StrideBox Review: December

When you’re husband sends you a picture in the middle of the day and it’s a stack of boxes waiting for you at your house, you can’t help but get excited! Last week I was thrilled to come home to my December StrideBox. For $16 a month, I get a box of goodies related to running to try out. The absolutely most fun thing about StrideBox is the label on the outside of the box that has a phrase that you get to complete! This month it said, “Eat, Sleep, Run, & _______”. It was easy for me to complete this phrase…I added ” REPEAT”! This month I received the following items in my Box.

* Vega Sport Recovery Accelerator – Apple Berry – The first all natural, plant based recovery drink mix specifically devleoped to address all the key elements of post-workout recover. It retails for $29.99 for a 12 pack. I mixed this with 16 ounces of water and had all hopes of drinking this after my run. I tried a quick swallow before leaving the house and very happy that I did so. This drink was so bitter and left a bad after taste in my mouth. It all got dumped down the drain.

* FunnBar – Protein Chews – Tropical Berry – Gluten free, 15g of protein, and 10g of fiber in a whole pack. Eat them all at once, or adjust for what you need. It retails for $30 for 12 packs. Before my workout mid week, I decided to give these a try. I did like that they were individually wrapped inside the package similar to Starburst, but that’s where my pleasure ended. They had a terrible texture and flavor. They stuck to my teeth and I burped that one chew up during my entire workout. The rest of the pack went into the garbage.

*goChia! – Chia Booster Drink Mix – Cherry Berry – Boost any food with the power of Chia nutrients. Add to water, juice, smoothies, or yogurt for chia-packed super fuel at the ready. $19.99 for 10 pouches. I really was excited to try this as I’ve heard lots of friends talk about Chia in their smoothies, etc. It said I could mix it with water and I thought that would be better than adding another flavor to yogurt or juice. I’m sorry I did that. While the flavor wasn’t bad, the small chia seeds were horrible in a drink. It too got dumped down the drain.

* Hammer Gel – Nociiola (Hazelnut/Chocolate) – Smooth, easy to digest gel in a new hazelnut-chocolate flavor. Rock solid energy made with real, wholesome ingredients. Retails for $16.80 for 12 pouches. I consumed this before my one of my runs last week and it was yummy! It tasted very similar to hot fudge! It definitely gave me energy without making me feel jittery! I also didn’t burp this up, which I have a tendency to do with a lot of gels & chews. I would definitely buy some of these before a race or to use on long runs.

On The Go – Sport Towels – Revive & Unscented – Towels that cool, clean and deoderize. Reusable cloth wipes come in a single packs small enough to fit in your pocket. $.99/Towel. I received two of these in my box and I’ve used one of these and really liked it. I used it after my run indoors. I get very sweaty during my indoor runs and my face gets incredibly hot. When I returned to the locker room after my workout, I used one of these on my face, neck, and arms. It definitely has a very cool feel and smells nice. These would be great if I worked out mid-day or when going to a race.

Two other things that were included in the box, but I have not used are a Spiced Pumpkin Pie Cliff Bar (I don’t really dig pumpkin flavored things) and I also received Reflective Shoe Laces from StrideBox that will come in handy when I go back to running outside.

Overall, I have to admit that I was rather disappointed with this months box and I am looking forward to next month and hoping it improves. Happy Running!

I purchased my StrideBox with my own money and all views & opinions are my own!