StrideBox: April box review

Today is a special post!  I am going to be showing off a new (to me) product!  A month ago I started seeing this company pop up on Twitter and Facebook.  I read up on the company and really was intrigued by what they offered, so I decided to take the leap.  I signed up for the monthly box subscription called StrideBox.  For $15 a month, they send you a box of full sized samples of items geared towards the needs of the runner.  Whether if be fuels, pre- or post- run nutrition or even objects that help make running more enjoyable.

I was so excited to get in on the subscription before they had to start a waiting list (doh!), but that is a good sign for the company when you have to start a waiting list for people wanting your product.  KUDOS!  So needless to say I was crazy excited when I saw this box arrive on Friday.

 

 Oh the anticipation is building!!!

JACKPOT!

 

Look at all this great stuff!!!  This box was seriously packed!

Let's take a look at what is in the box.

Now I have been a fan of Hammer gels for a while, they are a great fuel that gives good energy without the sugar crash, but I didn't know they had lip balm and Recovery Bars!  Well that's because it is all fairly new.  The wild berry lip balm has a really nice feel and I slipped that immediately into the pouch of my iFitness hydration belt for my long runs, perfection.  Then the Recovery Bars are so new, they were sent in this generic packaging because there isn't even a package design for it yet.  I get to try something that isn't even out on the market yet!  HOW COOL IS THAT!?!?

The box had some Clif lovin' as well.  Clif shots and bloks are easy grab and go fuel, so these will fit nicely into my rotation.  Also who can go wrong with Chocolate Brownie Clif Bars, they are pretty darn tasty!

I'm actually pretty stoked about this item.  I've been wanting to find a cleansing wipe for after runs and races when you really need a shower but you just don't have the opportunity to get one in before you're off to your next task.  Enter Action Wipes!  I've been stalking them a bit on Twitter and their website after getting this in the box and I like what I see.  I like that the ingredients are natural and I absolutely LOVE the smell of eucalyptus, so I'm excited to use this sample!

I was SUPER EXCITED to see these two bad boys in my box.  I had just gotten tubes of both these flavors a couple of weeks ago and love, love, LOVE them!  I really like having single serving tabs available for when I travel or to hand out to people that have never tried Nuun before and spread some hydration love.  Though I love these flavors too much, I might keep them for myself. :)

I was intrigued when I saw this package.  What the hell is a barnana?  I'm a bit of an eager and curious person, so I opened up the bag immediately.

 

Inside were brown chunks.  I'm not going to lie to you, they looked like something I've dug out while cleaning kitty litter boxes.  Though the bag smelled aromatically of bananas at their most ripe and yummiest state.  So I grabbed a piece and popped it in my mouth.  Nice and chewy and not nearly as sweet as I thought it might be, yet very satisfyingly banana-y.  I liked them...a lot.  I had to close the bag up for fear I would eat the whole bag at once.

 

The last fuel in the box is a favorite of mine and I actually have a big bag of these in the fridge right now.  Energybits is all natural fuel that has no sugar, so you won't have the crash and gives sustained energy while helping your body recover from fatigue.  One serving is never enough, so I'm glad I still have my bag o' bits to use after this!


Now this next item had an email that was sent to all the recipients from the founder of StrideBox, James Erickson.  This is what he advised us it was.

 

"There's one thing in there that is not described on The Stride Guide...

Its round and a bright color, and it looks like a bracelet.

It's actually a light-up slap bracelet/anklet/safety light for those early morning/late evening runs.

It works like this:

- Pull out the clear tab by the black band. (Don't worry, it's supposed to come out.)

- Then, push the button under the black band to make it light up. Push it again to make it flash fast, and again to make it flash slow. One more time makes it turn off.

- It works great on your wrist, ankle or looped around your fuel belt."

 

I immediately took it out of the package and tried it out.  Sure enough, it was a light up slap bracelet that fits around your wrist, arm, even ankle!  It has the solid white light (shown above), fast flash and slow flash.  It's brilliant and I'm SO THRILLED to have gotten this in my StrideBox!  This would work really well during dark legs of the Hood to Coast relay race...hint, hint Nuun. :)  Regardless, this was a really great addition to the awesome loot I received in the box and just made me that much more confident that I've chosen a great box for my needs and interests in trying new products.

So if you haven't thought about or decided on whether you will subscribe to a monthly service like this, maybe this review will help you decide on if it's right for you or not.  All I know is that I'm thrilled I signed up for the StrideBox subscription and I love what I have received so far.  It only makes me more excited to see what is coming in the upcoming months deliveries.