Cairn is a monthly subscription box for outdoor enthusiasts, campers, hikers and travelers. Every month, a box arrives at your doorstep with different curated outdoorsy products for you to try. You might get a headlamp, a compass carabiner, a stainless steel cup, hiking socks, snacks, skin care or emergency products. It’s a great way to discover some interesting products. Here’s my Cairn box review:
What is Cairn?
cairn /kern/noun
1. a mound of rough stones built as a memorial or landmark, typically on a hilltop or skyline.
As mentioned at the beginning, we are talking here about an outdoor subscription box service that delivers “outdoor discovery” monthly. They send out a box with the latest outdoor products in varying categories, and because they like to keep it a surprise, you never know what’s coming. That’s part of the fun.
For $25 a month (and free shipping) you can expect to receive 4-5 items with a total value of $35-$45.
What was in my Cairn box?
MOUNTAIN HOUSE NEAPOLITAN ICE CREAM ($3)
Mountain House is known for producing outdoor meals. If you are craving something sweet after a long hike or camping trip, this freeze dried neapolitan ice cream might do the trick. It doesn’t taste or feel like regular ice cream but it will probably satisfy your sweet tooth and tickle the child within you. When you take a bite it is crunchy at first and then melts in your mouth. The vanilla, strawberry and chocolate flavours are very distinct.
I’ve had freeze dried ice cream before once when I was a kid and I bought it a a museum store. It was actually “astronaut ice cream” so when I saw this in my box the child within me called out to my husband: “look I got astronaut ice cream!”. A very fun product.
MUNK PACK BLUEBERRY AÇAÍ FLAX OATMEAL ($2.50)
Munk Pack is a snack that offers “wholesome whole grains packed with real foods”. More specifically, they are ready-to-eat oatmeal fruit squeezes packed with grains & fruit bites that come in three different flavours. They are perfect as a quick breakfast, a mid-workout snack, post-workout recovery food, or quick snack on the trail. Because of their 3-4g of fiber, it offers sustained energy and keeps you satisfied for a while. It doesn’t have any added sugar (besides the natural sweetness of the fruit).
On top of all that goodness, it is also certified gluten free and Non-Gmo Project verified. In this Blueberry Acai Flax flavour they use ripe blueberries from the Pacific Northwest and pure acai berry from the Amazon. This company really wants to do it right.
SIERRA SAGE BUGS BE GONE ($8)
I have a problem with mosquitoes: they love me way more than I love them. So when I saw this little Bugs Be Gone bottle I knew I would definitely make use of it. I am also not a fan of spraying toxic ingredients unto myself to keep them at bay.
Bugs Be Gone spray is safe and highly effective. Its potency comes from a blend of certified organic herbs and essential oils including witch hazel, sage, lemon, eucalyptus, cedarwood, mint, and lavender. The spray is free of citronella, chemical, oil, and DEET. It won’t stain your clothes and you won’t have to hold your breath while spraying because it smells more like a pile of herbs and flowers than nasty bug spray.
KLYMIT PILLOW X ($30)
Although I loved the previous three products, I think this may have been the best product in the box. The folks at Klymit have designed a pillow for those of us who prefer a little comfort no matter traveling by air or camping outside. This pillow provides just that and it is ultra lightweight and compact. I was very pleasantly surprised at how fast it inflated and the size of it! The pillow was designed with an X in the middle to help cradle your head comfortably. I’m definitely going to be taking this on my next trip.
How Cairn Works
SUBSCRIBE
Pay for your $25 monthly subscription or gift the box to friends & family, then create a personal profile.
Cairn asks about your interests when you sign up. In some months the boxes are customized (hikers might get a different item than bikers, for example) while in other months everyone gets the same items.
ENJOY
Discover 4 to 5 new brands and products for outdoor inspiration monthly!
REVIEW
You’re now a member of the community! Offer your opinions and feedback to impact the direction of the outdoor industry.
REWARD
Accumulate points for giving feedback, making referrals, and becoming a loyal customer and get rewards, like a free box or merchandise, in return.
Subscriptions auto-renew and you can cancel at anytime. Gift subscriptions are available too, from 1 to 12-months. They also ship internationally!
Conclusion
This is a fun service for the outdoorsy person that is into trying new products and/or enjoys receiving a little surprise in the mail every month with cool stuff. It also would make a nice gift.
If you like a good discount the box provides that too as the products of this box came up to a total of $44.50 and you pay only $25. The box also includes a nice envelope with a description of the products as well as online discount codes for some of them.
Be sure to check out Cairn on their website, facebook, and instagram.
If you’re not a Cairn subscriber, which item would you most like to try? Leave a comment!
A New Life Wandering 