October '15 Highlight Reel

Like it or not, it’s time to start preparing for the arrival of winter and to make the most of what little bit of fall we have left. This month’s Cairn is stuffed with tools to help you choose gear, fix the gear you have, enjoy your favorite beverages outdoors, and keep your skin in tip-top shape no matter what Mother Nature throws at you.

October 2015 Box Photo 

Mountainsmith Hemp Cooler Tube

If you’re a subscriber, you might’ve opened your October Cairn, seen the expertly packed soft, folded pile of fabric with the Mountainsmith logo on the front and gone, “huh, what is that?” At first glance, the Mountainsmith Hemp Cooler Tube could be mistaken for a yoga mat case, a fishing rod case, even some sort of firearm carrier, but it’s much cooler (pun intended) than that.

Carrying a beverage cooler on an adventure into the woods isn’t always an option. Standard coolers are unwieldy and heavy. But what if you’re bagging a peak with five friends and want to enjoy a frosty beverage when you reach the top? Mountainsmith has you covered with the Hemp Cooler Tube, which holds both canned beverages and other small snacks. Sling it over your shoulder or strap it to your pack, and you’ve got a way to keep your celebratory libations cool for hours.

Stanley One Hand Vacuum Mug

Some of our October Cairns came with a tool that’ll help you keep your hot beverages hot for hours, just in time for autumn’s cooler months and the impending arrival of winter. 

Stanley’s One Hand Vaccuum Mug makes it easy to store and take coffee, hot cocoa, hot apple cider, or any hot beverage of your choice with you anywhere. Combining the performance of a vacuum insulated thermos and a portable mug, this stainless steel drink carrier will keep your hot beverages hot, and is engineered with a push-button lid to make it easy to drink them with one hand. It’s also fully leak-proof and the lid comes apart in three pieces for easy cleaning.

 

Joshua Tree Winter Stick

With the variety of lip balms out there, outdoor enthusiasts have plenty of options when it comes to protecting our lips from dry autumn and winter air. But after a long hike, a day on the slopes, or even just on particularly dry cold weather days, it’s just as important to have a way to protect our entire face.

The folks at Joshua Tree created the Winter Stick to soothe and heal wind chapped and sunburned skin, and to prevent both of those maladies from happening in the first place. The Winter Stick contains a mix of ingredients like beeswax, coconut oils, cocoa butter, and mint essential oils, and the formula comes with a bit of sun protection (SPF 15). Take this little skin aid with you on your next outing.

 

Backpacker Magazine Fall/Winter Gear Guide

Backpacker Magazine is billed as the source for “backpacking gear reviews, outdoor skills information and advice, and destinations for backpacking, camping and hiking.” Contributors document the best trails for every type of adventurer, share tips related to safety and making the most of your outings, and make sure readers have the skinny on the latest and greatest outdoor gear and apparel.

Cairn subscribers benefit from the hours of testing and product knowledge provided in Backpacker’s Fall/Winter Gear Guide issue included in this month’s box. Study up and you’ll be ready to hit the trails with the right gear.

 

McNett Gear Aid Tenacious Tape Tattoos

Subscribers were first introduced to Gear Aid back in March of 2015 via the company’s Tenacious Tape, a way to patch holes in your tent, jacket, and pretty much anything else made of fabric on the trail. Careful application to almost any surface means keeps your gear in shape for use, even when you find rips, gashes, or holes.

But let’s be real; plain shaped patches aren’t the most attractive way to fix a piece of gear. The folks at McNett realized that patches shaped like leaves, fish, and animals make repairing gear a lot more fun. Instead of using squares or rectangles to patch holes and fix tears, give the Tenacious Tape™ Tattoos™ a try to add some fun to your repairs.

Ally’s Bar Original Sweet Potato

Looking for a tasty energy bar that gives you enough calories and nutrition to sustain you on an adventure? Look no further.

Ally’s Bar founder Ally Stacher is passionate about challenging herself outdoors as well as spending time preparing healthy food in her kitchen. The result? An energy bar that’s as yummy as it is healthy. The combination of healthy fats, a little bit of sweetness, and a ingredients to promote sustained energy make Ally’s Bar a great option regardless of what you’re in for on your adventures. And if you’re looking for general recipe ideas, Ally keeps a recipe blog on the company’s website.

Subscribers, have you heard about the Adventure Upgrade yet? 

Starting this month, the Cairn team is partnering with brands from across the outdoor industry to add a little extra awesome into the boxes belonging to a few lucky people. This month, five subscribers will receive $200 Mountainsmith gift cards!

 

 

 

Subscribers, let us know what your favorite item in this month’s box is in the comments below! Not a subscriber? What item would you most like to try?