anyone else feel that

synthetic brushes made today are just superior to badger and boar brushes? Synthetics are soft, they rarely shed, they don't smell, they dry faster than boar and badgers and you don't have to soak them for numerous minutes like boars. That is not to say that boar and badger brushes are not worth it and not worth buying. I just think synthetics are just a better deal.

I believe that you can't improve on perfection; while man-made objects may hold a candle to the original, it's just not the same.

I am in the camp of the OP, but YMMV.

Synthetic (almost) all the way for me!

My $10 Plissoft has replaced all my best badgers and boars. Don't think I will ever go back to another expensive badger but I do still enjoy a boar from time to time.

Synthetics?

I like 'em fine. True. They rarely shed, they don't need as much soaking and certainly dry faster. These are great characteristics.

Some natural fiber brushes do smell, but only before use. They also rarely shed if treated well. They dry fast enough. They may splay a little or a lot, but they splay 'naturally'. They are not as soft, but they are 'naturally' soft. Opinions will vary even more here, but my experience has revealed that no brush produces a more 'luxurious' lather than a good badger brush.

Synthetic brushes. I like 'em fine.

They are superior. And people tend to be like "YMMV", but is not really the case, as long as you can find some quantifiable qualities are comparable between the brushes. As you mentioned, not shedding, no funk, no soaking, faster loading, faster lather building, less drying time, they are softer, they can have softness+backbone or no backbone, are all objective qualities.
The "YMMV" might come into play when you're talking about subjective qualities. You might like the feeling on a specific brush, you might like the whole process of breaking up a boar brush. But those qualities shouldn't dictate what brush is better, but the one that you enjoy more.

Not for me. But I do have a nice WD synthetic I use for travel. At home it never sees the light of day.

shupey said:

My $10 Plissoft has replaced all my best badgers and boars. Don't think I will ever go back to another expensive badger but I do still enjoy a boar from time to time.

Click to expand...

I have 5 synthetics. One boar that I bought not too long ago. The omega pro 49. It's a good shave brush no doubt, but I have no desire to buy another boar. When I see a new synthetic brush out, I wanna buy it. That is how good I think synthetics are.

I have to also agree with the OP. I had a nice boar that I will use from time to time but my synthetic Wolf Whisker is just to good to not use.

I disagree. I find that while synthetic brushes are nice, they have only one advantage over natural (boar, horse, or badger) brushes; they dry quicker which is great for travel kits.

None of my natural hair brushes had nay smell / funk to them. I find no difference in loading times nor in lather building. Shedding has been only a few hairs at the beginning so it is not a issues for me. Softer yes, but to me that is not a bonus.

Brushes (like all shaving related items) are YMMV and for me the “objective” qualities put the natural brushes ahead of the synthetics.

I like them, but they aren't better in every way. They use less product and are soft and efficient and inexpensive. Objectively, they are the worst brushes for retaining heat. I can feel the lather in a synthetic getting cooler in the very first pass compared to when I use a badger (best heat retention) or a boar (in between). Also, less objectively, there's just something special about the feeling and experience of using a natural hair/bristle. That specialness is not present in synthetics. That said, I still use synthetics also. Badgers are generally my go-to brushes, though.

Glad you like synthetics! For me, the answer is natural hair, usually badger. Whatever works!

I think today's synthetics have improved a lot over years ago, but I do think they are superior to natural brushes. I have several synthetics and prefer my badgers, boars and horse hair brushes.

Im the other way around. I think that while synthetics have some advantages, overall natural brushes build a better lather and have a softer feel on the face.
I really want to like synthetics. I hate how badger hare is harvested and Id like to support synthetic brushes but the ones Ive tried werent great.
Maybe I just need to go all out and buy an expensive synthetic.

My synthetic brush has only been used 3x in the year I've had it and will not see a 4th. Only badger for me.

Totally YMMV! For me it is natural hair, mainly badger with an occasional boar.

I feel that it's keeping to the tradition of wet shaving to use a badger...what would Grandpa do?

I like synthetic brushes when I use them, but seem to choose a badger brush about 98% of the time. I am not totally sure what it is about badger that I prefer synthetic brushes are certainly at least as soft (maybe softer), they are great at generating a lather, and they dry a lot quicker for sure... But I still don't like them as much as badger, I think there is something about the way the hairs move when I paint the lather on my face. This is a small problem for me as I have decided not to purchase anything from China and that is where almost if not all of the badger hair comes from.

All the important points about synthetics have been touched on but one: In my experience synthetics release lather better than many natural fibers. I find there are few experiences that match my top-level silver tip badger, but though the feel on the face is extraordinarily luxurious, I have to struggle to get the lather on the surface of my skin a bit. Synthetics let it go more readily. Clean-up is a big factor for me too.

For the record, my favorite brush of all time is a Japanese 50/50 synthetic and "water badger" (which is a variety of mongoose). I don't know if there are synthetic/natural mixes among Western brushes, but the combination rules.

DGI