Polo Red Extreme vs Polo Red Rush Comparison

Swinging back to the Polo line of men’s fragrances, I want to today, focus on two offerings from the Red line of colognes: Polo Red Extreme vs. Red Rush. Which of these fragrances, smells the best? Which has better longevity? Which is the better buy? I have worn and reviewed both, and will now, break them each down by category before declaring a winner.

Tale of the Tape

Polo Red Rush

Notes include: mandarin, grapefruit, pineapple, lemon, saffron, orange flower, spearmint, red apple, lavender, red coffee, cedar, musk

Click here to try: Polo Red Rush by Ralph Lauren EDT Spray 4.2 Oz.

Read my review: Polo Red Rush

Polo Red Extreme

Notes include: blood orange, coffee, ebony wood

Click here to try: Polo Red Extreme Eau de Parfum Spray 4.2 Ounce, Ralph Lauren Men

Read my review: Polo Red Extreme

Opening

Polo Red Rush opens pretty similar to the original Polo Red, though, instead uses: apple, grapefruit, mandarin orange, and pineapple. This is versus the tart cranberry of the original, but this blend does get quite tart itself. After 10 minutes or so, Rush starts to become more of its own fragrance, with added musk and spearmint.

Red Extreme, on the other hand, starts off with an intense and juicy blood orange note and coffee. It is sweet and warm, with a hint of that cranberry from its predecessor. The fruit and coffee blend is very well done and quite delicious.

Which is better? I like Red Extreme more, as Red Rush is like a less well-defined copy of the original, and Red Extreme has more of its own style. Plus, it just smells better.

Edge: Extreme

Projection

By name, Red Extreme should have better sillage, does it? Yep. It’s strong, but not insanely so, and don’t think I’d have called it Extreme…but they already used Intense. Red Rush starts off with a similar decent sillage, as that of the original, but then is weaker later on.

Edge: Extreme

Longevity

Red Rush goes for about six hours, on my skin, which is decent. Red Extreme bests it with longevity in the 8-10 hour range, depending on the day.

Edge: Extreme

Versatility

Both fragrances can be worn casually or at work. Extreme probably has more of a ‘sexy’ profile, but still isn’t really a romantic type of wear. It’s probably got the edge, as a nighttime scent. That being said, Extreme is more reserved for cooler weather, while Red Rush is good year round. In fact, it shines in spring/summer. For that, I’ll give it the edge.

Edge: Rush

Overall Scent

After trying out Red Rush, I was really unsure of what its purpose was? I like the addition of a spearmint note, but most of the wear feels like a rehash of Polo Red, and not a better one.

It’s not a bad cologne, just one that is okay, and the last of the Red line that I’d reach for. The performance is pretty good, the smell is pretty good, but it doesn’t do anything well.

Meanwhile, Red Extreme has been the best release of the Red lineup from Ralph Lauren. It is pretty simple in its composition, but the blood orange and coffee together, are just great.

Plus, the ebony wood, in the dry down offers a distinct type of wood from what’s included in most fragrances. It smells great and has much better longevity and sillage.

There’s no real contest here.

Winner: Red Extreme

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.