Nomadik is a lifestyle subscription box for outdoor lovers. Every month, they send 3-6 items for outdoor adventures including gear, snacks, and multi-use items for $32.95 + shipping.
This box was sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out our review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About this Outdoors Subscription
The Subscription Box: Nomadik
The Cost: $32.95 every month + shipping ($4.99 to Pittsburgh). Save with longer subscription commitments.
The Products: Gear to explore the great outdoors, including one main product, 1-3 smaller products, and 1-2 educational or inspirational items
Ships to: The U.S. for $4.99 and International (for an additional charge)
Nomadik "Camp Under The Stars" Review
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There is a small trifold pamphlet that goes over the items included in this month's box as well as Nomadik tips, the Nomadik challenge, and some brand discounts. Each box also has a neat sticker, although sometimes they are the same as previous months.
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Klymit Pillow X - Retail Value $24.95
As much as I love a soft, full-size pillow, it's just not feasible to carry one on a backpacking trip. There are pros and cons of inflatable pillows, but it's hard to beat how lightweight they are. I've been using an inflatable pillow for years. As a matter of fact, I just discovered my pillow has a hole in it on my last trip. So receiving this one was perfect timing. (Although I'm still going to try to fix my old one with a patch I received in another Nomadik box.)
This pillow measures 15 x 11 x 3.5 inches, weighs 2.5 oz., and is made of 30D polyester. The pillow packs down to 4.5 x 2.5 x 1 inches, which they say is "about the size of a lighter." I included a photo of the pillow right out of the box. Judge for yourself if that is the size of a lighter. The X design is supposed to help center your head while you sleep. This is definitely a problem I've had with my current pillow. It also helps to leave a little air out, so your head sinks into the middle a bit. The site says the item has "adjustable height and pressure" which is just a roundabout way to say the obvious: you control how much air is in it. I like this pillow a lot, but if I was buying it for myself, I'd probably shell out a few extra dollars for the large size. Like most inflatable pillows, it's slippery. It'd be nice if it had a case, but a t-shirt does just fine. My one complaint is the X design actually makes it difficult to get the air out completely. It still fits in the bag, but it's the tiniest bit annoying. However, I think I'll definitely be throwing this in my pack for my next overnight.
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MPOWERD Luci Candle Solar Lantern - Retail Value $17.95
A friend brought one of these camping a few years back and we were all impressed. I like that this one has a warm, candle-like glow. Not too harsh when you're trying to chill out at night. It's a great light to leave on the table where you prep your food or maybe if you're playing with your new deck of cards (see below). However, if you're like me, let your eyes adjust to the light of the fire and go without the artificial stuff. This is the first inflatable light I've received, but I believe Nomadik has included them once or twice before. They're definitely neat, but any long-time subscribers might be less excited. I think I'm going to give this to my kids to play in the dark.
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AdventureKEEN Night Sky Playing Cards - Retail Value $5.95
I'm big on card games and have several, varying decks of playing cards to prove it. But I don't have a deck that teaches you something while you play with them. Each card (and two Jokers) of this deck features a different constellation. Each suit represents the season that is best for viewing the formation. While I personally prefer the tried and true, standard Bicycle cards for games, I thought this was a cool and easy way to learn something new. In fact, if I'm being honest with you, I didn't even know there were 52+ constellations. So I learned something new before I even opened the deck. These would be great for children or, you know, adults like me who don't know anything beyond the Big and Little Dippers. The only problem with these is you may give your hand away holding them up to the sky. AdventureKEEN has numerous decks aimed at learning.
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Chuao Chocolatier Mini Chocolate Bars - Estimated Retail Value $2.00 (for 2 bars)
I'm a sucker for chocolate. So Nomadik can throw in chocolate bars any time they see fit. These mini-bars are 2-3/8 inches (6 cm) long. So they are great for tossing in with your food for a treat after dinner. Just make sure they're not anywhere they're going to melt. The flavors they sent are "Oh My S'mores," which is self-explanatory, and "Firecracker," which has a dash of chipotle and popping candy crackle in dark chocolate. While both were amazing, the latter was right up my alley and I'm still thinking about it. The minibars are not for individual sale on the Chuao site. They can be purchased at $23 for 24 bars, which I'm rounding up to $1 each. Full-size bars are $6, BTW.
Verdict: This month's Nomadik arrived just in time for me since my current pillow has gone flat. That's not going to be the case for everyone, obviously, but if you spend any time backpacking you're going to enjoy the pillow. It's definitely my favorite item this month. The light is nice, but won't be added to my backpacking gear. I'll throw it in my car camping gear or maybe give it to my kids. I'll never turn down a deck of cards. I really like the night sky cards, but I will probably only get them out if I'm purposely teaching my kids about the stars. I loved the chocolate bars. Nomadik always comes with some type of treat to round out the box and these were the best ones yet. While I liked everything a little, I didn't like anything a lot. Having said that, my overall verdict is that Nomadik did OK with this one.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Your first box will be the Welcome box. More from Nomadik:
Just pick your plan, sign up, and fill out your profile. A themed adventure box will arrive on your doorstep, get ready to plan your next trip. We re-bill on the 5th, normally the cut-off date is the 14th (if you order before that you get the box that month, if not you get it the next month). We ship on the 24th each month (except December, we ship on the 20th).
Value Breakdown: At $37.94 ($32.95 + $4.99 shipping to PA) for this box, each of the 4 items has an average cost of $9.49. The value of the box was around $50.85. That is around the same value as most of their boxes, which I am typically happy with. It just depends on how much you loved the items. I liked the pillow but was lukewarm on the cards and light. So the value doesn't feel the same for me as, say, last month. For me, it adds a lot of value if the items are something I will use. Since that is a situational, it will vary from subscriber to subscriber.
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What do you think of the items from this month's Nomadik?
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