Fusion VS Proglide

Gillette Fusion VS Gillette Fusion Proglide

When I started shaving, I used a Gillette Mach 3.  When Shick came out with their Quattro I tried that.  Much to my dismay, the Shick Quattro had way too much blade resistance, and it made for a very uncomfortable shave, full of tugging and swearing.

My opinion was that anything with more than three blades created too much resistance for the shave to be comfortable.  However, after receiving a free Gillette Fusion in the mail, I decided to give it a try.  To my amazement, it was a perfectly smooth shave, and impossibly close.  So when I was told about the latest incarnation of the Gillette Fusion, the Gillette Fusion Proglide, I was skeptical.

Proglide Design:
Blades - The packaging said the blades were thinner than the regular Fusion's.  I looked and it was difficult to see, comparing the Fusion blades to the Proglide's.  I could tell there was more space between the blades when looking head-on to the blades, but looking from the top down on the shaving cartridge, there was no visible difference.  Also, the trimmer blade area has been redesigned to feature some 'hair guides.'  They also made some changes to the strips on the cartridge.  The moisturizing strip is slightly larger on the Proglide, and the lead strip on the Proglide is smaller than the Fusion.
Handle - The handle is almost the same size as the Fusion's handle.  The major difference is that the Proglide handle is slightly bulkier, with a lot more texture to it.  This means that it is far easier to grip and control, especially when wet.
Color - The black and blue is more appealing to me than the orange of blue of the Fusion.  But that's simply a personal preference.
Case - The case that it comes in is the same case as the Fusion, only with a different insert which says, "Gillette Fusion Proglide."

Proglide Performance:
The first thing I noticed with the Proglide was how little resistance there was.  I thought the Fusion was a smooth shave, but the Proglide really does just glide across your face.  It doesn't catch on any hairs or tug on any hairs.  The second thing I noticed was how much control I had over the handle, and how secure it felt in my hand.  The third thing I noticed was how well the trimmer blade works.  With the Fusion, I tried the trimmer blade a few times and always ended up with an uneven cut and then the hair would get stuck in the trimmer blade.  The redesigned trimmer blade has grooves to guide the hair, which makes a nice, clean cut, and it is opened up a bit so that running water will clean all the hair out of it.  I was duly impressed with the Proglide's shave.

Verdict:
If you look strictly at the end result, both razors will give you a close, comfortable shave.  If you look beyond that, the Proglide offers a better handle, better blade design, and a much smoother shave.  The good thing is that if you love your Fusion handle, you can use Proglide blades on it, or if you love your Fusion blades but want the Proglide handle, the Fusion blades will fit on that too.  Ultimately, the Proglide isn't worth the extra money if you're happy with the razor you have.  However, if you have the extra dollar to spend on razorblades, the Proglide is by far the best manual razor money can buy.

© Nate Phillipps 2010