I have quite an interesting review for you guys today. JoggBox is a monthly subscription box which delivers a range of different running and fitness specific products to you. This is quite a hefty review as there are a lot of products to get through!
JoggBox is a great concept because it gives you the opportunity to try a range of different products and brands that you might not have heard of or seen but never tried. And there’s a range of brands that JoggBox use so it’s quite exciting to see what you’ll get each month. I must say I quite like that element of surprise. There are so many brands (you can check them all out HERE), like Beet It, nuun, chia charge, High5 etc. Basically lots of brands I like!
When you sign up you put in a few details of yourself, such as shoe size, gender, age etc. and any food constraints so the box is more customised to you which is always good. You also get a little ‘crib sheet’ of what you’ve received and how to use them. Sooo what did I get?
I’m not going to lie, it was like Christmas morning opening this box for me!
Pulsin Snack Bars (website HERE; RRP £1.60)
In my box I received one vanilla choc chip protein Pulsin bar. These snacks bars in general are low in fat, have a low GI and are high in protein.
- Calories per serving (50g): 225kcal
- Fat: 13.1g
- Of which saturates: 3.2g
- Carbohydrate: 14.5g
- Of which sugars: 6.2g
- Sodium: 57mg
- Protein: 12g
- Fibre: 4.6g
There’s no added sugar, they’re vegan, dairy and gluten free.
Ben loves these sorts of snacks so I (reluctantly) let him have this to take to work as his breakfast. He said it had a very crumbly texture with lots of nuts and chocolate but wasn’t particularly sweet. Though he admitted that he has a high sweet threshold 😉 As the bars are quite hefty they’re ideal for a quick breakfast option if you don’t have time one morning or a beasty snack if you’ve particularly been affected by runger one day.
Body Glide (website HERE; RRP £7.99)
Ahh this couldn’t be more perfect for me. I chafe when I wear certain vests under my arms and also my HR monitor savages my chest. It’s a nightmare. Showering afterwards is no joke. This stuff is brilliant. It acts as a barrier to prevent chafing and rubbing, ultimately reducing those painful rashes or blisters. It’s sweat and water resistant (you can even use it when swimming!) 
It’s very easy to apply (like deodorant), it doesn’t smell and it doesn’t leave a nasty residue on your skin. I was very pleased with this product.
Frank Snack Bars (website HERE; RRP £1.00)
I really like the name of these bars, I think it’s quite quirky. Interestingly, the Frank Food Company was founded by a former Everton footballer, Neil Robinson who was keen to create a snack that was genuinely healthy and not an “imposter”. They contain 100% natural ingredients. In my box I had two Frank bars: an oat chocolate one and blueberry chocolate one.
Nutrition for Blueberry and Chocolate:
- Calories per serving: 117kcal
- Fat: 1.71g
- Of which saturates: 1.06g
- Carbohydrate: 22.88g
- Of which sugars: 14.36g
- Sodium: 0.03g
- Protein: 3.89g
- Fibre: 8.89g
I really enjoyed these. They had a nice cakey, dense texture and had the right amount of sweetness. Good little pick-me-ups in an afternoon.
KT Tape (website HERE; RRP £5.99)
KT stands for kinesiology tape and is a handy tool if you’re injured or maybe feeling a bit of pain when working out. It’s not just for running, the tape can be used for lots of different sports and not just on your legs but all over your body (the mind boggles…).
Essentially it’s tape that you stick on to your body and can help provide a bit of a relief for so many common injuries such as knee pain, shin splints, tennis elbow and many many more. It stays on for a good few days as you can even shower in it. The tape stretches with the movement of your body. There are loads of guides online of how to apply the tape for certain body parts and injuries and it’s really quite easy and simple.
In my JoggBox I got several strips of KT tape which is enough for most different injuries. Obviously the supply won’t last that long but it’s good for a few usages. I’m not actually injured (HALLALEUIGH) but I’ve felt my shin ever so slightly with my increased running so thought it would be an ideal time to test it out for shin splints.
It came in an orange (nude for my skin) colour so it’s really not that noticeable. I went for a run the next morning and it was fine – I didn’t actually feel it on my leg to be honest and it stayed on in the shower fine. Though it was a little moist for a while afterwards. My shin hasn’t been bothering me too much so it’s hard to tell if it would help with a full-on injury but quite a few people have expressed their love for it so it can’t be bad eh!
Push Gels (website HERE; RRP £1.65)
Though I have tried to get away from using gels I haven’t found a good alternate (or rather, I’m too much of a wuss to attempt something new on a long run). I’m not a huge fan of the chemical taste or indeed the chemicals themselves in the gels. So this peaked my interested a lot. They contain no artificial sweeteners, colours, flavours or preservatives but they still have the necessary carbohydrates (maltodextrin, fructose, waxy maize starch – apparently derived from corn but still sounds a little scary) and electrolytes. They’re favoured with natural fruit juice and are suitable for vegetarians, vegans and are gluten free. Sadly no caffeine, though they do a caffeine version.
They advise you to take these gels with 150ml of water and 1-2 per hour during intense exercise. I received two Passion Fruit gels in my box. I used one during my long cycle the other week and, as gels go, it didn’t taste too bad. The texture was slightly grainy but not horrendous and the flavour was quite nice. I quite like these as ‘cleaner’ alternates to normal gels. The other flavours are Blackcurrant (with caffeine) and Cherry.
Elivar (website HERE; RRP £1.95)
Right OK. I will let JoggBox off for this one as these are meant to be for athletes over 35 years old and I’m 26! But to be fair, I didn’t tell them my age when I agreed to do the review so hey ho.
Basically it’s a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals specifically tailored for the athletes over 35. The blend of ingredients are to help avoid sharp rises in blood sugar and then the inevitable crash, but still keeping you fuelled efficiently for your activity.
- Calories per serving (45g): 165kcal
- Fat: 0.4g
- Of which saturates: 0.3g
- Carbohydrate: 32g
- Of which sugars: 13g
- Sodium: 43g
- Protein: 8g
- Fibre: 0.9gIt contains a whole host of vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B12 etc. and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) – which are great for muscle repair. It’s jam-packed! Good for providing energy, helping with muscle repair and keeping your bones healthy. You add water and drink during activities. There are other varieties for pre-workouts and post-workouts too. Brilliant idea for the ‘ageing athlete’ (sorry, terrible term I know. I don’t mean to patronise – I can only hope I’ll still be running past 35). It didn’t taste hugely sweet but I didn’t mind the taste. It jazzed up my water.
Clearspring Miso Soup (website HERE; RRP £1.29)
I love miso soup! I actually occasionally buy packs of miso soup to have at work as a nice warming snack (albeit a low calorie one at that). Miso is a nourishing and high energy whole food so perfect for a hot drink in the afternoon, especially with how cold it is right now. Miso is great for digestion as it’s a natural probiotic food.
Each serving is a good source of B vitamins, calcium and iron and is high in antioxidants, and though it tastes salty is has less salt than table salt. I disagree that these would, as the website states, be “perfect for a quick lunch” but rather would be a good addition to a more sustaining lunch or a light snack. - Calories per serving (8g): 29kcal
- Fat: 0.8g
- Carbohydrate: 3.9g
- Salt: 1.5g
- Protein: 1.4g
Armband (RRP £7.99)
This product is made by JoggBox themselves. It’s a phone/mp3 player holder that straps around your arm when you’re running or cycling.
You can also put your house/car key in a little compartment as well which is very handy. When I first attempted to put my phone in the armband it didn’t fit (I have an iPhone 5s) but realised in order for it to fit I’d need to take off my phone case first. Then it fits quite snugly and has a little hole so you can still attach earphones.
You can still use your phone once it’s in the holder and it fits quite comfortably on my arm and feels very secure. Though it’s a pain to remove my phone case I really liked this and will be upgraded my old armband for it. I’m not sure how other phones would fit however as we only have iPhones.
My thoughts on JoggBox:
I really like the concept of JoggBox. I liked that I could try out different products without committing to buying a large number of them and potentially wasting them if I didn’t like them. For a monthly subscription it’s £15 (plus £3 P&P), but there are other options if you want to do 3 month’s or a year’s subscription which are cheaper in the long run. The subscription can be suspended and re-activated (or cancelled) at anytime as well so you’re not locked into a contract. You can also just buy one box (or 3, 6, or 12) as a one-off – like a gift for someone. Personally I’d probably buy a few one off boxes from time to time to see what’s out there and try new things. And like I said, I love the idea that you don’t know what’s you’re going to get 🙂 I was really chuffed with everything I go. The Elivar probably the only thing that I didn’t find particularly useful to me.
Have you ever tried JoggBox?
Do you have any monthly subscriptions you’re signed up to, such as organic food boxes?
Are there any products here that you’ve tried or like the sound of?
[Disclosure: I was sent the JoggBox for free to review. However all opinions are my own.]
This looks fab! I’ve seen Joggbox before a few times on social media but never realised you got quite so much in the box. £15 one off now and then is not bad at all. I love the idea of using it as a Christmas gift for friends. (At least two more ticked off the huge Christmas list for this year then!) You received such a huge range of items in your box – most of which I hadn’t heard of before. I really like that this could introduce you to running items you then fall in love with! 🙂
Mary recently posted…My love for quirky
It’s definitely good value for your money I think, it just depends if you like the element of surprise I guess. And very handy gift ideas! Sadly no one in my close friends or family (except Ben) are into running so this wouldn’t appeal to them…argh!
Great review Anna. Those Pulsin bars aren’t that sweet but they are delicious! I like the fact this costs £15 – enough to qualify for top quality goodies but not so much it’s a disaster if you don’t love them.
Claire @ Flake and Cake recently posted…Real Food Resources: Books
Exactly. It can introduce you to new products that you might not go out and buy yourself.
There are so many of these boxes around right now, but I really love the sound of this one! Great review!
lucie recently posted…Defining Goals, Values & Our Critical Belief System
I love the sound of the organic food boxes – and I’m a big fan of Graze boxes (I get one every two weeks). I’m easily pleased by surprises I think hehe.
Great idea. That pulsin bar is my favourite bar ever! I am a big KT tape fan, when I had the sciatic nerve problem earlier in the year, it was amazing, I actually couldn’t walk without it on, it made such a difference. Lol at the miso soup as a lunch, for like 30 calories- how ridiculous! I wouldn’t even call it a snack ha.
Lauren (@poweredbypb) recently posted…Favourite Reads of the Week #2
I know!! It’s part of a snack for me – with something more substantial like nuts. Nice and warming though when it’s chilly and you can’t face yet another cup of tea!
I love the idea of these boxes- but the trouble is I tend to hoard things (or save them for a special occasion which never arrives)- I used to have a graze box each week but the snack boxes built up a I hardly ever ate them!
I do love the idea of not knowing what was in the box- like a little present 🙂
I love those pulsin bars. The frank bars made me think of those old “give up drugs” adverts- “talk to Frank”.
Maria @ runningcupcake recently posted…The Sock Mine (review) and other running ramblings
Hahaha yes I’m the same actually. I’ve only stopped doing this so much with gels because I suddenly realised they have a use by date (duhh Anna). I used to do it with the Graze boxes until it got silly with having so many piling up in my drawer at work!
Hehe yes I admit that the Frank bars did make me think of that advert as well.
Aaah, these sound like the running version of Glossybox… to be honest I’d love a subscription to both but probably wouldn’t buy it for myself.
The contents of the box look great though… and what a great present idea if you have a hard to buy for running mad friend on your Christmas Shopping list!
Liz recently posted…Great South Run 2014 Part 2. The Emotions
Yeah they’re perfect gifts for people I think. And they come all nice and lovely in the box so wrapping is so easy. Glossybox? I’ve not heard of this… *goes off to Google*.