Robb Vices is “a membership program centered on a monthly delivery of storied treasures.” Each month, they send a collection of curated products and/or experiences.
Subscribers should expect boxes to include “vices” like “exceptional wines and spirits to enjoy, foods to taste, tools, toys, accessories, and gadgets.”
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Robb Vices Subscription Box
The Subscription Box: Robb Vices
The Cost: $99.95 + shipping (For reference, shipping to PA is $12.95) Save with longer subscriptions.
The Products: Each box contains a curated selection of products and experiences and provides subscribers with a taste of the good life!
Ships to: Robb Vices ships to all states except ND, UT.
Robb Vices "Ultimate Survival Kit" June 2018 Review
This month's theme is a little more "out there" than usual, but it's definitely intriguing. In this "Ultimate Survival Kit", Robb Vices has curated products to help you in any kind of emergency. Well... in what I'd call very James-Bond-esque emergencies. From the looks of the booklet, they're aiming to help you in situations ranging from bad hangovers and last-minute parties to hostage situations.
There are features on each brand in the booklet, as well. At first glance, it looks like this box is curated towards men, though generally, Robb Vices has a unisex appeal.
Exclusive 2015 Le Vice En Rosé, 1.5 L
This bottle is huge! I've never actually purchased a "magnum" of wine, and wow, is this bottle of grapefruit pink wine ever big! At 1.5 liters, it contains enough fresh, floral 'n' fruity rosé to fill ten glasses. TEN! To be honest, I probably would've preferred to get a bottle from a known (or maybe even a lesser known, but notable) producer. This bottle hails from Provence, which is great, but the value I perceive from it is a little lower being that it's just "Robb Vices' private label wine" rather than something with more of a rich story behind it.
Psycho Bunny Socks - Estimated Value $22.00
Next up, we've got a pair of socks from Psycho Bunny, a company interested in bringing a bit of irreverence to menswear. Maybe it's sassy of me to say, but "Psycho Bunny" and the bunny-eared skull and crossbones just feel a little... juvenile to me. It seems like something that skater (or at least, wannabe skater) friends of mine would wear back in high school. But the quality is nice—the Pima cotton makes the socks breathable, though they're not as soft as I would've expected. These are definitely men's socks, just FYI. They're pretty big on my feet!
Along with the socks, there's a coupon for a free polo shirt and a big waterbottle-worthy sticker in the shape of the logo. Folks, I've gotta say, I am REALLY impressed. So many boxes include coupon cards for "free" products like this one, and there ends up being a hitch (either it's part of a BOGO deal or there's some other fine print to worry about). In this rare case, I literally just hopped on the website, picked my shirt and color, typed my unique code into checkout, and BAM! My free shirt is on its way! I'll try to remember to take a pic when it gets here. Remember, it's a men's polo shirt, as they only make menswear. I don't mind a men's shirt, so I bought one sized for myself. But FYI as you're shopping!
UPDATE: I just got my free shirt! Here's a peek:
It's a really nice polo. The fabric has a nice smoothness and heft to it, though I will say that the weave is done in such a way that it's almost a bit sheer (like very tight mesh might be) when you hold it up to the light. That's not very noticeable when it's on, though, and if anything, it helps with airflow.
This package came with its own logo sticker! This one's got an Americana vibe to line up with the 4th of July holiday.
Over EZ Dietary Supplement, 1 capsule - Buy 12 for $59.99 here
Okay, let's get real here. The packaging plays coy, but this, my friends, is a hangover supplement. I don't really go hard enough to warrant a hangover these days. I will pound 3 chocolate milkshakes in a row, no problem, but I'm famous for taking almost too much time working my way through a drink. (I get to gabbing and all of a sudden an hour has passed and I'm still working through the same pint glass of beer.) However! Should I ever need it, this capsule is ready with a blend of minerals, amino acids, and natural extracts that supposedly safeguard the liver and fill you with B vitamins to help keep the body feeling its best.
Port Products Marine Layer Intense Recovery Treatment Mask - Buy 4 for $44.00 here
Aha! A sheet mask! But this one is specially formulated to address the needs of a man's skin. That's not enough to stop me from using this hydrating mask, which contains "marine botanical ingredients" like spirulina, micro-algae, and kelp to help combat aging and stress. Sheet masks are soooo hard to review, because typically, as with this case, there's just one in the box—sure, it's nourishing and moisturizing, but without repeat use, it's hard to say that this version is different from others that I've tried or picked up at the store. On the technical side, I do like that it's a US-made product and that it's biodegradable, too. And the $20 off coupon is nice, should I want to get into a routine with this style of mask.
F500 Protector - Retail Value $99.99
Okay, so remember when I said this box had a Bond-esque quality to it? Well, now that you've experienced the elegance and sophistication of the fashionable spy lifestyle, it's time to get into the gadgetry. This little device is just bigger than a typical computer mouse and weighty like a river rock would be. It's covered in a grippy plastic material, but the inside is sturdy and metallic. The most average use for the F500 protector is a power bank for your phone. (You can see the charging cable it came within the box.) But should any trouble come your way, it also functions as a 1) LED flashlight, 2) a high-pitched alarm, 3) a strobe light, 4) a knife specifically designed for cutting through seat belts (see that notch on the side? Yep, there's a pretty intense blade in there), and 5) a hammer. (Pull back the plastic on the nubbin end and you'll find a metal "hammer" designed to capably breakthrough home or car glass with no more than the regular strength of your arm.) Intense, right? I guess I hope I don't ever need this little tool. But I guess it's kind of an invaluable gadget to stow inside my purse, pocket, or glove compartment.
Verdict: My only gripe with this month's Robb Vices was how it wasn't as unisex as usual. That said, if you don't feel like using the items yourself, they certainly make great, quality gifts for someone else in your life. The assortment was pretty clever, given the theme. It felt a little cheeky, what with the party-ready wine and hangover pills right alongside the emergency hammer. I feel like that irreverence is true to the Robb Vices brand, so it didn't feel out of place. My only wish is that the wine had more of a story behind it, since learning about all sorts of unique brands is such an integral part of the Robb Vices experience. It also makes me worry that they'll start swapping in their proprietary alcohols for the artisan bottles they typically carry as a way to cut costs but keep up the boozy aspect that customers enjoy from this box. But that's just a theory! The product is nice, I'm just not as wowed by it as I wish I was.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. Sign up by the 1st of the month to receive that month's box.
Value Breakdown: This box cost $112.90 (cost + shipping to us in PA). The products I could find individual retail values for add up to $99.99. If I count the value I estimated for the Psycho Bunny socks, that brings the total retail value up to $121.99. That tops the price of the box with 3 items to spare. None of that counts the $85.00 Psycho Bunny shirt, either, which did require extra effort on my part but was in fact free. (The coupon covered the cost of the shirt and granted me free shipping to boot.) Another way to look at the value is that each of the 5 items (not counting the shirt) must have an average value of $22.58 based on the price of the subscription (including shipping).
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What do you think of the June 2018 box from Robb Vices?
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