Is the Simpsons Rover in Best Badger a good representation of Simpsons Best Badger?

**cvac** · 04-16-2012, 09:24 AM

I have a Rover in Best Badger. Over several uses I've grown quite fond of the brush, even though it's not *quite* as soft as my Silvertips, the hair is soft and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. It seems to have actually softened up a little bit though that could just be the knot fully blooming as the brush "breaks in".

What I want to know is, are other models in Best going to feel like this one? Nice and soft, without significant scritch or prickliness? Or is it all luck of the draw? Based on what I have read about Simpsons brushes on here, I'm inclined to believe the latter, but I wanted to get some thoughts on this anyway.

Please keep in mind for this thread that I want to keep the discussion to Simpsons Best hair and people who actually own the Rover in Best and other Simpsons brushes with Best grade hair.

Thanks.

**beginish** · 04-16-2012, 10:14 AM

My Simpsons in Best from Softest to Skritchiest:

1. Rover LE
2. Milk Churn
3. 57
4. B&B Eagle G3
5. Harvard 4
6. Classic 1
7. Wee Scot
8. Duke 3

**cvac** · 04-16-2012, 10:24 AM

Interesting. Do you find that the scritchier brushes have clipped end, sharp black hairs in them? I don't really see those in my Rover, but I know that some brush companies put those sharp hairs in their midgrade badger brushes.

Originally Posted by beginish

My Simpsons in Best from Softest to Skritchiest:

1. Rover LE
2. Milk Churn
3. 57
4. B&B Eagle G3
5. Harvard 4
6. Classic 1
7. Wee Scot
8. Duke 3

**Marco** · 04-16-2012, 11:08 AM

I currently have 9 Simpson brushes and 7 of them are in Best, which I really love. The Simpsons Best offers the perfect balance of backbone and soft tips and is a true "lathering machine". Simpson's Best represents, in my opinion, the finest grade of hair possible, regardless of price.

**beginish** · 04-16-2012, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by cvac

Interesting. Do you find that the scritchier brushes have clipped end, sharp black hairs in them? I don't really see those in my Rover, but I know that some brush companies put those sharp hairs in their midgrade badger brushes.

My trials and tribulations with the Duke 3 are well documented, but I don't think the hairs are clipped. In fact, I don't believe Simpson clips the hairs in its knots.

**LeftyT** · 04-16-2012, 03:49 PM

I only have one Simpson's, a Wee Scot, and it is the perfect balance of slight scratch, paired with nice soft splay. While it's dense, it gives up lather fairly easily. Long story short, I absolutely love the brush. So, in my opinion, you will not be disappointed with Simpson's best.

**CHSeifert** · 04-16-2012, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by Marco

I currently have 9 Simpson brushes and 7 of them are in Best, which I really love. The Simpsons Best offers the perfect balance of backbone and soft tips and is a true "lathering machine". Simpson's Best represents, in my opinion, the finest grade of hair possible, regardless of price.

Marco, I'm about to buy The Duke 2 in 2 Band and The Duke 3 in 2 Band. Already have them in Best and enjoy the best but the grass is always greener in the other side of the fence as you know :)

Would you recommend against the 2 Bands - will use all my Dukes for one and one thing ONLY : FACE LATHERING soft and hard creams (not soaps)

**njpaddy** · 04-16-2012, 06:03 PM

I've had 8 Simpsons (Rover, 56, Special, Berkeley, Duke 1, Duke 2, Colonel and Wee Scot) in Best. Each knot felt different depending on size and density. Some have scritch (Berkeley, Duke), some were soft (56, Special) and some had more backbone than others. The Rover is by far my favorite. I didn't love the Rover out of the box. Prior to the Rover I was using smaller brushes, so initially the Rover felt like I was lathering with a fist. The Rover did soften up and now I find the Rover as soft as my Rooney 3/1 Super, but with more backbone. For a time the Rover was my designated hard soap brush, but now I also enjoy using it with creams.

**lt114** · 04-16-2012, 06:17 PM

My Colonel is softer. It has zero scritch. The Berkeley and Duke 3 I have both have a bit more scritch than the Rover.

**cvac** · 04-16-2012, 06:20 PM

Hmm. Seems like the Rover might hard to top.

The brushes I'm looking at are the PJ3, the 58/59, and the Colonel. I wouldn't want any of them though if they are gonna be scritchy. Too spoiled by the Rover and other soft tipped brushes and like I said, my skin is fairly sensitive.

The Duke 3 also looks great though I might go with the 2-band version if I decide to get a Duke, assuming the 2-band becomes available again.

Whatever I get, I probably won't get for almost another month.

**shanman** · 04-16-2012, 06:45 PM

My Rover LE in Best and my Berkeley in Best are pretty much the same to me in regards to softness without any tangible scritch and nice backbone. My Somerset Rover 1 in pure is even softer. Go figure.

**Marco** · 04-17-2012, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by CHSeifert

Marco, I'm about to buy The Duke 2 in 2 Band and The Duke 3 in 2 Band. Already have them in Best and enjoy the best but the grass is always greener in the other side of the fence as you know :)

Would you recommend against the 2 Bands - will use all my Dukes for one and one thing ONLY : FACE LATHERING soft and hard creams (not soaps)

Claus, quite honestly, I do not like the Super 2 band. It certainly has very soft tips, but also too much backbone for my taste and does not bloom as well as the Super 3 band or Best. If you like the Best and are only looking for luxuriously soft tips, I'd go with the Super 3 band.

**cvac** · 04-17-2012, 05:03 PM

Any other opinions on the Rover vs. other Simpsons brushes in best, or the specific brushes I mentioned as possible candidates?

**Crixus** · 04-17-2012, 07:20 PM

I don't have a Rover, so can't help you there. But I've owned at least a half dozen of the lower end Simpson brushes in best badger and find it to be quality hair. That said, I've read thousands of posts over the last couple years and there does not seem to be a "scritchiness consistency" from one modestly priced Simpson best knot to the next.

I have gotten into confounding discussions on here with members when I say my Berkeley has a tiny bit of scritch but the identically sized knot in my Commodore had zero scritch. They will say no, they find their Commodore scritchy but their Berkeley pillow soft. I had my first shave with a new Duke 1 tonight and it was not scritchy--it's beautiful but it's more like a glorified Berkeley than how I hear the guys with bigger Dukes describe theirs as being scritchy. They Duke 2 and 3 may be packed more densely than the Duke 1.

**Piper Down** · 04-18-2012, 07:48 AM

I had a Rover and found it far too stiff for my tastes. I also really disliked the handle as I found it difficult to grip. Not a great brush for bowl lathering, I learned. I was really disappointed in it and sold it.

I now have a 57 and find it much softer.

That's just my experience and it may be due to my increased ability to discriminate between brushes. My Rover was my second Simpsons and my first brush in best.