sam and colby merch, better known as Sam and Colby, are a pair of American YouTubers and social media personalities famous for their paranormal investigations, urban exploration, and high-energy adventure vlogs. They started out on Vine in the mid-2010s, quickly growing a fan base for their comedic short videos before moving to YouTube in 2014.
Today, they have over 14 million subscribers and hundreds of millions of views. Their most popular series often revolve around exploring abandoned buildings, alleged haunted locations, or well-known supernatural hotspots. They have also created long-form projects like Stranded with Sam and Colby on Snapchat and feature-length paranormal documentaries such as A Week at The Conjuring House and Legends of the Paranormal.
Given their huge popularity, it’s natural for parents to wonder: Is Sam and Colby’s content okay for my child to watch?
The Nature of Their Content
xplr merch brand is built on thrill-seeking experiences—from breaking into (with permission, in recent years) historic sites to overnight ghost hunts. Their typical video format often includes:
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A Setup Story – Background on the location, legends, or historical events connected to it.
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Exploration Footage – Walking through dark corridors, using night vision cameras, spirit boxes, and other ghost-hunting gadgets.
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Reaction Shots – Jump scares, nervous laughter, genuine shock, or exaggerated fear for entertainment value.
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Narrative Wrap-Up – Reflection on what happened and sometimes a cliffhanger to draw viewers to the next video.
This storytelling style is engaging for older audiences, but it can be intense for younger children.
Parental Guidance and Content Ratings
Although YouTube videos don’t come with formal age ratings, we can look at their professionally produced projects for insight:
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Stranded with Sam and Colby (Snapchat series)
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Sex & Nudity: Moderate (occasional suggestive jokes or references)
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Violence & Gore: Mild (creepy imagery, occasional fake blood effects)
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Profanity: Mild (occasional swearing)
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Alcohol/Drugs: None
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Frightening Scenes: Severe – designed to be scary, with intense sound effects and suspense.
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Legends of the Paranormal (Film)
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Violence & Gore: Moderate (scary reenactments, unsettling visuals)
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Profanity: Mild
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Frightening Scenes: Moderate to high
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Sex/Drugs: None.
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These suggest their videos generally fall in a PG to TV-14 zone, leaning toward teen audiences.
Potential Concerns for Kids
1. Scary and Intense Themes
Many episodes are set in creepy, abandoned locations with dim lighting, eerie music, and sudden loud noises. For children under 11, these elements can trigger nightmares or anxiety.
2. Mild Profanity
Words like “damn,” “hell,” or occasional stronger language appear, though not at the frequency of R-rated films. For some families, even light swearing may be a concern.
3. Implied Supernatural Content
While older kids may understand the dramatization, younger ones might take ghost encounters or paranormal claims at face value, potentially fostering unnecessary fear.
4. Exaggerated Reactions
Part of their entertainment value is dramatizing fear—running, shouting, or reacting loudly to unexplained noises. While fun for some, it can overwhelm more sensitive viewers.
5. Occasional Risky Behavior
Though they now work with location permissions, earlier videos sometimes involved trespassing narratives or thrill-seeking that could be misinterpreted as safe to replicate.
Why Many Teens Love Them
Despite these concerns, Sam and Colby hoodie are wildly popular among teens for several reasons:
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Relatability – They present themselves as regular guys on an adventure.
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Friendship Dynamic – Their close friendship and teamwork make for positive social examples.
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High Production Quality – Multiple camera angles, clear storytelling, and suspense-building make their videos cinematic.
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Mystery Factor – Teens often enjoy puzzles, the unknown, and adrenaline-rush entertainment.
Audience Feedback
Parental and fan feedback online paints a mixed picture:
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Positive:
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“They’re funny, adventurous, and creative.”
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“My teen loves them and we watch together—it’s like a ghost movie but shorter.”
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Cautionary:
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“There is swearing and some very scary scenes; definitely not for my 9-year-old.”
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“The paranormal stuff is exaggerated, so I tell my kids it’s mostly entertainment.”
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These responses show that perception varies greatly depending on the child’s age, maturity, and fear tolerance.
Age Suitability Recommendations
Based on content analysis:
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Ages 8–10: Not recommended—too intense and potentially scary, plus occasional language.
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Ages 11–13: Watch with parental guidance; preview episodes before allowing unsupervised viewing.
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Ages 14+: Generally appropriate for teens who can handle mild swearing and scary imagery.
Parental Tips for Safe Viewing
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Preview First – Pick a few episodes to watch yourself before deciding.
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Use Restricted Mode – YouTube’s filter can help limit mature content.
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Watch Together – This allows you to explain exaggerations or fictional elements.
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Discuss Reality vs. Entertainment – Many “haunted” encounters are heightened for the camera.
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Encourage Breaks – Avoid binge-watching late at night, especially for younger viewers.
Comparing to Other YouTubers
If your child enjoys the adventure style but you’re concerned about horror elements, you might look into:
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The Try Guys – Humor, experiments, and adventures without paranormal scares.
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Mark Rober – Science, creativity, and engineering projects.
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Yes Theory – Adventure and travel without horror themes.
This way, kids can enjoy exciting, challenging content without intense frights.
The Verdict
Are Sam and Colby OK for kids?
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For younger children (under 11): No, the scary content and occasional language aren’t ideal.
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For tweens (11–13): Possibly, but only with active parental supervision.
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For teens (14+): Yes, if they’re comfortable with spooky themes.
Ultimately, it’s less about whether Sam and Colby are inherently “bad” for kids, and more about whether your child is ready for suspenseful entertainment that blurs reality and performance.
Final Thoughts
Sam and Colby’s success comes from a blend of relatable personalities, high production quality, and the thrill of the unknown. They fill a niche that’s somewhere between a haunted house attraction and a buddy adventure show.
For teens, their content can be exciting and even inspire curiosity about history, urban exploration, and storytelling. But for younger kids, the jump scares, creepy imagery, and mild language can cross the comfort line.