Get Expert-Picked Gear Delivered Monthly With These Outdoor Subscription Boxes

It certainly seems like there’s a subscription box for everything these days — from wine clubs to snack boxes to crates exclusively made for dudes. These boxes offer the convenience of being shipped right to your door with the reassurance that an expert has hand-picked the products for you. Sometimes, it helps to have a little guidance, especially with new activities you’re less familiar with. Activities in the great outdoors, for example.

The world of outdoor gear, like the natural world itself, is vast and sometimes overwhelming. Whether you’re going camping and need a top-notch wearable sleeping bag, or need a new pair of rock climbing gloves for your next bouldering trip, the number of options for every vertical and category can easily lead to paralysis by analysis. Take the research off your plate and let someone else steer you towards the best gear for a change with these outdoor subscription boxes.

Outdoor subscription boxes, much like other crates that arrive on a monthly basis, include a selection of gear and information in each one. Sometimes they’re designed around a monthly theme or specific activity, like fishing or biking, and sometimes they’re more general. Some of them include smaller tools and snacks, while others include full-scale products. They’ve all got options for how often you receive your box and how long you wish to subscribe for.

Pros of Outdoor Subscription Boxes

Other than the obvious pro of how convenient subscription boxes are in general, there’s something reassuring about getting top-notch outdoor gear. When it comes to gear you bring on outdoor adventures, oftentimes the high-quality stuff can elevate your experience at the very least, and even save your life in other, more extreme scenarios. When you head into the great outdoors, you want to know that the stuff you’re bringing with you is reliable, well-made and not going to give out on you when you really need it to perform.

If you’re a seasoned nature expert, you’ve got time and experience under your belt and know the gear you trust. However, if you’re a beginner, you might not have the bandwidth to give different brands a shot before choosing the best one. Not to worry — subscribing to one of the boxes below gives you that expert knowledge so you don’t have to do a whole bunch of extra research, in addition to planning your trip. You get to focus on the gnar, stoke, sending it and taking in the views.

1. Nomadik

BEST OVERALL

Nomadik is one of the best outdoor subscription box curators in the game, and offers monthly themed boxes packed with not just the latest in top-notch gear, but an outdoor challenge as well. The monthly themes can be tailored to your interests based on a quiz on their website, and each box is a great way to discover new, high-quality brands in the outdoor space. Each box contains 3-7 full-sized products with a guaranteed retail value of $50. All of the themes correspond with the current season so you can use stuff right away, and since they cost $29.99 per box you’re guaranteed to save some money with each delivery.

2. Cairn + Cairn Obsidian

BEST FOR BEGINNERS

Cairn is another excellent outdoor subscription box that costs a little more than $30/month and contains premium outdoor products that are perfect for beginners and seasoned nature lovers alike. They’ve got their regular Cairn outdoor box that’s delivered monthly and their Cairn Obsidian box that’s quarterly and guaranteed to contain a minimum $350 value. Each box contains an item from the apparel space, gear space, food & energy space, a skincare product and an emergency product that prioritizes safety above all else. All of the products are curated and tested by experts, and are all full-size.

3. Alpha Outpost

GREAT VARIETY

Alpha Outpost curates great outdoor boxes that range widely in their focus — from camping to hiking, fishing and even outdoor cooking. Each box is designed to help anyone, regardless of skill level, hone their skills and confidence level in the outdoors. Each box contains a whole bunch of gear as well as a technical or specialized item like a firestarter kit, a set of knives, a crucial tool for a successful camping trip, etc. They offer their boxes in the form of one-off purchases or you can subscribe and become a member to receive all of them on a monthly basis.

4. Think Outside

BEST FOR KIDS

This outdoor subscription box is designed for kids and parents looking to get children away from screens and into the outdoors. Each box comes with 3-5 pieces of high-quality outdoor gear as well as hands-on activities for families to do together. Each box has a monthly theme — like star gazing, shelter building or outdoor navigation, and comes with a 28+ page educational booklet as well. The resource cards inside are water-resistant and the themes are designed to sync with the seasons.

5. Primal Outpost

QUALITY PICK

Primal Outpost is a combat-veteran-owned company that specializes in the great outdoors from curating subscription boxes to teaching outdoor classes. Each box is packed with $70 worth of equipment for an affordable price of $35/month. They’re all about giving you the best prices on brand name gear that’s been rigorously-tested for durability and effectiveness. They offer monthly, quarterly, biannual and annual plans on their boxes, and you can also buy individual pieces of gear on their site. The boxes are filled with different products every month and each one contains at least five different products.

6. Mystery Tackle Box

BEST FOR FISHING

This outdoor subscription box is all about fishing, so if you live near a body of water listen up. The boxes are delivered monthly and each one contains lures and tackles that are perfectly paired. You get access to expert how-to videos and other content as well as limited edition fishing gear. Members save up to 40% off retail pricing, and you get your choice between a bass-focused box or a multi-species box depending on which fish thrive near your home. The regular box starts at $19.99/month and the pro and elite boxes go up in price from there.

7. Street Team Cycling

BEST FOR CYCLING

This outdoor subscription box is a care package for cyclists of all levels and includes things like apparel, accessories, nutrition and tools for bike upkeep. Each box contains products sourced from brands all over the world, big and small, such as chain breakers, bar tape and energy bars. The work with trusted vendors to include high-quality products you can count on, and everything has a retail value equal to or greater than the base cost of the shipment. If you’re a cyclist or have a friend with a brand new bike — this club is a worthwhile investment.

8. Beachly

BEST FOR BEACH-GOERS

This outdoor box is all about the ocean, and specifically the beach and those who are obsessed with it. It’s a box of beach-themed apparel and accessories that’s delivered four times a year. Each box has a retail value of at least $180, but you only pay $85. The box contains 4-5 premium pieces from apparel, accessory and lifestyle brands of all kinds including tees, hoodies & fleeces, hats, sandals and even button downs. If you’re a surfer, kite boarder or proud beach bum who hates shopping for clothes — this might be the box for you.

9. Postfly

BEST FOR FLY FISHING

If you’re intrigued by the idea of fly fishing but don’t know where to start — Postfly is a brand worth looking into. They offer both a one-off fly fishing starter crate as well as membership options for their O.G. monthly fly box. Their fly fishing crate has all the must-have essentials you need to cast your first rod with confidence, and their membership can ensure you’ve got everything you need to keep going. Get the latest fishing technology delivered to you along with premium, hand-picked flies from experts. You can pick which fish you’re aiming for — from trout to warmwater, saltwater and salmon — and they’ll do the rest.

10. Hikewize

BEST FOR HIKERS

Hikers rejoice! This outdoor subscription box is curated just for you and your long, winding walks through nature. You subscribe, fill out an explorer profile and your first box will arrive within 10 business days! Hikewize delivers boxes every quarter and guarantees you’ll receive between $100-$200 of hiking gear within each box, nearly doubling your investment.

11. Barrel & Blade

BEST FOR SURVIVAL GEAR

Whether you’re a prepper or the past year has made you consider becoming one, Barrel & Blade has the convenient survival gear subscription box you need in your life. They’ve got two levels – Level 1 and Level 2 — that each contain a mix of survival and tactical gear that’s been hand picked and tested for its durability. Level 1 is perfect if you’re just starting to build your stash and need the basics, whereas Level 2 is great for seasoned survivalists looking to complete their arsenal.

12. The Runner Box

BEST FOR RUNNERS

This box, curated exclusively for runners of all kinds, contains a range of products from endurance nutrition snacks to accessories to help with speed. The products are all picked by a team of athletes who want to make it easier for runners in training to stay on top of trends and new, top-rated products. They’ve got boxes for runners and riders, and each one includes 10 different products ranging from endurance powders to chews, blister sprays and recovery shakes.

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