go,go, gadget go-comb!

It’s easier said than done to design something simple, functional and stylish.

The go-comb (www.go-comb.com) meets these criteria while delivering a reasonably priced solution that’s so low tech it makes me giddy.  This is a really cool product, and I recommend it enthusiastically.

One disclaimer – I’ve mostly been a brush guy for my adult grooming life.  In the old days of my classic Ivy League side part haircuts, brushes just worked better than combs did at sweeping my hair to one side.  These days I use grooming clay for a Caesar style, a “messy casual” look or a spiky style – if I’m in that Boy Band kind of mood.  Before applying the product, though, I brush my hair straight down to prepare to work in the clay.  The go-comb actually does a better job at this step of the coiffing process than my trusty brush does.

The go-comb, brainchild of Brooklyn-based designer Heather Burkman, has received well-deserved press for several reasons.  First and foremost, it’s compact.  The go-comb is 3¼” long and just under 2” wide.  So it really does fit into your wallet as advertised.

Second, it’s portable.  Now, I myself do not use a comb or brush during the day to touch up my hair – I just re-style manually if the wind wreaks havoc with my grooming efforts.  But it was important to test out the product’s portability for those of you who do use a comb during the day’s adventures.  I was able to carry around the go-comb both in the billfold section and in the coin storage area of my wallet.  I also developed a different preferred approach.  As a professional services type and an entrepreneur, I usually wear button-down shirts to work, and always stock the left front pocket with a small stash of business cards.  The go-comb is just a tiny bit bigger than a standard sized biz card, so it fits perfectly and discreetly behind my biz cards, conserving valuable wallet space.  Also, the comb comes in a clear plastic wrapper with cardstock backing inside the wrapper.  So if you’re a clean freak, you can actually transport it within the original packaging to avoid picking up dust and dirt.

Third, it’s chic – this is not your father’s comb.  Wiki (pedia, not leaks, although Julian Assange could probably use an on-the-go grooming solution!) claims that the standard and allegedly unbreakable plastic comb we all know and hate dates back to about 1960.  So, let’s thank Heather Burkman for kicking the comb concept into the 21st century after more than a half century of barber shop-enabled neglect.  However, this modern design owes a debt to the past, as most do.  I found online images of combs dating back thousands of years; some resemble the go-comb more than not.  In addition to boasting a concise design, the go-comb comes in a wide variety of materials, colors and patterns.  I tested out the Stainless Steel Mesh go-comb, in the fine tooth version, which has 22 tines, as compared to the standard comb, which has only 16.

The price of a go-comb at the company’s online store ranges from $7.99 (on sale) to $13.99.  You can also buy them at a handful of specialty retailers, which are listed on the site.

by ManPossible