Cairn is a monthly subscription box that sends members outdoors, adventure, and fitness gear. Cairn's goal is to enrich your outdoor adventures by connecting you with best-in-class products. It was chosen as one of our favorite subscription boxes for men but is suited to adventurers of all genders.
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
Check out our review of the "Hammock Collection" welcome box to see what will be included.
The Products: Outdoor gear, including apparel, nutrition/energy products, skincare, and other essentials to keep you prepared and comfortable on your adventures.
Ships to: The US for free, Canada for $5, and internationally for $10
Cairn April 2020 "Leave No Trace" Review
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Each Cairn box comes with a newspaper-style information guide that tells of the month's theme, the items in your box, the quarterly Obsidian upgrade that Cairn offers, a community feature, perks, and more. This month's theme is Leave No Trace—a reminder that never gets old to this here nature-lover! Did you know that the Leave No Trace movement has 7 principles? When I discovered this a few years ago I was surprised to learn that it's about more than just picking up your trash, but also avoiding altering natural spaces.
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Deuter Dirtbag - Retail Value $14.95
The first item in this month's box is essentially just a dry bag with the suggested use of containing your trash—though the Cairn Scout does acknowledge that you could use it for anything you like. Hopefully you're not generating/finding enough trash to fill this whole thing, but then again it just depends on how long you're out in the wild! It's got a classic roll-top-buckle closure and that green color that appears on so many outdoors clothes and accessories, one of my favorites. I can't find how many ounces this bag holds, or how much it weighs, which to me means it's intended more for day trips or casual backpacking excursions, but again, it's pretty classic so if you have another dry bag at home you could probably compare it to easily figure those things out.
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TheTentLab Deuce #3 HD in Lime - Retail Value $22.95
A poop trowel! Nice! I didn't even know these things existed until my husband and I were on Day 2 of our very first backpacking trip, and a friend we were with whipped his out as he trotted away from the trail. Honestly we hadn't even considered what we would do when the time came, but our buddy graciously lent us his trowel. Dudes, gotta say, it's a great experience. The trowel is just for digging and covering, not actual poop-touching, so you can sort of just dust it off and hook it back to your pack when you're done. It might be hard to see from the photo, but TheTentLab has printed the weight of it (0.97 oz) on the back so you can calculate it into your pack load as you prep for a trip. Unfortunately if you do choose to carabiner it to your pack, that'll add a little extra weight that isn't accounted for—or perhaps your pack has a clip attached to it that you weren't sure what it was meant for until now!
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Clif Bar Coffee Collection, Vanilla Almond Latte, 2.4 oz - Retail Value $1.79
If you read my Cairn review last month you may remember how excited I was that the trail fuel I was sent included new flavors of a tried-and-true snack I've used many times on hikes and long runs. Same deal this month! Who doesn't love a Clif Bar? I wasn't aware that they recently released a coffee collection of bars that contain about one shot of espresso's worth of caffeine. Alright! My husband used this bar as fuel for a long bike ride. His feedback: it tasted delicious, like you'd expect from a Clif Bar, and included actual coffee grounds in it, which added a nice little crunch. He was surprised at how quickly the caffeination buzz hit him. We might have to go stock up on some of these (and strategize when we eat them)—we both have our eye on the Dark Chocolate Mocha flavor.
Verdict: I'm loving the items I received in my April Cairn box! An extra dry bag never hurts, and I might even use it on local hikes in the park near my house to pick up trash in my community. A poop trowel was something on my backpacking wishlist, so I'm happy that's fulfilled with a nice lightweight one, and the Clif Bar was delicious & introduced me to their new flavors. All wins in my book!
This box costs $29.95, including free shipping, and the contents add up to $39.69. This value is typical for this subscription!
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.
Check out our review of the Hammock Collection welcome box to see what will be included.
Value Breakdown: This box cost $29.95 + free US shipping, but I estimate it contained $39.69 worth of goods. That comes down to a value of approximately $13.23 per item.
Check out all of our Cairn reviews, and learn more about our readers' favorite fitness boxes.
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What do you think of Cairn this month? Did you get any of the same items as me?
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