I take my Arko stick, which I pressed into an after market push up tube with me whenever I travel. When it's used up, I will replace it with another brand. No further Arko purchases for me. Good performer, unattractive scent.
I use TSD Iced Barber Shop and Palmolice Shave sticks when I travel. They are easy to carry and make lathering fast simple.
IMHO, all your sticks are good in their own way. I've had them all. Valobra is my current go-to and might I say the SAD killer for me. Maybe not, but I find it to be a notch above everything else I've tried. Takes slightly longer to get the lather the way I like it, but quite rewarding in the end!
The ONE thing that usually disapppoints me WRT sticks is that most of them don't have annawesome push-up case like the Tabac stick, which makes it easier to take on the road.
I use Arko just about every day, but never as a stick. However, recently I acquired a stick of Palmolive right before a small trip, so for a few days that's all that I used. It's a hard soap, so you really have to rub it on your face for awhile if you expect to get a decent lather (I'll be rubbing Arko on as a stick is a far different story).
I used a Speick stick this morning and it's great. Very close to Arko as far as performance but has a scent more people would probably like. Tabac stick is also top notch.
I've got an Ogallala shave stick in my travel kit for convenience. It does a great job, but I just don't enjoy the experience as much as conventional lathering at home.
I don't like rubbing the stick on my face, so I quite using sticks. But, that being said, Palmolive is one of the smoothest feeling soaps I have ever used.
Not a big fan of rubbing the sticks on my face for a multiple pass shave. Making it work with a TSD stick but my Arko I mash into a mug.
I have all of yours shown plus a TSD Oak Moss stick. I gave the ARKO away in a PIF. I also like all of them. You might look at the twist up containers for West Coast Shaving.
Ive only got one (Ogalalla bay rum) and it is great for face lathering. Part of the reason I've switched to face lathering most of the time now.
I have a tabac stick that performs and smells fantastic. When I first used it I found it clogged up in the stubble a bit and needed a lot of working with the brush, thus resulting in a bit of brush burn and discomfort. So it sat on the shelf for a while, until I received a lovely silvertip for Christmas. The softness allowed me to work the soap more and the result was a fantastic shave. I don't break it out too often. But after this thread it will get a run out in the morning.
I too am a recent convert to tsd subzero shave stick. Love her fragrances! Wife and daughter approved as well. I noticed I had to change how much water I used from a bowl lathering. I needed much wetter brush. But overall it's nice but not a replacement for puck and bowl lathering. Two thumbs up for tsd soap sticks/soaps in general.
Glad to hear the TSD soaps are good! I like the stick idea cause I love my Arko and did think about it but ended up going with the bowls. I just placed my order in for a couple of them to tryout and thanks to the PIF, I get to try them for less. I decided to try the Iced Subzero and the Sensitive in bowls and a sample of the Signature blend one. Hope I like them!
