Stridebox: A Runner's Christmas, Once a Month!

(This review was not solicited by the company- it is my own opinion written without incentive!)

   So I am typically pretty skeptical of the monthly subscription service rackets. They are usually too expensive for what you get, too hard to cancel if you change your mind, or just shady all around.

     However, after reading about Stridebox on a Runner's World article, I decided to give the website a look. The membership policy is simple: You pay $15/month for a box full of running-related items. You can cancel at any time without a certain notice period, there is no contract, and they ship your box at the beginning of each month.

    I decided, what the heck, worst that can happen is I'm out $15! I signed up for my box and joined their Facebook page to see what others had to say. The great thing is, they send you a tracking number and notification when your box is on its way! I had to dig mine out of my spam folder, but should be good from now on.

It came, it came!

      Shipping took a while to get to me from Texas, and it was so hard waiting when I saw others getting theirs in! I think it was a combination of the holiday season, a bulk shipment, and being farther away in Texas. My box showed up in my mailbox (great that it fits because our mailman is lazy and otherwise just tosses packages over the fence or doesn't deliver them at all!) this week and I was pumped to open it!

Opening the package and seeing the card. Excuse the groceries on the counter!

    I opened the box, which is about the size of a small shoebox, and found a neat bundle wrapped in tissue paper, along with a card that explained
the contents. This month's box had a lot of standard things I expected, such as a Hammer energy gel (in hazelnut- so excited!)  and drink mixes. There

All the contents spread out to see

were also a couple of fun items, like a sticker that reads "My other car is a pair of running shoes," (I'd love a run commute rather than sitting in Austin traffic!) and reflective shoelaces.



        The Clif bar, Hammer Gel, and protein chews were immediately placed in my nutrition stash in the pantry for training. The Vega Sport Drink and Chia drink mix I left out to try over the next two mornings. I also got some sport-wipes, which are great for when you do a lunch-time workout and don't want your coworkers to have to smell you, so those went in to my gym bag. I'm not sure what I'll do with the laces, because they're a great idea, but I use elastic laces on my shoes for quick transitions, so they may be a stocking stuffer for a friend.
         I tried the Chia drink mix, and it was pretty yummy! The Vega Sport, however, was kind of sad-making. It was apple flavored, so I had high hopes, but it tasted chalky and was the color of pee. The flavor itself was OK, but I wasn't so excited that I drank the whole bottle I made, which was the case with the Chia mix.
        Looking forward to my January box! It seems like a good value so far. Energy gels and mixes are usually close to $2/ea, so just in nutrition alone I got $10 worth. If my opinion on that changes, it's easy to cancel, so only time will tell! I like having something to look forward to in the mail every month, at least!

Close-up of everything. Also, check those glitter nails. Pretty sweet.