I’ve mentioned my Omega 50014 before, but now that I used it a bit more I feel I can expand a bit on my first impressions of this travel brush.

Now that it’s properly broken in it’s gotten to be very soft, almost silky on the tips. It still retains more than enough backbone to get the lather down into my stubble, but I feel myself halfway wishing it had a tad more scritch… just a tad though. It’s wonderful for whipping up lather on my face, and works just as well in a bowl of that’s your preference while traveling – personally I tend to use a bowl at home and facelather while on the Go, but YMMV and all that; the brush works well both ways.

I do like the fact that you for all practical purposes can choose to have a small or a large handle with this brush; it adds to the flexibility and utility, and should be a boon for those who sometimes suffers from sore and stiff fingers.

The downside of this as a travel brush is that it takes a while to dry – something it shares with all non-synthetic brushes. This means that for me it’s a brush to use while going somewhere for staying in one spot… not for when I travel on the Go and don’t always know where (or if) I’ll get to shave the next morning. It does mean I keep two travel brushes on hand, but it’s a very small price to pay for what I get in return; a bit of luxury away from home.

Bottom line? If you like boar, need a travel brush and can live with a brush you have to let dry for a bit… go get a Omega 50014 – it’s well worth the rather reasonable price asked.

Sometimes I’m on the Go, with the GoBag, other times I travel more leisurely and can bring more and other shave gear. It is for the later I invested in a Omega 50014 travel brush.

Being a travel brush, the 50014 comes with a tube to protect it while in on the go. The tube can also double as the handle while using the brush, but if you don’t mind a slightly undersized handle you can just put it aside and not worry about it – I don’t use the tube as a handle, since I tend to face lather when not at home (at home I’m a dyed-in-the-wool bowl latherer…)

I broke the brush in soon after getting it as per what seems to the recommended way; whipping up lather in my hand, then rinse and repeat. Letting it dry and then doing again a few times broke it in nicely, leaving me with a brush that is soft with plenty of backbone and just enough scritch for my tastes. Once broken in it behaves as a shaving brush should – ie.: it makes lather out of shaving creams and soaps, and helps you put the result on your face… in a most enjoyable way, off course.

The brush is a little on the small side, but that’s not really an issue when face lathering – it still holds plenty enough for two passes and then some. Overall I’m quite satisfied with the Omega 50014 so far. If you’re looking for a travel brush and don’t mind it drying slower than a synth would, I suggest getting one of these.