Nomadik Subscription Box Review

What’s a Subscription Box?

A monthly box full of a specific type of gear. Subscription boxes have been around for awhile now, which means that there is probably at least one box available for pretty much any niche out there.

Nomadik is one of the main boxes you can get for outdoor gear - including lighting, fuel, tools, gear, knowledge, and inspiration.

How Much Does it Cost?

Nomadik currently offers three different monthly plans which provide discounts for longer-term subscriptions. Each plan offers the same box, it’s just a matter of how many of them you’d like to commit to receiving. A single month is $32.95, 6 months is $31.25/mo, and 12 months is $29.99/mo.

Click on the image to select a plan on The Nomadik website

Is it Worth the Money?

That's what I am going to figure out! Nomadik is sending me three months of boxes to review. I will detail what items are in each box and their value. Read on for details on the first box.

So far I'd say I've broke even on items I would have purchased anyway vs the price of the box.

Box #1

Seal Line Blocker 30 Liter Dry Sack

The big ticket item in this box was a 30 liter dry sack from Seal Line. I’m pretty excited about this piece because it’s something that I will definitely use a lot in the future. I spend a decent amount of time kayaking and canyoneering, and dry sacks are always needed for those activities. 30 liters is a great size for packing a warm layer and an extra set of clothes. Seal Line has a great reputation for making excellent products.

Regular Price: $24.95 at Seal Line

Outdoor Element Firebiner

The second item was a multi-use carabiner from Outdoor Element. This carabiner weighs 1 oz and contains an assortment of built in features, including:

• Ferrocerium rods with a spark wheel (extra rods included)
• Small utility blade for cutting small cords or fishing line
• Flathead screwdriver
• Bottle opener

The carabiner seems well made and has good action on the wiregate.

Regular Price: $14.95 at Outdoor Element

Live Fire Original

The final item is a small container of lightweight fire starting material. This pairs well with the Outdoor Element Firebiner as possible emergency preparedness items. Like the Firebiner, I wouldn’t use this regularly on trips but will happily tuck it away in my earthquake kit.

Regular Price: $9.99 at Live Fire Gear

Box #1 Summary

• Total monetary value = $49.90
• Value of items I’d use = $24.95
• Cost of Nomadik Box = $32.95

For me, the most exciting item in box #1 was the dry sack. Since I kayak and canyoneer fairly regularly, this dry sack will see frequent use and is likely an item I would have purchased for myself in the next year or two. The Firebiner and Live Fire are two items that I wouldn’t have purchased on their own. As someone who lives in a dry climate and has the skills to start a fire under almost any condition they aren’t as useful. I’ll probably end up tucking them away or regifting them to someone who might appreciate them more.

I’d say I’m pleased with Box #1. Just the cost of the dry sack almost makes the price break even. One great thing about subscription boxes are that they support many small outdoor companies and allow me to learn about new products. I look forward to seeing more of this in the next two boxes.