When you go to get your mail, you expect to find the typical wad of bills, coupons, and paper junk. But not today: Your monthly subscription box is on the porch. The contents of the cardboard box are a mystery until you slice through the packing tape to find a thoughtfully curated selection of gear that you can use on your next outdoor adventure. Sound like something you might like? Time to sign up for a subscription service—and there are plenty to choose from.
Subscription box services provide a fun twist on shopping for gear you’re into. Each company offers a cost-saving benefit, usually because the subscription costs less than the package’s total retail price. There’s a box for nearly any outdoor interest, and the gear selections include everything from puffy jackets and headlamps to knives, snacks, guidebooks, and more. The best part? The sense of anticipation as you await your next shipment, and the surprise of opening up a new box each month or quarter.
There are lots of options for outdoor enthusiasts. To guide your search, we’ve rounded up our favorite outdoor gear subscription boxes for nature lovers, survivalists, and adventure seekers alike. Here are the boxes to try.
The Best Outdoor Subscription Boxes
Bespoke Post
Courtesy Image1. Bespoke Post
Bespoke Post offers a range of themed boxes for all outdoorsy archetypes: Switchback for the hiker, Peak for the athlete, Flip for the knife geek. Unlike most other subscriptions, Bespoke lets you review your items ahead of time to ensure you’re happy with your order. You can customize styles and colors, swap for another curated box, or skip a shipment entirely. Before signing up, you’ll take a quiz to help Bespoke hone in on your interests.
[Starting at $45; bespokepost.com]
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The Nomadik
Courtesy Image2. The Nomadik
This is a great option for upgrading your gear kit with a mix of the newest adventure accessories. A past Nomadik box included a Grand Trunk hammock, UCO Gear spork, Skratch Labs hydration mix, Ursa Major face wipes, and Gear Aid tenacious tape patches. You can choose either monthly or quarterly boxes, and they’ll save you up to 40 percent off retail prices. Answer a few questions about your favorite activities—camping or kayaking?—to customize your selections.
[Starting at $35; thenomadik.com]
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Cairn Obsidian
Courtesy Image3. Cairn
In addition to the latest gadgets, Cairn’s Obsidian Collection includes apparel, shoes, frame packs, and other spendy outdoor equipment. This quarterly box contains up to $350 worth of gear for a $250 subscription fee. Cairn’s Monthly Collections are smaller and more budget-friendly, and they include things like insulated bottles and daypacks. But you can’t go wrong: Both choices are high-quality boxes for gearheads and outdoor enthusiasts.
[Obsidian Collection: $250/quarter; getcairn.com]
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BattlBox
Courtesy Image4. BattlBox
This subscription is best for hunters, anglers, bushcrafters, and survivalists. You could get a shovel and shooting handbook one month and then a sleeping bag and camp stove the next. Four tiers of membership—Basic, Advanced, Pro, and Pro Plus—allow you to scale back or level up depending on how much gear you want. Watch the brand’s comprehensive What’s In the Box videos to get a sense for what’s inside each package.
[Starting at $30; battlbox.com]
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True Fly Supply
Courtesy Image5. True Fly Supply
This kit will help you finally learn how to tie your own flies, or you can opt for a box with pre-made flies for specific kinds of fishing (like trout, warm water, and saltwater). Every box comes with a mystery item plus educational materials and unique stickers to decorate your tackle box, and members get 20 percent off anything in the company’s Supply Shop. Boxes are curated by avid anglers, so you know you’re getting the good stuff.
[Starting at $19; trueflysupply.com]
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Knife-A-Month
Courtesy Image6. Knife-A-Month
When one knife isn’t enough, get a new blade every month. Founded in 2019 and based in Maine, the Knife-A-Month team selects top-quality pieces for use in everyday, hunting, survival, and self-protection scenarios. Four tiers of membership get you between one and three tactical knives or tools in each box. The company promises you’ll never receive the same knife twice.
[Starting at $20; knifeamonth.com]
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The RunnerBox
Courtesy Image7. The RunnerBox and RiderBox
Subscribe to the RunnerBox or RiderBox, and you’ll always have fuel for your next long run or ride. Each package is loaded with endurance products that have been hand-picked and tested. It’s mostly full of bars and nutrition items, but it also includes useful gear like socks, a pocket light, or natural deodorant. Pay for one year or six months up front to save, or pay month to month. There’s also an option to send a curated box to someone as a gift.
[Starting at $34; therunnerbox.com]
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Beachly
Courtesy Image8. Beachly
Ideal for surfers and beach bums, Beachly provides tees, board shorts, sandals, hoodies, hats, sunscreen, and other items for exploring the ocean. Delivered quarterly for each season, each subscription box contains four to five items worth over $180 total. Plus, Beachly is mission-driven: Money from every purchase helps support coastal ecosystem restoration and protection.
[Starting at $99; beach.ly]
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Think Outside
Courtesy Image9. Think Outside
Get your kiddos away from the screen and into nature with this family-friendly box. The Think Outside Jr. program is for kids ages four to seven, while the Think Outside program is for kids seven to 16 years old. Monthly themes range from stargazing to shelter building to navigation. The boxes include booklets with educational activities and stories, three to five pieces of gear, water-resistant reference cards, and other goodies to spark kids’ interest in the outdoors.
[Starting at $24; thinkoutsideboxes.com]
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