I’m always blown away when I find out that guys will spend their money on subscription boxes that are just kinda…lame. Yeah, we all need socks—but do you really need a monthly resupply on them? If I’m going to shell out for a monthly subscription to anything, I want it to be cool and unique.
With that in mind, we’ve carefully curated a list of only the coolest subscription boxes for guys. Instead of socks and bags of potato chips, you’ll find everything from gear for doomsday preppers to specially selected rare pub shirts to a live moss of the month club (yep, you read that right). Just don’t blame me if you end up with a solid half dozen of these to keep yourself entertained year-round.
The Rare Beer Club
Beer legend Michael Jackson (the one who drank a lot of beer, not the one who invented the moonwalk) was once the lead of the tasting panel for The Rare Beer Club. If you’re not familiar with the man, he’s widely considered to be the forefather of craft beer writing and appreciation in America. And while the curation for this club has passed on in his absence, the truly rare and remarkable bottles you’ll get will still wow and impress even the haughtiest of beer snobs.
Pub Shirt Club
There’s nothing quite like the feel of a good pub. From the dark and homey to the raucous and lively, classic pubs have been the “third space” that have kept men sane for centuries. And while you may never get to visit all of the approximately 47,000 pubs in the United Kingdom, you can keep the memory of your favorite bars close to you with the Pub Shirt Club. Each month, they’ll send you a specially-designed Irish pub t-shirt to add to your collection—meaning you’ll be fully prepared for costume changes on St. Patty’s Day.
Bokksu Japanese Snacks
Japan’s enduring appeal has so much to do with the island nation’s secretive, almost mystical nature. In ways big and small, it’s more than just foreign—it’s downright enchanting (at least to us far-removed Americans who grew up on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim). And just like their architecture, mythology, city design, and fashion, Japan’s selection of snacks is incredibly unique. Bokksu gives you access to some of Nihon’s most popular treats shipped directly from Japan, like white peach mochi, sweet potato cookies, butter soy sauce popcorn, and muskmelon gummies.
BattlBox Survival and EDC Gear
After the inevitable collapse of civilization as we know it, there’s a really good chance you won’t be receiving subscription boxes through the postal service anymore. But never fear—because if you get started with Battlbox’s monthly boxes now, you’ll be stocked up for doomsday in no time. Start with a “basic” box if you’re just looking for a few necessities, or go big with the “pro plus” option to get everything but the fallout bunker shipped directly to your door.
Live Moss of the Month Club
Moss: You know you want to touch it. The complex and resilient family of organisms comes in a huge variety of shapes, sizes, and colors—making it perfect for monthly delivery for all moss enthusiasts. What will you do with your moss? I’d suggest taking up the fine art of terrarium building. As your apartment fills with glass jars, dirt, and cuttings of plants, you’ll eagerly await your monthly moss box to liven up your miniature worlds.
Cryptid Crate
Bigfoot. The Loch Ness Monster. Mothman. Are they urban legends? Figments of someone’s imagination? Multidimensional creatures from the stars? Fans of cryptozoology (that’s the study of cryptids, animals that have been claimed but never proven to exist) can’t seem to agree on origin stories, but they can agree that Cryptid Crate is great. With it, you can automate your cryptid fascination feeding with cleverly curated collections of cryptozoology and paranormal themed items.
Bespoke Post
Bespoke Post is easily one of the top bang for your buck subscription boxes for guys. Seriously: The quality and cost of what they send to you in each month’s box is way above the subscription price. That’s because they make bulk deals with brands to get the best possible price on everything from comfy cardigans to cool audio gear to cocktail fixings and more. You’ll be genuinely delighted by the range and quality of what comes to you each month.
Escape the Crate Escape Room Club
In the past five years or so, escape rooms seem to have popped up in just about every major city. Offering a collaborative puzzle-solving experience for groups of friends, they’re an awesome alternative to a night out at the bar. Now, you can bring the enigmas to your own home with Escape the Crate. They’ll give you a full escape-room scenario every month, with options to play solo or include groups of two to six people.
Cannabox
Gone are the days where the highest class marijuana-smoking experience you could find was your buddy’s extra large bong. With legalization making its way across the United States, the once-derided pastime is quickly becoming a craft activity on par with craft cocktails and beer. Cannabox is your one stop shop for all your ganja-related accessories, from Dragon Ball Z-themed dab rigs to sleek pipes and organic rolling papers.
Skulls Unlimited Bone Box
When we are dead and gone, what will be left of us? Macabre as it may be, our bones are one of the most enduring records of our lives. And they’ve been an object of fascination for poets and paleontologists for centuries, owing to the rich associations that come with our skeletons. Skulls Unlimited’s Bone Box really delivers the goods for budding naturalists, with monthly boxes that include a mystery skull, collectible animal trading cards, and a unique animal or art item.
CrateChef
There are roughly one million food subscription boxes, each with its own idea of how you should cook (or not cook). Many of them are overpriced; others are boring; still others are so overly specific as to be redundant after a couple of months. CrateChef avoids all of these pitfalls, offering some of the most thoughtful combinations I’ve yet seen of chef-curated cookbooks and ingredients. Each box is a full ticket to understanding and appreciating something about world cuisines, and they offer boxes from a new chef every two months or so.
Gold Belly Bacon of the Month Club
The quickest way to a guy’s heart is through bacon—both literally and figuratively, so don’t overdo it on the pork products, please. And with two to five pounds of bacon delivered to your doorstep, Gold Belly’s Bacon of the Month Club will satisfy any breakfast meat cravings that may come your way. But these are no ordinary bacons: With special chef collaborations and unique flavorings, they’re like the Rolls Royce of pork belly.
Fuego Box Hot Sauce Subscription
If your only real introductions to hot sauce have been the standard Tabasco, Frank’s Red Hot, Cholula, etc., then you’re in for a real treat with Fuego. While those standby sauces are a great way to liven up your meals, they’ll never be the main attraction. Meanwhile, the hot sauces in Fuego’s huge range of flavors and heat levels can give you the tools to turn any dish from “meh” into marvelous with just a few dashes.
VNYL Vinyl of the Month Club
The movement of the majority of music to digital has made songs and artists available to more people than ever before. But it’s also made for an overall decrease in audio fidelity for most listeners, and fairly well eliminates the joy of thumbing through a stack of records to find the perfect album. VNYL can fix that, with a selection of vinyl records added to your collection each month according to your personalized tastes.
Southern Cigar Co. Cigar Subscription Box
Relaxing at the end of a long work day with a glass of whiskey and a fine cigar may not turn you into a southern gentleman, but it will definitely get you part of the way there. Southern Cigar Co. will keep your humidor well stocked, with four premium cigars delivered each month for your smoking pleasure.
Atlas Coffee Club
With a focus on single-origin beans and lighter roasts, Atlas Coffee Club is made to appeal to the budding coffee aficionado. It’s a fantastic way to explore the wide world of coffee, all while guaranteeing that every bean you grind and brew is as fresh as possible. No matter how you take your coffee, you’ll find new flavors, aromas, and stories to love in each month’s box.