SMF

Those are helpful observations, Greenhouse. Mine are that the Hydro is in no way suited to a shaving connoisseur. If you use the beard reduction method with multiple passes in various directions (WTG, XTG, ATG, N-S and S-N), the razor doesn't cooperate. In particular, it dislikes upside-down (south to north) strokes, during which it refuses to engage the whiskers. It hydroplanes over patches of skin. I can get a pretty good shave with it, but not a BBS as I can with the Fusion. It will probably be successful, however, since the average guy out there just wants a quick, decent, comfortable, single-pass shave.

I agree, 95. A practiced DE user can do much better, and enjoy the shave in the process. The mass-market manufacturers - Schick, Gillette, et. al. - seem intent on minimizing the experience of shaving, often at the expense of the final result. As you said, it will probably sell well because most men don't find any enjoyment in the ritual of shaving; they view it only as a necessary evil.

- Greenhouse.

I can go across the grain on my face and I get a very nice result, as long as I continue to rinse. I cannot try against the grain with DE or anything else though.

Has anyone figured out if the same Hydro handle can take both the 3- and 5-bladed cartridges?

- Mike

Here's something odd - Schick's website (shaving.com) doesn't mention the Hydro at all.

Try this:

http://www.schickhydro.com

I started this thread by mentioning schickhydro.com, but I was surprised to find the Hydro not mentioned at all on the website that lists all the Schick razors available in different countries.

Right you are, Pauldog. I forgot you started this thread with that link. I assume they just haven't had time to update their principal website.

So are you going to buy a Hydro? I should have saved myself the money, but as one of the few cartridge people here, I felt I had the respomsibilty to test it.

I would take advantage of the Walgreens deal, except for the goop. That makes it not worth it to me. The only thing I'm curious about is whether the 3-blade and 5-blade cartridges work in both handles. I think it's very likely.

Pauldog, the handles are indeed the same. I purchased both the Hydro 3 and 5 to try out. My wife loves the Hydro 3 for shaving her legs. I found the Hydro 5 to give a close shave, much like a Fusion, but it caused some pretty mean razor rash on my neck, also like the Fusion. I used it daily for four days. Overall, if you use a Mach 3 or Fusion on a daily basis and like them, you may very well love the Hydro series. They're also less expensive. I simply cannot use any of the cartridge razors available without getting severe irritation. DE for me.

Can any regular users comment now on how many shaves they are getting out of each blade?

Fido wrote:Can any regular users comment now on how many shaves they are getting out of each blade?

Fido,

That is an open ended question. Blade usage is a YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary). Depending on the individual's skin, beard texture, razor/blade combo, and number of passes (among other things), he may get from 1 to 101 shaves out of a razor blade. Just a SWAG (Scientific Wild Ass Guess) most average 1-5 shaves with a blade. But, that is a SWAG and not reliable.

Just enjoy your shave as best you can.

I didn't like the Hydro enough to use it more than two or three times, but I'd expect a cartridge to last about a week. That has been the case since I started using cartridge razors almost 40 years ago. I change my Fusion ProGlide weekly. On the other hand, our colleague notthesharpest has said he gets 20 shaves from a Fusion cartridge.