimes it would glide over the lather and hair, rather than cutting through it.

    However, after rinsing between passes, I realized what was really going on. The lubricating reservoir on the H3 leaves a lot of residue behind. While the residue is quite slick, when it combines with the soap, it creates almost a sort of slurry – a layer that the razor has a hard time clearing. This layer actually gets between the blades and the hair, such that the razor doesn’t work as efficiently. The H3 might not have this problem if I were to use a lighter type of cream, foam or gel, but I like my brush soaps and creams, and am not going to change them to accommodate the razor. The M3 doesn’t have this problem.

    The second pass showed similar results. The shaved skin really let me see how the residue left by the H3 accumulated, leaving long strings when I would pull the razor away from my face. Also, for some reason, I noticed a lot of dripping down my arm while I was using it. I’m not sure why. None of these problems were issues with the M3.

    Overall comfort of the H3 was fine. I didn’t notice any issues with the blades feeling rough for lack of spring mounts. In fact, there were times I could barely feel the blades at all, although that may have been when they weren’t actually cutting the hair due to the “slurry” effect of the lube. The one area where discomfort might have been a slight issue was when I had to press a bit harder, or go over areas multiple times, due to the relative inefficiency of the design, which may have made it a little more irritating in places. But for the most part, I would say the H3 is a comfortable razor to use, although not any more comfortable than the M3, and possibly a bit less.

    When it was all done, the shaves by both razors were pretty comparable. I just felt like I was using a better-designed instrument with the M3. It plowed through my stubble with minimal fuss, and got the job done comfortably and efficiently. The H3 felt like it took more work, and I just didn't find its use pleasant. I understand the model has its fans. Whether I would become one with continued use, I don't know, but right now I don't count myself among them.


    *The Axe handle appears to be identical to standard Schick Hydro handles, except for logo and color scheme.
     
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  14. engrsaks

    engrsaks Well-Known Member

    Wow, just wow. I am super thankful to you for especially carrying out this comparison experiment for this thread. Plus, such a detailed review takes time to compose. I can safely say this now, Hydro 5 is not worth the hassle. Even if I end up liking Hydro 5, the requirement to import refills repeatedly is a big deal breaker.

    Once again, thank you so much. :smiley respect:

    Edit: Your review also explained why Hydro 5 was able to beat fusion (2005-06) in the beginning but Proglide (2010) immediately took the top title back even though it is more expensive than Hydro 5.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2015
  15. Sabre

    Sabre Well-Known Member

    Saad, the Hydro 3/5 were launched in 2010, the same year as the ProGlide. The Schick Quattro released in 2003 and Quattro Titanium - 2006 competed against the Fusion from 2005 to 2010.
     
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  16. engrsaks

    engrsaks Well-Known Member

    Yes I understand. You are quite true. But, when Hydro 5 was released, proglide wasn't around right? At first, the Hydro 5 was directly in competition with fusion only. But then, Proglide came in (after few months) as a reply from Gillette to the blow delivered by Hydro 5 on fusion.

    Edit: I don't remember but in some article I read that Proglide was specifically designed as a reply from Gillette to Hyrdo 5.
     
  17. Sabre

    Sabre Well-Known Member

    They spend years developing products, they may rush a launch date when they hear a competitor is releasing something but they cannot launch a product immediately to compete with another product.
     
  18. Sabre

    Sabre Well-Known Member

    It will be interesting what Edgewell develops next? The Quattro 5 in Japan was a re-branded Personna. The Hydro range is quite comprehensive standard/sensitive/disposable/power/groomer. Gillette & KoS/Kai have both launched body razors ...
     
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  19. engrsaks

    engrsaks Well-Known Member

    Hmm... that does make a lot of sense. I am quite sure that I've been wrong on the background story. But, my real intention here was to say that Hydro 5 had a good deal of success initially when it was compared with Fusion only. After a couple of months, when proglide came in, Gillette claimed back the throne.
     
  20. engrsaks

    engrsaks Well-Known Member

    I have to admit that I am getting impatient. I can't quite understand why edgewell is still not releasing any razor/handle as a reply to Gillette's flexball.

    Edit: Is personna caliber 5, an equivalent of quattro 5?
     

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