The New Gillette Flexball - the Best a Man Can Get? | Be An Athlete Fitness, Fashion and Lifestyle Blog

In 1998, Gillette gave us the hugely successful Mach 3 razor; a three blade behemoth that revolutionised the shaving world. It was a tough act to follow, but rather than roll out a predictable four blade spin-off, in 2006 Gillette defied all convention by releasing the Fusion - FIVE blades. It was a radical move, and now Gillette have gone and done it again...

Over the years, there have of course been several innovations other than just an additional blade every now and then. There was the Lubrastrip, promising a zero redness shave; the Microfins, to smooth down the skin; the AntiFriction blade-coating for a smoother glide; the Microcomb, which helped guide hair to its untimely death; and then the precision trimmer, for when you needed to get deep, down and dirty with your designer stubble. But the latest, and possibly most interesting modification to have rolled out of the Gillette HQ to date, is the new FlexBall.

Joe Hart, the extremely smooth face of Gillette, is certainly a man who knows his balls

When the Dyson 'Ball' was released a few years ago, it transformed the art of hoovering in homes across the country. All of a sudden, you had a newfound sense of control when careering your vacuum cleaner in and around those chair legs under the table. You could finally follow the contours of your sofa with the greatest of ease, and duck and dive in-between the legs of that individual who is always in the way. In a word, it was liberating, and now that same sense of freedom can be experience every morning during your daily shaving routine.

The Gillette Fusion Proglide ‘FlexBall’ introduces a similar design feature into the head of its razor. As such, the blade is free to react and adjust its positioning in accordance to the contours of your face. It works surprisingly well, and unlike some of the brand's other patented aspects, you'll more than likely notice the absence of the ball when using different models in the future. Gillette has suggested that the FlexBall means men will no longer need to contort that ‘shaving face,’ and while this proved a worthwhile muscle exercise each morning, anything that makes that first hour of the day easier has got to be worthwhile, right?

Dyson inspired? Unfortunately we continue to wait for a razor that actually vacuums up the stubble...

According to grooming officials, the country has officially reached 'Peak Beard,' basically meaning that we're past the point where beards are still considered de rigeur. As such, it would seem Gillette have timed this latest release perfectly, as the hirsute among go to blow a thick layer of dust off their now obsolete razors, and realise it's not quite up to the job!

Check out the official home of the FlexBall here, and let us know what you think about it in the comment bow below; do Gillette need to take one on the chin, or are they onto a...roll? Puns aside, if you really want to look sharp following your new shaving routine, check out the Be An Athlete luxury Polo Shirts, available in black and blue (that's black and blue, not, dare we say it, white and gold...!)