June '15 Highlight Reel

If you're into snacking, roasting marshmallows, and lighting campfires, (and let's be honest, who isn't?), you'll love everything in this month's Cairn. June's box has everything you need to snack, prep your fire, and enjoy the spoils.

Light My Fire Titanium Spork

The folks at Light My Fire have been making fire starters and functional outdoor products since 1996. In February's Cairn, subscribers got to try two lightweight, multifunctional sporks perfect for dining outdoors and at home.

But if you're looking for something a little tougher, the Light My Fire Titanium Spork is a great place to start. Though it weighs four grams more than the smaller Tritan (a copolyester plastic) spork included in February's Cairn, it's still an great tool for backcountry dining. They're also ideal for carrying with you anywhere you take your breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack.

Light My Fire Grandpa's Fire Fork 2-Pack

Carving a marshmallow or hot dog roasting skewer out of a stick while sitting in camp can be fun, but what if you can't find the perfect stick? Or, what if you're hoping to roast some marshmallows on a backpacking trip, but don't want to carry heavy, pointy skewers with you?

In addition to designing functional utensils, the folks at Light My Fire came up with a way to skewer just about anything for roasting over a fire with a handy, lightweight tool - Grandpa's Fire Fork. Small plastic guitar pick shaped pieces protect you from the tips of the skewers while you're carrying them, and the skewers themselves are made from a single stainless steel wire. They attach firmly to appropriately sized sticks, and you can wash them and reuse them.

Dragon Fire Tinderbox

Finding tinder and small fire starters can be a challenge, especially if you're in a campground that sees a significant amount of use, or camping on a beach. And if you're outside after a rain storm, it can be tough finding dry tinder to get a blaze started.

Dragon Fire founder Daryl recognized the importance of being able to start a fire in any conditions, particularly on cold, rainy nights. The Dragon Fire Tinderbox is one of many fire starting tools designed to make it easier for you to get a fire going when you need to. It's a single-use fire starter anyone with any fire starting skill level can use, and the kit itself provides 12-15 minutes of flame time.

Paleo Eats Chai Cro Bar (Non-Meat Eaters Only)

Paleo Eats was founded based around the idea that a healthy lifestyle, including observing the basic principles of a Paleo diet, may help you feel better, boost your energy levels, and prevent autoimmune disease. The Paleo prescription generally suggests a diet high in quality meats, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and minimal starch with the elimination of processed foods, hydrogenated oils, dairy, grains, and legumes, among other guidelines.

Whether you incorporate Paleo principles into your diet or not, finding snacks that taste good and help you stay fueled no matter what adventure you're getting into is crucial. Though it might seem odd that non-meat eaters received a Paleo-friendly snack in this month's Cairn, not only is it Paleo-friendly, the Paleo Eats Chai Cro Bar is gluten free, dairy free, meat free, and tastes pretty spectacular. With organic ingredients like coconut flakes and almonds coupled with maple syrup and chai spices, it's a great addition to any adventurer's snack stash.

BRICKS Grass Fed Beef & Bacon Bar (Meat Eaters Only)

Beef jerky is one of the easiest ways to make sure you get enough protein on the trail, but it's not always the best option. Conventional jerky can contain additives and preservatives, and some jerky can be pretty difficult to chew.

Founders Buck and Michelle Anne Williams believe that the essence of clean, healthy eating is understanding where your food comes from, being diligent with label-reading, and consuming foods in their most natural state. Bricks bars are made with grass fed beef, vegetables, fruits and seeds, and the Bricks team is passionate about only using ingredients when they know the source. The bars are also free of antibiotics, dairy, soy, grains, and gluten. They have a hamburger-like consistency, and the Bacon, Cranberry, and Sunflower Seed bar in this month's Cairn will knock your socks off.

Simple Squares Cinna-Clove

Simple Squares organic nutrition bars made their first Cairn appearance in January 2015. They’re savory, sweet, packed full of delicious ingredients, and are all made from five simple ingredients. If you've been a Cairn subscriber since January, and if enjoyed your sample as much as I did, you'll likely have immediately ordered a case or two like I did.

The company still offers eight beautifully crafted flavor combinations to satisfy palates with both sweet and savory preferences. The Cinna-Clove Simple Square included in this month's Cairn will hit the spot for sweet snack lovers. If you're more into savory flavors, be sure to give the sage and rosemary versions a try.

What are you most excited about in the June box? If you’re not a Cairn subscriber, which item would you most like to try? Leave a comment!