Subscription boxes. Man, where do we even start with these things? The options in this space are almost limitless, so where do you start and how do you make a decision?
Easy. You check out some reviews and narrow down your options. Then you look at past boxes and ensure that the boxes are giving out the quality items you want. We’ve done all the research ahead of time for you, and here’s the best 5 tactical gear subscription boxes for gun guys and preppers that we’ve found.
Be warned, purchasing these subscription services will have you doing this at the end of every month.
Why Use Subscription Boxes?
Companies everywhere, and in every space, have been jumping on the subscription box model. Why should you give company A or company B your hard earned cash every month for a subscription box? It’s a hard question to answer, but there’s a lot of very solid reasons.
Most of these companies are very well connected in their respective industry. They have the ability to go to a number of companies and strike up bulk order purchases. These bulk order purchases then are turned into neatly packaged boxes each month that are custom tailored around a flavor of the month. Often, you’ll receive a well packaged box at a low price point that packs a ton of value. We’ve seen some companies $150 subscription boxes come out swinging with over $500 in value for the individual customer, and that’s just something you cannot get as an independent buyer.
Using a subscription box service for your favorite hobby also eliminates a lot of guess work and research. If you’re someone who doesn’t have a lot of bandwidth to fully dive into their hobby, these companies get rid of that for you. Each month they tailor their box specifically towards your hobby, and find the best products they can to fit your needs. It turns each order into a monthly Christmas present to yourself, and allows you to learn things you otherwise may have not had the time to research.
If you’re sold, and still here, let’s get into the subscription boxes we think have the most value. Each section also includes an unboxing review from some pretty solid content creators. Make sure you check those out!
Gear Pack
Gear Pack is a Canadian company that is relatively new to the industry of subscription boxes. Each month, they tailor their box towards a specific set of tools that you could need. If you’re into survival gear, tactical gear, or just the outdoors in general you cannot go wrong with Gear Pack. Every month they manage to jam a ton of value into each box that they send out. On top of this, they’re one of the few companies in this space to still cram their boxes with tinder, which is one of my favorite things about them.
If you’d like to read more about Gear Pack, we highly suggest checking out this link, which will lead you to a review of one of their boxes. They have four levels of commitment that fit most budgetary constraints as well. Gear Pack also does not always put their best value items in the higher tiers of the box. That means you, as a lower tier subscriber, can still get a ton of value out of their subscription each month.
Some of the brands they have featured in their boxes in the past are SOG, Spyderco, ESEE, Schrade, Gerber, Smith & Wesson, and Browning. With names like that, you know you’re getting a good deal.
Tiers of Subscription and Prices.
Battlbox
When it comes to subscription boxes in the prepping, outdoor, and tactical gear space, Battlebox is one of the first you will always find. They are a team of professional outdoors men who came together to put together one of the industry’s leading subscription services. Each month they release a mission-box for people who love the outdoors, and task their customers with challenges that teach essential outdoor and survival skills. If you want to see an example, you can check out the video from Readyman above for an unboxing.
Advertised as “Not your Girlfriend’s monthly subscription box,” Battlbox delivers full blown products, and not just samples to their customers. Each month they deliver goods ranging from basic survival manuals and outdoor gear all the way to high-end top brand knives from companies like CRKT, Spyderco, and Bastion.
Past themes for Battlbox subscription boxes have been “The Sniper Box,” which included over $400.00 in long range shooting equipment, and one of my personal favorites the Mission 34 “Bug Out Bag Box” which included almost $350.00 in essential supplies for anyone looking to build a bug out bag. Also worth noting, each month Battlbox chooses one lucky winner from their subscribers. This winner is selected at random, and gets the big monthly prize. In October of 2019, the winner received a USO Pesaro Green DB2 Speaker, valued at $350.
You really can’t go wrong with Battlbox, so let’s dig into the specifics.
Tiers of Subscription and Prices.
- Basic Tier – $29.99/Month + S/H
- Advanced Tier – $59.99/Month + S/H
- Pro Tier – $99.99/Month + S/H
- Pro Plus – $149.99/Month + S/H (Includes Knife of the Month Club.)
Barrel and Blade Subscription Box
Barrel and Blade is another of the subscription boxes that you should not overlook. Much like Battlbox, each month of subscription from Barrel and Blade gets the subscriber a tailor-made box full of awesome tactical and survival gear. The company’s motto is “If we won’t use it, we won’t send it,” and that ethos shows in past boxes from the company. If you want to see some of the items you can expect from Barrel and Blade, check out the unboxing from Sootch00 above.
Previous boxes from this company have included high-quality name brand products from companies like SOG, Rothco, Gerber, and Rite in the Rain. Past “Operations” from this company have been Waterproofing, Clean Sharp and Lubed, as well as Battle Belt.
Oh, and one more thing. They’re currently giving away a Mossberg Shockwave on their webpage, you should totally check that out. If you’re not familiar with it, you can read about it here.
Tiers of Subscription and Prices.
- Level 1 – $49.99/Month + S/H
- Level 2 – 99.99/Month +S/H
Shooters Loot
Shooter’s Loot is a little different than the other subscription boxes mentioned so far. They are specifically for gun enthusiasts, and don’t specifically target the prepper industry. They’re also different in the aspect that they only offer one tier of subscription, but allow you to pre-pay up to six months in advance for your monthly box. If you want an example of some of the things you’ll find in their box, check out the video from Sootch00 above.
On a month-to-month basis they deliver a box full of goodies for people who enjoy going to the range. Items in this box vary from targets to novelty shooting items and lubricants, but we highly recommend them for the versatility and value in each box. Make sure you give them a solid look if you’re only here for a gun enthusiast box. They aren’t much to look at online, but they certainly pack in the value.
Tiers of Subscription and Prices.
- Monthly – $45.95/Month + S/H
- Quarterly – $135.95/3 Months +S/H
- Bi-Annual – $273.95/6 Months +S/H
TacPack Tactical Gear Subscription Box
Tac Pack is another of the great subscription boxes in the industry that currently exists. Every month they release a box that is loaded with items for EDC, Survival, and basic tactical necessities. Some of the companies they often work with to load their boxes up include Black Rifle Coffee Company, Readyman, CRKT, 5.11 Tactical, and Magpul. You can check out an unboxing from The Gun Collective in the video above. In that specific box, there was actually a single item that was worth more than the cost of the subscription that month.
This is a straight no non-sense subscription box for people in our space. Items are chosen each month to maximize the value of the box, and give the subscriber as much value as possible. They’re definitely worth giving a shot.
Levels of Subscription and Prices
- Tier 1 – $49.95/Month +S/H
Are Subscription Boxes Actually Worth It?
At the end of the day, we can’t answer this question for you. Personally, we think that subscription boxes are a great value for anyone who can afford them. If you are in a position where you can personally afford to splurge on your hobbies, we highly recommend the boxes above. You will find that each and every one of those boxes packs immense value for the price you’ll pay. You may sometimes get an item you don’t want, or even need. Other times, you’ll get an incredible deal for an item you’ve been eyeing for a while. Plus, it’s like Christmas once a month, and everyone appreciates that.
This is our list though, and we’re sticking to it. If we missed a subscription box that you like, let us know down in the comments. Maybe we’ll update this post in the future with some of your suggestions.