Runner's World Box is a monthly subscription box from the magazine of the same name. They send gear, snacks, and accessories curated by Runner's World editors.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
What is Runner's World Box?
The Subscription Box: Runner's World Box
The Cost: $29.99/month (Save 20% with a 6-month subscription)
The Products: Gear, snacks, and accessories from the editors of Runner's World Magazine
Ships to: United States for $8; maybe more in some areas. Extra shipping costs to Hawaii.
My Runner's World Box #009 Review
Runner's World Box focuses on sending you the best running products picked by the editors of Runner's World Magazine. The items usually span multiple categories, including gear, snacks, and other running related items. There is no longer a theme each month.
This month's box again features mostly full-sized products. Let's check out what's in store:
Os1st Plantar Fasciitis Socks – Retail Value $24.95
Unglamorous name aside, plantar fasciitis is a real concern for runners (and many non-runners, for that matter). I've been lucky to only suffer from minor heel pain a few times in the past.
These black compression socks are designed to give you better arch support, one of the recommended ways to prevent and treat this condition.
One thing I don't like about this box is that most socks intended for high performance are sized, as these are, but Runner's World Box does not let you set preferences. Mostly I've been lucky and have received things that fit, but not always. These are definitely big on my feet but may still be wearable on runs, but I'm left wondering if I'm not getting as much compression as I should if they fit properly.
Eat Your Coffee Mocha Latte Coffee Bars – Listed Value $2.50 each (Buy full box of 8 here for $19.99)
These energy bars contain a full cup of coffee in every bar!
Like many snacks sent in this box, these are vegan, gluten-free, and organic. The first ingredient is dates, but these also contain coffee and a few organic sweeteners as well as chocolate.
I'm actually doing Whole 30 this month, so I gave one to my husband to sample and did a quick "chew it up and spit it out" taste test myself. I did NOT like these at all; while the flavor was fine, the texture was all coffee grounds to me. My husband, however, really liked them (and I had to remind him they had a full cup of coffee inside to keep him from eating both at one time). To each his own!
That said, if I were in the middle of a run and needed a boost of energy, I might feel differently. Caffeine is a great performance enhancer in my experience and I prefer to get it from coffee as opposed to other sources when I can.
Justin's Honey Peanut Butter Sample, 0.5 oz – Listed Value $1 (Buy 10 1.15oz packets here for $6)
My local grocery store sells the full-size 1.15 oz single Justin's packets for about a dollar, so I do question the listed value for this item. Nonetheless, these are handy for a quick snack or packing PB&Js to be assembled later!
I've had this before and I do like this version of their peanut butter sweetened with honey, but heads up: these packets can take a lot of kneading to mix everything back into a good consistency.
Nature's Path Organics Frosted Buncha Blueberries Toaster Pastries – Retail Value $4.09
We just received these in a different flavor in last month's box. Not the most exciting item in this box, but my son enjoys the occasional toaster pastry breakfast as a treat.
Dear Toaster Pastry Manufacturers: Why is your serving size one pastry, but they're all packaged in sets of 2?
Once again, I didn't taste these myself this month, but my son and husband loved them and they didn't last long. What I do like about this brand is that while they're frosted, they're not covered completely in frosting, so they're not as overwhelmingly sweet.
Trigger Point Nano Foot Roller – Retail Value $24.99
I've been getting at least one piece of equipment each month that I love, and this last item is definitely my winner for the December box.
This textured foam roller is meant specifically to soothe and rejuvenate your aching feet! As much as I've tried to train my husband to give me foot rubs regularly, it's just not happening... this is basically the next best thing.
I used this both while seated and while standing, putting my foot on top and slowly rolling from heel to toe. I preferred the extra pressure while standing up, personally.
I typically stretch my feet by rolling them over a tennis ball, but this was less likely to roll away on me and provided more even pressure, and also allowed me to roll the sides of my feet.
My only complaint: I'm not really sure the roller blade wheels are necessary. It might make rolling a bit smoother, but I'm not sure how much of a difference it makes. The wheels slipped on my hardwood, so I had to use this on carpet to be effective.
Long story short: if you've never used a foam roller or a tennis ball on your feet before and you love foot rubs, you should definitely give it a try. 😉
Verdict: This Runner's World Box was a balance of some new and interesting gear and a few misses on the snacking end of the spectrum. Of all the boxes we've received from the magazine so far, this one is somewhere in the middle. I rarely pay full price for fancy running socks personally, so that $25 value is a tough sell for me (especially because of the sizing). At a bare minimum, though, my feet are left feeling great this month, which is saying something.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, if you sign up by January 31st, your first box will be the February box.
Monthly boxes are generally delivered by the last week of each month. If you signed up for a subscription at the end of the month then your first box will be shipped the following month.
Value Breakdown: I'm choosing not to include the peanut butter sample in the overall value for this box. Everything else added up to $59.03 at retail prices. For the $37.99 price of the box (including $8 shipping), here's the per-item breakdown of what we paid:
- Plantar Fasciitis Socks – $16.06
- Two Coffeebars – $3.22
- Toaster Pastries – $2.63
- Foot Roller – $16.08
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Check out all of our Runner's World Box reviews and more boxes for runners in our Fitness Subscription Box Directory!
What do you think about Runner's World Box?
What do you think about the items we received this month? Tell us what you think in the comments!
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