Cairn is a subscription service that delivers outdoor gear every month. They are inspired to enrich and expand the outdoor experience by fostering connections among those who create and enjoy it.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out our review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Cairn
The Subscription Box: Cairn
The Cost: $29.95 per month with discounts for 6- and 12- month subscriptions
The Products: “A recurring delivery of outdoor related products sent to your doorstep! Get introduced to new brands and products, including gear, apparel, nutrition/energy, skincare, and more.”
Ships to: U.S. for free, Canada for $5, and Internationally for $10
Cairn April 2018 Review
As usual, we get a Cairn logo sticker.
Cairn Scout! Featuring all the info we’re used to - full descriptions of each item, coupons from manufacturers, a look at the current Obsidian box, tips for using your new gear, and more. It is printed on easily recyclable newsprint too.
Sierra Designs DriDown 650 Pillow – Retail Value $29.95
First up this month we get this ultralight down pillow from Sierra Designs! This pillow is crazy soft and perfectly fits into the hood of a mummy-style sleeping bag. There are 2 pieces to the pillow - a synthetic fill insert and a down padded pillowcase. The down provides a nice, soft layer on top of the support of the synthetic fill pillow. The down in the cover is water resistant, which will extend the life of the pillow by keeping the down from flattening and getting matted. The weight including stuff sack comes in around 6 ounces, which is great, though the compressed size is a little large and will take up about the same amount of pack space as a 1 liter Nalgene bottle.
Rite In The Rain Waterproof Top Spiral Notebook – Retail Value $3.95
I was stoked to see this notebook in this month’s box. I’ve always noticed these on the shelves at REI but never decided to pick one up for myself. The main selling point of Rite-In-The-Rain is that you can write on the paper when it’s wet, and if the notebook gets wet, your notes and drawings will remain intact instead of bleeding away. Bonus: the paper is actually paper and not a synthetic material, so it’s fully recyclable. The pattern in this notebook combines dots, grids, and lines which covers all my bases for notes/doodles/etc. There’s also plenty of reference material printed on the plastic covers. It’s 3”x5” so it’s easy to pop in your chest pocket for quick access.
The Itch Eraser 2oz. Gel – Retail Value $4.99
Next up we’ve got this tube of itch relief gel from Tender Corp. Tender owns a ton of brands that I use on outdoor trips including Ben’s and Natrapel, which I discovered thanks to Cairn! Itch Eraser combines a ton of itch relief ingredients like aloe, vitamin E, tea tree oil, oat complex, and baking soda so it seems like it can handle whatever you throw at it.
Skratch Labs Energy Bar – Retail Value $2.65
Finally this month, we get this energy bar from Skratch containing two of my favorite trail foods: cherries and pistachios! My personal trail mix recipe is pistachios, cherries, and sesame sticks so this was a pleasant surprise. There’s only about 4g of protein in the bar, so it’s a good snack more than anything else. It’s delicious though, and quite chewy. Not grainy like you get with some energy bars.
Verdict: April’s Cairn was great for me. My current camp pillow is going on 8 years old at this point, so a nice lightweight refresher was a pleasant surprise. This month’s value adds up to $41.54, well over the initial cost but a little shy of some Cairns' past.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Based on their subscription model, your items may vary based on your survey responses and boxes you have received in the past.
Coupon - Use code TRAILHEAD to get the Trailhead welcome box your first month! Check out our review of the Trailhead Welcome Box to see what will be included.
Value Breakdown: At $29.95 for this box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:
- Pillow: $21.59
- Notebook: $2.85
- Gel: $3.60
- Bar: $1.91
Check out all of our Cairn reviews and the Lifestyle Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What do you think of Cairn this month? Did you get the same items?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.