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.)
This is a review of the Cairn Trailhead Box, an intro box available for new subscribers only while supplies last.
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
Check out all of our Cairn box reviews and the Lifestyle Subscription Box Directory!
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New subscribers to Cairn have the option of receiving the Trailhead box as their first box when using promo code TRAILHEAD. The Trailhead collection is a set of subscriber favorites, and features a Cotopaxi bag in exclusive Cairn colors (picked at random), Hydrapak bottle cleanser, and a Clif bar.
Every Cairn box comes with a logo sticker in random colors. I’ve received yellow, green, red and blue in the past.
The Trailhead box comes with an additional note from Cairn welcoming you to the box, recapping Cairn’s mission, and reminding you to fill out your subscriber survey. The survey is one of the best parts of Cairn - it helps them suit future boxes to you personally. While some Cairn boxes are the same across all subscribers, most are tailored specifically to you!
Cairn Scout is a little newsletter included every month. It’s got the descriptions of each item, coupons for gear (usually featuring manufacturers from the current month), a look at the next Obsidian box (stay tuned for the MSA review!), tips for using your new gear, and more. It is printed on easily recyclable newsprint too.
One of the free offers from Cairn Scout comes in the box - a 3 month subscription to Slipstream! Slipstream is the Netflix of adventure films, and they have a ton of content. From mountain biking to snowboarding, epic hikes and documentaries, there is something here for anyone who loves the great outdoors. After your 3 month subscription, a standard month is only $4.99. I’m still working on a 3-month card I received earlier this year, and have watched a handful of awesome movies. I really enjoyed Huayhuash, in which 3 mountain bikers attempt to circumnavigate the Huayhuash range in the Andes in only 8 days.
Cotopaxi Luzon 18L Daypack – Value $39.95
We’re starting this box with the obvious hero item - An 18L daypack from Cotopaxi! The Luzon is a frameless yet sturdy daypack with tons of features and a stylish look. I received the Pacific Blue colorway, and there are a ton of colorways available. You will receive one of the 20+ color combinations, some of which are Cairn exclusive! I love that the pack stuffs down pretty small inside itself. This makes it perfect to toss in a larger pack for side hikes on a long trip, or in luggage if you’re hoping to get out and hike while traveling on non-adventure-type trips. While I don’t normally like a ton of branding and logos on my gear, for some reason the Cotopaxi stuff looks pretty cool and didn’t really bother me. The llama loop on the shoulder strap is perfect for keeping your hydration straw situated, and the interior hydration loop and pocket keep your bladder from sinking to the bottom of the pack. This feels larger than 18 liters, and I bet you could get away with a barebones one-night camping setup if you really pushed it! I was able to stuff a hammock, compressed sleeping bag, rainfly, and small gear pouch in here. The hip and chest straps kept it from wobbling around and it was plenty comfortable. I think this is a perfect item for an introductory box from Cairn!
Hydrapak Bottle Bright 12 Pack – Value $8
I received these Bottle Bright tabs back in June of 2017, and have since run out so I was stoked to see another bag in the Trailhead box! I use them regularly to keep my daily use Klean Kanteens shiny and new. I have been leaving them sit for about an hour in warm water, and with a little shake at the end, all the coffee stains are eradicated. Here’s what I said about them in June:
Bottle Bright is a quick and simple solution to cleaning all sorts of things at camp or at home. You can pop one of these in hard-to-clean drinking vessels, stainless steel mugs, coolers, hydration packs, and more. It cleans with no chlorine and is biodegradable. I have a stainless coffee mug that needed some attention and one tab got it sparkling clean in minutes, despite me trying to scrub it with a bottle brush multiple times. I’m super impressed with these!
CLIF Whey Protein Bar - Peanut Butter Chocolate – Value $2.49
Finally, we have this protein bar from CLIF, which I received in May’s box and loved! I ended up munching on this while hiking this past weekend and it was delicious. You can’t go wrong combining peanut butter and chocolate. This bar packs in 14g of protein, which is pretty impressive, and it tastes great, which is even more impressive for an energy bar.
Verdict: As an introductory box, Cairn did an impressive job with the Trailhead collection. You get a great daypack to help with your future adventures and get introduced to two excellent products that the Cairn community widely backs. The value for the Trailhead collection adds up to $50.44, which is actually on the lower end of value for Cairn boxes in my experience, and definitely feels like a deal for $29.95 a month (including free shipping).
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? The Trailhead Collection offer is still available at the time of this posting!
Coupon - While supplies last, use code TRAILHEAD to get this welcome box your first month!
Value Breakdown: At $29.95 for this box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:
- Daypack: $23.72
- Cleaner: $4.75
- Energy Bar: $1.48
Have you signed up and received the Trailhead Collection from Cairn? What did you think?
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