I wasn’t brought up in the jungle with Mowgli. I was brought up in an urban environment with impeccibly dressed men in suits, makeup as a necessity, dainty ladies, Dame Edna, George Clooney – you know the types. It has been ingrained into my psyche that I must look respectable, and in return, can expect respect from others because of it.

As a cyclist, having hair-free legs has been part of my lifestyle for a long time. I have benefited from this on many occasions, such as when dressing messy leg wounds or getting a massage. With these practicalities in mind, hairless legs for cyclists are definitely more about the look. You tan better, feel faster and show better muscle definition. Plus, there is no hair bunching out from your knicks! Most importantly though, it is a cyclists way to identify with other cyclists and feel part of the club.

I have let the beard go a few times, but never for more than two months. It gets thick and uncomfortable, however more to my disgust, my beard is not the swarve exemplary beard found above, but instead a multi-shaded covering – it has red and grey in it. I do love red-heads and maturing wirey grey hairs as much as the next guy, but surely I am young and rock the brown hair, fall in line, damn it beard! I have been rocking the designer stubble for a while now. I shaved once since, but my skin is a bit sensitive and I felt like a little boy.

Ok, so you now know more about the metrosexual me than I do. Let’s talk about the bodygroom/shaving device.

Model: Philips Norelco QG3280/41 Multigroom Pro
Weight: 225g including the charger/bag/attachments that I use on tour
Size: Multigroom device (L 15cm x W 3cm), Pouch with attachments/charger (L 17cm x W 10cm x H 5cm)
Cost: $139 AUD

The Philips Multigroom Pro comes with a bunch of attachments for body, hair, beard, moustache, nose, ears, and eyebrows. It is a cordless model which makes for simple use, it’s very light at 225g (including the charger/bag/attachments that I bring on tour) and thanks to a lithium ion battery, boasts a 50minute run time and quick charge time of one hour! All of this is stored in a little pouch which, although not very protective of the plastic parts, is light. If it is for home use, a docking station holds everything neatly for you.

The multigroom can cut my hair, shave my beard, trim my body hair and shave my legs. It reduces haircutting costs throughout the more expensive parts of the world, reduces spending (although minor) on razors and shave cream, but most importantly allows me to be metrosexual in the deserts of the Middle East and the jungles of Asia. The metal razors on the attachments are of a high quality as they seem to cut my thick hair without jamming, pulling or pinching.

The beard, hair and body combs are adjustable in length from 2-19mm – this is done by pushing a button on the back of the multigroom device, which allows you to slide the comb up or down to the desired length. The device shows you the length number you are cutting to on the back, which makes it easy to be consistent. This system isn’t the most secure way to hold the combs, and if you are rough or rushed with the combs they can slip to shorter lengths. I recommend being gentle and clearing hair out of the combs as regularly as possible. Also, look out for the release button when you are holding it – you don’t want it to slip accidenly from holding the device in the wrong spot.

The battery life and charging is superb! I consistently get the 50 minutes of use and a quick-as charge time from empty to full of one hour. An LED light displays how much charge the device has by changing from green to orange. Interestingly, you cannot use the device when it is plugged into the wall, which for me is not a major problem as I am aware of this fact. A 10 minute charge is often enough to do a quick beard trim or shave.

The multigroom is water resistant, allowing you to be able to take it into a shower if desired. The advantage of cutting hair in the shower is that is often easy to clean up. I haven’t used it in this particular location yet.

I have had an issue with the body shaver getting clogged with hair and damaging the mesh panel on the front of the attachment. I took it into the Shaver Shop where it was purchased, who suggested that the hair it was shaving might have been too long for the attachment. Correct use of the Multigroom would see me trim hair as far as possible before shaving. Upon reflection, I remember loaning it to someone with hairy legs who wouldn’t have trimmed the hair before shaving it, causing potential damage. Either way, the retail outlet replaced the part for free, and told me to oil it occasionally.

Pros:

+ Small and light
+ Powerful motor
+ Great for sensitive skin
+ 50 mins run time and one hour quick charge
+ Shaves, trims and cuts hair all over the body – a one stop shop
+ Wet/dry operation

Cons:

– You have to be careful with shaving hair that is too long
– You have to be gentle with the combs, as they can slip if you are forceful
– Attachments could be damaged quite easily in a pannier if you aren’t careful
– You cannot use the device when the battery is charging
– Reasonably pricey; but you get what you pay for!

Usage Recommendations:

– Trim hair to a minimum length before using the body shaver
– Clear the attachments from hair regularly, to reduce clogging
– Use shaver oil to keep the blades lubricated

Conclusion:

– An excellent product for when various forms of hair management are required.
– Great for both short and long tours.
– As a metrosexual, I couldn’t be happier with the Philips Multigroom Pro!