When Cairn launched a few years back, it paved the way for other outdoor-related subscription box services to follow. While most include at least a few assorted gear items, there are almost none that focus solely on food. Enter Trailfoody, a relatively new contender in the goodie box world that hopes to lure hikers with a rotating cast of high-quality, tasty trail treats.
Trailfoody aims to provide a mix of snack foods that can fuel all-day outings. Their offerings are performance-oriented, tend to skew towards organics and non-GMO items, and are often completely gluten-free. Like most subscription boxes, you sign up for a monthly delivery based on how many “outings” you wish to supply – and how much cash you want to part with. On the upper end, the “Intrepid” box includes at least twenty-eight items, meant to cover four “outings,” for a monthly fee of $53.95 (and $4 shipping). There are two price points between it and the lower end option, the “Wanderer,” which provides at least nine items for $21.95. All boxes come with a low-quality bright orange stuff sack; while it’s nice to receive the first time around (it makes for a decent hiking lunch bag), I’d hate to receive one of these every single time.
I tested the Wanderer and found that it actually surpassed my expectations by introducing me to quite a few brands and flavors I’d never previously tried (or heard of), and by actually satiating my hiker hunger through two outings, as advertised. Here’s a quick rundown of the ten items I received:
Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crisps – Sea Salt Snack Crackers. This was the least exciting item, flavor-wise – basically, a gently salty rice cracker. Still, it’s a logical inclusion, since you can build a lunch around it – think: cheese, salami, hummus, peanut butter (although probably not all together).
Justin’s Classic Almond Butter. Already a fan; I love carrying these on the trail for a quick hit of protein and calories. Had I thought about it, I could have spread this on the crackers – d’oh!
Tanka Bar – Buffalo Meat With Cranberries. I’m not a big meat eater, and typically don’t eat red meat, but I gave this a go…and loved it. The bar was surprisingly soft and chewy, probably thanks to the copious use of cranberries. I was only disappointed that it was so small – I would have loved something double the size (and calories).
K’ul Energy Superfood Bar – Endurance. This was the star of the entire box – and a brand I’d never heard of, to boot! This caffeinated wonder tasted just like a bar of fancy chocolate, studded with cranberries and nuts. I might have eaten it for breakfast one day.
Sahale Snacks – Classic Fruit + Nut Trail Mix. This is one of those things I’ve seen at the grocery store, but have never picked up – although I might now! I loved the inclusion of pistachios and dried apples – neither of those things pop up much in trail mix.
Peeled Snacks – Much-ado-about-mango. I usually bring Trader Joe’s unsulfured and unsweetened dried mangoes on the trail, and honestly, these didn’t stack up. The pieces were tiny and brittle, and it felt like a lot of packaging for the small portion.
Skratch Labs – Exercise hydration mix with lemons + limes. This was similar to other drink mixes I’ve tried (i.e. Nuun), and was a nice addition to the edibles.
Kate’s Grizzly Bar. Do you eat ProBars as meal replacements? I highly recommend switching to Kate’s instead – everything she makes is unbelievably delicious and highly satisfying.
Go Raw Sprouted All Organic Chewy Apricot Sprouted Bar. Another brand I’ve never heard of before – and another favorite! I love dried apricots, and this was basically a giant, thick fruit leather made of them. Pure delight.
KIND Dark Chocolate Chili Almond Bar. I often carry KIND bars when I’m hiking – I think most of their flavors offer a tasty method of upping my protein intake, and this was no exception.
Overall, I thought the selection was varied enough between sweet and salty to keep my taste buds pleased; my only gripe is that you can’t specify whether you are vegan / vegetarian, gluten free, or dairy free. While it might seem a bit pricey per box, if you consider the MSRP of some of these items on their own, you’re actually snagging a bit of a discount over buying them individually. Plus, there’s always the option to try a single box before committing to a subscription. The verdict? For trail snackers who enjoy mixing up their outdoor treats, Trailfoody is a worthy investment to discover new brands and expand your palate.
Tags: box delivery, Review, trail foody