Review (3/5): Nice look; feels pretty solid; but average in performance & value
This is a “dressed up” version of the Wahl “LifeProof” shaver (which I also reviewed). It has a more upscale look and feel to it, plus adds a battery gauge to show the charge level. However, the shave quality is the same – OK, but not a standout.
The case feels more solid than the LifeProof and, while it’s more of a traditional look, I think they did a nice job with the overall aesthetics. It is pretty grippy even with wet hands. It does not, however, feel as comfortable to hold as the more sculpted models such as most of the Panasonic shavers and some Braun shavers.
The shave quality of this model is identical to that of the LifeProof: very Remington in how it feels (close, but rather aggressive). Performance is best on the easy spots (cheek) but not as good on the more trickier spots (neck and jawline). The flex head helps with dealing with face contours but it lacks enough travel to do an excellent quality job.
The aggressiveness of the shave is dialed down when using it wet. It needs a very, very thin layer of shave cream (the gel style creams work well) or the head gets bogged down.
Love the trimmer! The positioning could be improved to make it easier to use, but it cuts very cleanly on sideburns and ‘shash trimming.
The controls are clean, easy to read and tell you all you need to know (charge and battery status).
I like the feel of this better than the Wahl LifeProof, but the shave quality keeps this at the same rating (average, which is 3 stars). It’s a very workable shaver, but for the price there are better choices available from Panasonic (anything in their Arc line) or, for less money, from Remington.