May ReefBox Unboxing!

Finally,  I’m all caught up.   After March and April’s ReefBox unboxing – both which contained stuff mostly for stuff on the surface, I was looking forward to some stuff that I could use while I was underwater… And lo, once again, Reefbox delivers.

This month is the BCD Box, or if you’re strictly a land-dweller, “Buoyancy Compensator Device” – it’s basically how we divers stay down, and it’s (mostly) where we store all our gear underwater (well, where I do anyway).   And there’s some cool stuff in here.


So, this is the first ReefBox where I’ve immediately deployed everything.   I actually have a SCUBA console retractor, but this one’s nicer than mine, and I never got around to hooking it up.

Also included is a tiny utility knife, which as I’m going to be diving in kelp forests soon, is a good addition to my kit (and the strap to hook it to my BCD).

That name tag (with my diver name, as opposed to my stage/author/nickname, and dear God does it get confusing) is a neat little thing that quickly identifies your gear.  I’m probably going to get another that has my stage/author/nickname, because it’s just easier.    This is what it looks like on my BCD, Ol’ Swimmy as I call it (I don’t actually call it that).

There isn’t as much stuff in this box as has been in previous boxes, but there’s no lack of cool, useful stuff here.

This month’s ReefBox DiveFind is Hatchet Caye (and looks absolutely lovely), where you get 10% off.   I didn’t get a ReefBrief this box, so check out Coral Reef Alliance’s webpage to see what they’re up to (as always, as donation is made to CORAL with every box shipped).

Let’s do the ratings!

1. Environmental Friendliness: 8 out of 10. The utility knife seems like it could easily get lost during use, and there’s a fair amount of plastic packaging, but most of it is recyclable.  Why’s the knife getting lost such a concern?  Have you seen this?

I guess what I’m saying is pick up your shit, people.

2. Usefulness: 10 out of 10. For the first time, this is something that REPLACES something I already have have.

3. Value: 10 out of 10.  As with the February unboxing, my box-per-month cost is $27.16.  Per the ReefBox info card, the box is worth $65.99, and that’s $38.82 in savings.  They’re remarkably consistent with the value of the box – and in the first 4 months of the subscription, I’m almost half-way there to the box paying for itself, and as for actual value of stuff in the boxes? 2/3 of the subscription cost.  Pretty good.

4. Fun: 8 out of 10.  More useful than fun.  Name tag’s cool.

So, the rating I give this box is an 9, but overall, I think this is my favorite ReefBox so far.

 

 

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