Calling all adventurers! If you're in search of the best outdoor supplies and lifestyle products but aren't sure which subscription is right for you, then you've come to the right place. I'll compare four of the leading brands for these popular categories and determine which is the best overall lifestyle and outdoor subscription based on factors including practicality, customization/autonomy, price, sourcing, and product variety. The winner of this group comparison is definitely my new go-to subscription for life in general but is especially helpful for when I find myself in exploration mode.
Meet The Competitors: Bespoke Post vs. Cairn vs. The Nomadik vs. Huckberry
Bespoke Post
Bespoke Post is a subscription service that provides themed monthly boxes that contain a wide variety of product types, ranging from outdoor gear to cooking sets, clothing, and more. They're focused on introducing their subscribers to the best under-the-radar brands and sending products that you've most likely never come across before. At the start of the month, you're matched with a box based on your preferences. You can preview the box and choose to swap, skip or pause before it ships.
Cairn
Cairn offers themed monthly and quarterly outdoor subscription boxes that are focused on providing a mix of gear, food, and emergency items to have on hand while exploring nature. They also have two options for their subscription boxes, with their monthly collection offering products worth a retail value of $50 and their quarterly Obsidian box containing $300+ retail value. The Obisidian Collection provides higher-tech gear and premium clothing, whereas the basic monthly plan is best for stocking up on essential items.
The Nomadik
The Nomadik is very similar to Cairn in that it's focused on the outdoors but each of its boxes is themed. You can expect to be provided mostly with gear, tools, and accessories, but there are snacks thrown in on occasion as well.
Huckberry
Huckberry is the one exception to my list in that it's not actually a subscription, rather you can purchase items individually and choose from clothing, footwear, everyday carry, home use, gear, and more. It's also dedicated to adventurous men, but you can find the occasional gift or two for women.
Top Factors To Consider When Deciding Which Subscription Is Best
Round 1 - Practicality
I don't know about you, but I absolutely can't stand receiving filler products in my subscription boxes. Unfortunately, many lifestyle and outdoor subscriptions throw together a random assortment of products in hope that it will suffice for that month’s shipment. While this can be fun if you’re able to make use of everything you receive, it can be quite annoying when certain items are a terrible fit with the rest or are absolutely generic.
Bespoke Post is the winner for this feature as it tailors its subscription boxes to a specific theme each month, which means every item you get has a specific use and is meant to be used along with everything else you receive. For instance, the Sabor Box was dedicated to making homemade tortillas and came with a tortilla press, barro plate, servilleta, hot sauce, and blue corn masa flour.
Both The Nomadik and Cairn are more mix-and-match than Bespoke Post, despite following a theme as well. Don't get me wrong, most of the products are still quite useful, but you do get that one item on occasion that's not exactly the best fit for the box.
Huckberry can be considered runner-up for this category as you can choose which products are most practical for your use case and since they offer the most products overall to choose from. However, since there's no subscription for this service the options can be a bit overwhelming if you don't know exactly what you're looking for when shopping on their site.
Round 2 - Customization/Autonomy
Since Huckberry isn't subscription-based, it technically offers the most customization and autonomy as you can choose exactly what you want to receive and when you want to receive it. However, if we're talking about subscriptions for this factor, then Bespoke Post slightly edges out Carin and The Nomadik. None of the three subscription boxes allow you actually to select your individual products, but Bespoke Post does allow you to set your preferences when first signing up so that the boxes you receive are more specific to your interests, which provides some form of customization.
Personally, I prefer any bit of customization I can get with subscriptions as I'm not the biggest fan of surprises so this is a major win for Bespoke Post in my book.
Round 3 - Price
Let's compare the subscription boxes first for this factor.
- Bespoke Post costs the most out of the three, with each subscription box costing $49
- Cairn starts as low as $31.99 per month if you subscribe to the annual plan but ranges up to as high as $249.95 per quarter ($83.32 per month) for its Obsidian Collection
- The Nomadik is the cheapest subscription among the three and prices range from $29.99 per month for the annual plan up to $34.99 per month for the monthly plan
Nomadik is the winner in this category and your best bet if you're looking for the most affordable subscription.
Round 4 - Sourcing
Is anyone else a small business enthusiast? While it's easy to gravitate towards top name brands when shopping, each of the above subscriptions and Huckberry do a wonderful job with partnering with lesser-known names to support small businesses.
However, Bespoke Post goes above and beyond when it comes to this aspect as 90% of their products are SMB and over the last two years, they’ve purchased over $138,476,712 of products from mostly under-the-radar and upcoming brands.
Round 5 - Product Variety
Last, but not least, product variety. I think it's safe to say that most all of us want a subscription or service that allows us to receive a balanced mix of products that we know we'll love along with new products that are fun to try out. Thankfully, all of the subscriptions in our comparison thus far check off the box in this department. Bespoke Post, The Nomdaik, and Cairn all offer a great variety of products in their subscription boxes. Even if you don't love each and every item, I can guarantee there's at least something in your box that you'll find useful and their boxes are certainly not boring in any sense whatsoever.
Both The Nomadik and Cairn include a mix of essential items like utility knives, fire strikers, and emergency supplies along with snacks and instant drinks to ensure you have exactly what you need to survive the outdoors on your own. With Bespoke Post, you can expect more than just outdoor gear and snacks, as it also offers products that fall under categories including barware, cigars and tobacco, home and kitchen goods, clothing, grooming, and lots more.
The Ultimate Winner … Bespoke Post
Bespoke Post is the clear winner in my eyes for the best outdoor and lifestyle subscription. Although Carin and The Nomdaik are slightly less expensive, I love that Bespoke Post is dedicated to sourcing the highest quality products possible from small businesses and that it offers products for all areas of life, not just the outdoors. Also, despite being that person who generally wants full autonomy while shopping, I have to admit that the middle-of-the-road approach offered by Bespoke Post makes it incredibly fun to subscribe to and I don't have to worry about receiving items that I won't enjoy.
