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.
FYI - COVID-19 Update, from Cairn:
Due to the impacts of COVID-19 on distribution centers, Monthly Cairn Subscribers, as well as Monthly Cairn Gift recipients that are beyond their first month of the gift term, may experience delays of up to two weeks on their Monthly Cairn delivery. Cairn products that are not experiencing shipping delays:
- Initial Cairn Gift deliveries (the first month of the gift term)
- Cairn Apparel
- UnStacked orders
- Obsidian Subscriptions
If you have questions about your order, please email [email protected]
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
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 U.S. for free, Canada for $5, and internationally for $10
Cairn October 2020 "Pedal Through" Review
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Every Cairn box comes with the Cairn Scout, which is a newspaper-style info sheet. It lets you know about the monthly theme, some details about each of the items included in the box, and all sorts of great stuff about all things Cairn: upgrade opportunities, subscriber perks, a community feature, and more. This month the Cairn Scout announces the theme of my box as "Pedal Through," which I imagine I'm being sent because I have mountain biking listed as one of my interests in my profile! It's typical for Cairn to send a different box to different subscribers every month, but not every month seems catered to one's specific hobbies. It's always fun to receive a box that is!
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Tactica Gear M.110 Bike Multitool - Retail Value $39.95, currently sold out but found on Amazon here.
Everyone loves a cool multi-tool, and it may sound silly, but this composite one is a nice shape and weight. And a cool color! To call it a "bike multitool" feels like a bit of a stretch to me, as the only bike-specific function is a tire lever that attaches to the main tool magnetically. Otherwise, it includes a hex socket (which could come in handy for certain bike uses, as well as many other things), a bottle opener, a universal wrench, a box cutter, and a metric & imperial ruler. It's absolutely a handy tool, but I suppose my thinking is that to call it a "bike multitool" it could benefit from including a chain hook or spoke holder, etc.
On another note, multitools make fantastic stocking stuffers, and since we already have a few good multitools we use on the reg, I'm definitely going to hang onto this one to use as a Christmas gift in a couple of months.
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Klean Freak Body Wipes, Trial Run 4-Pack — Retail Value $5
I was first introduced to these Klean Freak wipes in August when I received this exact trial pack in my Wild Woman box. I'm a fan. They're made from wood pulp and are biodegradable, they're larger than a classic baby wipe for optimal full-body adult use, and they smell earthy and pleasant. My initial reaction was that this strikes me as more of a summer item than a fall one, but my husband said he'd actually love to keep them in his car for the occasions when he squeezes a bike ride in between meeting clients.
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PNG Lemon Meringue Refuel Gel — Buy a 24-pack here for $35.99
Gels are a bit of a "you love it or you hate it" type of fuel, and I personally struggle to get them down, but I can't deny how good they are at their job. This one tasted just like lemon meringue, as advertised, and was otherwise as expected for a sports gel.
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PNG Watermelon Cucumber Electrolyte Powder — Buy 16 sticks here for $24.99
We always keep electrolyte powder on hand, so we welcome new flavors to try. This packet is pre-measured to fill a 16 oz water bottle, and it's refreshing and not too strong of a flavor. If you add a few pinches of salt in with it, maybe a squeeze of lemon juice, you can sort of fake your own Gatorade (we call it "homemade-orade"), sans the bold flavor and artificial coloring. Electrolytes are also great to consume if you're sick and having trouble staying hydrated.
Verdict: While the October Cairn wasn't as thrilling as last month's, it still offered a spread of items that are undeniably useful. I must say I appreciate a box filled with products you can consume or otherwise "use up" so you don't have excess stuff accumulating. Considering that I'm going to set the multitool aside as a gift, that reasoning applies to every item in this month's box.
This box costs $29.95 (less if you subscribe for longer), including free shipping, and the contents add up to about $48.05 (using estimated costs for the gel and electrolytes). This value is a smidge higher than usual for Cairn, which is a welcome trend I've seen over the past few months.
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.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $29.95 + free U.S. shipping, but I estimate it contained $48.05 worth of goods. That comes down to a value of approximately $7.49 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 receive any of the same items as me?
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