The knot sizes are both 22's. However the best badger is a 52mm loft and the pure badger one is a 45 mm loft. Is 7mm loft difference a lot is I guess what I'm asking? The way I lather is I start it in the bowl, whip it a little in my hand and let the watery thin stuff flow through my fingers, then finish whipping it into creamy foam peaks on my face. Which is why I'm moving to badger. I can use the VDH just fine. However, someone said long brushes and super badger is too soft to really work well with soaps.