View Full Version : What kind of Energy bar?
mosquito ninja
02-25-2008, 21:20
Eh, so I stopped by REI this Saturday to pick up some odds and ends and happened by the Energy Food isle :confused:. I know they arn't essential for a thru-hike but seem like they may help when hiking 10+ miles a day. There is all kinds of bars, gels, shots, and crap. I have yet to taste even a power bar so I have NO idea what is edible and what tastes like ^#*!:-?.
Any suggestions would be nice for example: are certain BRANDS, FLAVORS, better than others?
Solid, gel, or liquid?
Are they a waste of $$$?
Is there a good place to buy them for less money grocery store, wally world?
Thanks for the help:D,
Ninja
warraghiyagey
02-25-2008, 21:22
I use the standard 'Power Bar' vanilla flavored. They are great for me about 20 minutes before a big climb. I even had hiking buddies say 'I see you had your power bar as I passed them on the climb.
Of course they always passed me on the way back down, but power bars don't help with coordination or generally being a big, clumsy oaf.:)
warraghiyagey
02-25-2008, 21:25
Also, power bars in the form I get them are usually around $1.79 but you can sometimes find them at The Dollar Store for - well I can't remember the price:D but they're cheaper there.
They do have a thicker, proteinier version for $2.79 but that's a little rich for my hikes.:)
mosquito ninja
02-25-2008, 21:30
Also, power bars in the form I get them are usually around $1.79 but you can sometimes find them at The Dollar Store for - well I can't remember the price:D but they're cheaper there.
They do have a thicker, proteinier version for $2.79 but that's a little rich for my hikes.:)
thanks, got a dollar general nearby that is having a clearance sale, haha no joke. I'll check there :banana
Appalachian Tater
02-25-2008, 21:31
Snickers with almonds and a vitamin pill.
I like Probars. They are ~380 cal each, organic, and sustain me for awhile. REI sells them too. My favorite online gear shop says they are going to start selling them by the case.
Cliff Bars!! Cranberry apple is my favorite!
mosquito ninja
02-25-2008, 21:34
Snickers with almonds and a vitamin pill.
do you have problems with the chocolate melting during the summer?
warraghiyagey
02-25-2008, 21:36
thanks, got a dollar general nearby that is having a clearance sale, haha no joke. I'll check there :banana
Just out of curiosity, what are prices like at a Dollar General clearance sale??:-?:p
I ate a couple of Zone Bars every day, then filled in the empty spots with candy. I got tired of the candy I bought ahead of time (too many Snickers) and ended up just buying what took my fancy in grocery and convenience stores.
Appalachian Tater
02-25-2008, 21:38
do you have problems with the chocolate melting during the summer?Yes, so then I eat dark chocolate M&Ms with either peanut butter-filled M&Ms or almond M&Ms mixed in. What is a power bar anyway? I tasted a couple, they taste like your worst nightmare of a candy bar made worse by being sprayed with vitamins.
take-a-knee
02-25-2008, 21:38
Cliff bars aren't chocolate covered so they work when it is warm. I like the Cliff Builder bar even better (more protein), though it is chocolate covered. Both are available at evil, wicked Wally world.
mosquito ninja
02-25-2008, 21:38
Just out of curiosity, what are prices like at a Dollar General clearance sale??:-?:p
54 cents (tax included):cool:
Appalachian Tater
02-25-2008, 21:42
Dollar General has their own brand of peanut butter cups which are better than Reese's in my opinion. They also have their own brand of candy bars (Clover Valley, I think) that are pretty good. They have pepperoni, drink mix, all kinds of crackers (including their own brand of chicken-flavored and bacon-flavored) and many other goodies like ice cream. Most of the trail towns in the South have a Dollar General.
I highly recommend BigSur bars. bigsurbars.com
Found em' only once or twice out west, hard to find, but you can order them online.
They're stupid expensive (around 3 bucks each) but they're a small meal within itself. 600+ calories, 24 grams of fat and they're absolutely delicious.
Might be a good thing to treat yourself to, or to have a family member (with money) send you along the way in a care package.
Next time you're in REI, or your local grocery store, why not buy one of each brand and find out what you like best? And if any take your fancy google the brand and you will be sure to find them cheap somewhere on the internet.
mosquito ninja
02-25-2008, 21:54
Next time you're in REI, or your local grocery store, why not buy one of each brand and find out what you like best? And if any take your fancy google the brand and you will be sure to find them cheap somewhere on the internet.
Yah, I may do this. just seems a bit wasteful and there are A LOT of different choices. thought I'd ask first.
saimyoji
02-25-2008, 21:58
detour ......
Skidsteer
02-25-2008, 22:00
Zone bars and Snickers almond.
I like Pay Day PRO - but I don't know what they cost, my wife buys them by the case at an employee discount - so if you buy them they support my health insurance!
Footslogger
02-25-2008, 22:41
Any suggestions would be nice for example: are certain BRANDS, FLAVORS, better than others?
Solid, gel, or liquid?
Are they a waste of $$$?
Is there a good place to buy them for less money grocery store, wally world?
Thanks for the help:D,
Ninja
=====================================
Not sold as "energy bars" per se but if you are interested in the quality of the calories you are shoving in your body consider the "Kashi" bars. About 3 different varieties, including Trail Mix, Honey Almond and one that is full of various spices. Available at Walmart and most grocery stores. Come in boxes of 6. Dollar for dollar they provide as good a fuel as any of the other so-called "energy bars" and actually provide quality nutrition.
'Slogger
hopefulhiker
02-25-2008, 22:44
A thu hiker, I hiked with named Still Walking said her secret weapons were Dark Chocolate, high in butter fat, along with Penguin Mints.. which had a small dose of caffeine in theim.. I had some Penguin mints sent to me and I liked them.. they come in different flavors too!
I don't like any of the manufactured bars. They all taste like artificuially flavoured, vitamin enriched sawdust bars. But I do like halvah and some kinds of home made bars. Peanut butter granola bars!
I like Probars. They are ~380 cal each, organic, and sustain me for awhile. REI sells them
Oh hell yeah these are good. I'm making a special trip to REI in the hopes that some will be there (no time to order). The best tasting "energy bar" imo. I've seen two flavors (one with whole berries) but they looked and tasted very similar.
Clif has a "Nectar"(?) brand dark chocolate walnut bar that was pretty good. Similar to the Chocolate Lara bar, but better. I'll pick up more of those if I see them. (Check the expiration dates if you get them at REI.)
There was an energy bar that was made with real honey. It had a small cartoon bee on the package. I did not finish that bar and I was hungry. =emergency food
Not a true energy bar, but the Kettle Valley Real Fruit bars rule. I generously gave one to my bother and one to my sister (among other things) at Christmas. The ones you get at REI are thick. Twice the size of fruit bars I've seen in supermarkets.
I also gave my brother and sister at Christmas some Kashi bars among other items in a gift basket, in the guise that they were tasty. If they were tasty, I would not have been trying to get rid of them. Though I only tried one flavor, the chocolate and cherry one.
I'm with footslogger and prefer Kashi; they do pack a nutritional punch and decent taste. As a runner for many yrs I've tried almost all of 'em and most taste crappy. Beware of the gels- the ones I've had were sickeningly sweet. In the end a snickers bar goes a long way.
Footslogger
02-25-2008, 23:01
Though I only tried one flavor, the chocolate and cherry one.
==================================
Funny ...that's the only flavor I haven't been able to bring myself to try.
All the others are quite good !!
'Slogger
Strategic
02-25-2008, 23:09
I make my own (http://home.earthlink.net/%7Estwriley/Logan%20Bars.htm). Check the nutrition profile at the bottom of the recipe and you'll see why.
I make my own (http://home.earthlink.net/%7Estwriley/Logan%20Bars.htm). Check the nutrition profile at the bottom of the recipe and you'll see why.
those sound good! what are roasted pepitos?
Strategic
02-25-2008, 23:25
those sound good! what are roasted pepitos?
They're shelled and roasted pumpkin seeds, very popular in Mexico as a snack but also usually fairly available here in large supermarkets or anyplace that carries organic or whole foods. They add some good proteins and fats to the bars that other nuts or seeds just can't quite match.
desdemona
02-25-2008, 23:34
I like Kashi (the chewy trail mix variety) and Odwalla bars (esp. Choco-walla). Neither are too sweet, nor do they have the taste of soy or whatever taste that is that tastes like it is supposed to be good for you.
--des
Love these:
http://www.honest-foods.com/main.html
They are soft enough that I can eat them with braces on. Most brands I cannot eat anymore due to being too hard or chewy.
I'm new to backpacking so I'm still trying to figure out what energy bar type food I like as well, but as a runner I had an opportunity to try the gel... YUCK is all I have to say... Especially if you're about halfway through a half marathon and it's really hot outside. As if I didn't already need water the gel made it worse! I tried some gummy bear type candies that were made by some energy bar company that were pretty good. Not sure how they'll hold up in a pack during hot weather though.
astrogirl
02-26-2008, 01:59
I like Probars. They are ~380 cal each, organic, and sustain me for awhile. REI sells them too. My favorite online gear shop says they are going to start selling them by the case.
I love Probars too. They are not a special extruded concoction, but really tasty smashed up trail mix. They are very satisfying as well. I find I don't react so well to the straight (fiber free) sugar in a Snickers bar.
PowerSauce bars are good. No bar contains more applesauce. You can get them at the Kwik e Mart. Unleash the power of apples!
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p306/zoidfu2_bucket/powersauce.jpg
Idealist
02-26-2008, 06:20
We like cliff bars – specifically Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch and Crunchy Peanut Butter.
We use gels when training for/running a marathon. My favorite is PowerBar PowerGel Tangerine, but I would never go so far is say it tastes good, merely tolerable.
Eh, so I stopped by REI this Saturday to pick up some odds and ends and happened by the Energy Food isle :confused:. I know they arn't essential for a thru-hike but seem like they may help when hiking 10+ miles a day. There is all kinds of bars, gels, shots, and crap. I have yet to taste even a power bar so I have NO idea what is edible and what tastes like ^#*!:-?...........ETCETCETC.............Ninja
I like the POWERBAR Double Chocolate Crunch...:D
Energy Bars give you the calories you need to get in that EXTRA mile while not having to stop & pull out "real food" from your pack!
They serve a purpose.
I usually take 1 per day on my 2 week section hike.
Good LUCK with your hike.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
02-26-2008, 07:06
The Dinos loved the original power bars - carnation Instant Breakfast bars - and gave up bars altogether when they were taken off the market. I make us an energy bar that has a ground flax seed base instead of flour and involves lots of chocolate, butter and sugar. High in calories and staying power - and will keep for up to two weeks under trail conditions.
NICKTHEGREEK
02-26-2008, 07:07
Clif Bars. Banana Nut Bread and Maple Nut are recent flavors I enjoy. Apple Cobbler is seasonal and very, very good. Chocolate Almond Fudge is an old reliable.
Mrs Baggins
02-26-2008, 07:22
Snickers with almonds and a vitamin pill.
Ewwwwww........I LOVE almonds and thought Snickers w/almonds would be fabulous. I could barely choke it down :eek: There was something really vile about the almond paste flavoring in it. For me just straight Snickers bars are the best energy bar. And they're a lot cheaper than the yucky froo froo energy bars with the hideous textures. (Power Bars - so disgusting). I do like the little gel shot packs in chocolate and espresso flavors but they're pricey.
clif bars carrot cake is my favorite. the clif blocks are also pretty good. they are the gel blocks(look like jello shots). lemon-lime is pretty tasty. i also like powergel in strawberry banana.:banana(sorry, couldn't resist)
I'm a fan of the good old-fashioned Power Bar and I also like Clif bars, any flavor. Just gotta make sure to take a few onces of water or Propel with it. :D
After about 2 days on the trail, I can't even look at a Cliff Bar. I don't know what it is but I get sick of them real fast. However, I always have an appetite for good ol' Snickers. Sometimes I carry a Gorp mixture but get sick of that pretty fast as well. I've used Berry flavored Powerbars and liked them okay. Berry is really the only flavor I like in Powerbars.
My situation is somewhat different. I WISH I could eat Clif bars, or any other high carb variety. Because of my surgery, I eat no sugar. We bariatric folks have found several protein bars, which I hesitate to call Power bars, that we can have. The best tasting is Power Crunch by Bionutritional. Protein Plus, I think they are called are available at WalMART in fruit flaVORS (blueberry and strawberry) and I get SO tired of chocolate. Walmart also carries Detour. All of these have some sort of meltable coating,m but that's the price I pay. I sometimes have one a day.
What I prefer is what I consider a better alternative to the protein bar--protein supplement. For 20g of protein and only 3 carbs I carry scoop of dry power that mixes with water. Cappucino flavor and Fuzzy Navel are my favorites. I fill a baggie and stick in the plastic scoop and have several days worth of protein. Since hydration is a concern for me, this lets me get in more water than I might think to drink at one time, just before and after a hike.
Frau
Mrs Baggins
02-26-2008, 08:19
The Dinos loved the original power bars - carnation Instant Breakfast bars - and gave up bars altogether when they were taken off the market. I make us an energy bar that has a ground flax seed base instead of flour and involves lots of chocolate, butter and sugar. High in calories and staying power - and will keep for up to two weeks under trail conditions.
Oh Dino! I used to LOVE the Carnation bars!!! I ate two every morning with my coffee in the mid-70's. I was heartbroken when they disappeared.
The only Kashi bar I ever liked was the oreo cookie one. They seem to have disappeared off the shelves in favor of yucky flavors. I have ordered them on-line in the past and may have to do that again. I do like the sweet n salty nut Trail bars sometimes.
Soylent Green is pretty good. High in protein.
Critterman
02-26-2008, 09:14
Dollar General has their own brand of peanut butter cups which are better than Reese's in my opinion. They also have their own brand of candy bars (Clover Valley, I think) that are pretty good. They have pepperoni, drink mix, all kinds of crackers (including their own brand of chicken-flavored and bacon-flavored) and many other goodies like ice cream. Most of the trail towns in the South have a Dollar General.
Check your labels on food and toothpaste etc. from the dollar type stores. Thats where the toothpaste from China with the antifreeze in it was sold. I read something else in the paper about their food items being maybe suspect as well. Some items that appear to big brands where counterfeit.
ofthearth
02-26-2008, 09:17
ProBars for $2.69
http://www.organicdirect.com/probar-arts-original-blend-p-1264.html
Fiddleback
02-26-2008, 10:22
Energy bars have a lot of good ingredients...I especially like the recipe/content list for the Pro Bars. But energy bars they are not. The calorie density of the 'energy' bars I've checked out is quite poor. For example, Pro Bars come in at around 125 calories per ounce while Cliff Bars and Zone Bars hang around 100c/oz. I'm sure there are different models and flavors but you get the idea... You can get many more calories for much, much less cost. Plain ol' Planters Cashews Halves & Pieces, for example, are 170c/oz.
If cost (and fresheness and taste:D) make a difference, make your own bars or trail mix.
FB
Thoughtful Owl
02-26-2008, 10:29
I generally will pack some Cliff Bars - blueberry crisp, or oatmeal rasin are my favorites. To break it up I have also taken some of the Snickers Marathon Energy or Protien Bars. The energy bar is available in 3 flavors and the protien in one.
does anyone just take a weight gainer or meal replacement suppliment from gnc? all of those just mix w/ water and have quite a few good things in them. also, how about powdered protein shake mix? both of these would be light for the amount of calories/protein they deliver, involve no cooking, just put powder in a bottle, pour in water, shake and drink.
DesertMTB
02-26-2008, 15:03
IMO you can't go wrong with Clif Bar. They are cheap, taste good and are made from whole grains. Plus they have about 10 grams of protein.
does anyone just take a weight gainer or meal replacement suppliment from gnc? all of those just mix w/ water and have quite a few good things in them. also, how about powdered protein shake mix? both of these would be light for the amount of calories/protein they deliver, involve no cooking, just put powder in a bottle, pour in water, shake and drink.
yup, i take protein powder with me in the summer months. i usually drink it as bfast or lunch.
also those things will be wayyyy cheaper for the nutrients they supply as opposed to buying individual bars :D
gearfreak
02-26-2008, 16:22
Although I do like Clif bars, I find them (and PowerBars) to be to dense and heavy for me. The one I do like and carry on every trip is the PowerBar Nut Naturals (http://www.powerbar.com/Products/NutNaturals/). :cool:
envirodiver
02-26-2008, 16:30
I like Clif bars, they are a bit heavy, but serve me well for a walking breakfast or mid-day snack. I like the carrot cake, Black Cherry Almond and Pear Strudle.
My soccer playing daughter favors the Luna bar, which is made by the same folks as Clif bars.
A chart of my diet for the Colorado Trail. I took 3 weeks to hike this trail. FWIW. I'm always asked "What do you eat on these hikes", so I took care to note everything I ate. :)
http://www.magnanti.com/ct_calories_pie_chart.jpg
As it says here at MJF, "...your body craves the whole nutrition found in raw foods...".
http://products.maryjanesfarm.org/pfoshop/product.asp?dept_id=236&ProductID=2049025
I also would like to try those homemade bars posted by Strategic!:sun
Another vote for Clif Bars. They have a big selection of flavours, most of which are really good. The builder bars are tasty too, although they have a pretty strong protein taste/texture.
I like clif bars too--and I also like Odwallas, especially the chocolate.
And I really just like chocolate (not that that was part of the question...).
desdemona
02-27-2008, 01:19
I like clif bars too--and I also like Odwallas, especially the chocolate.
And I really just like chocolate (not that that was part of the question...).
Another Odwalla fan. Of course the chocolate is very dense. I think there is date in there or something.
--des
I just got my shipment of http://www.matisseandjacks.com/.
I'll let you know how they turn out after I try it this weekend. I like the fact that you can use a variety of wet ingredients. I have some leftover pumpkin puree from the fall in the freezer that I'm going to use.
I used to be a big fan of clif bars but I can't stomach them any more. I also like PowerBar Harvest, which I find to be a good mix of carbs and protein for the calories. I've purchased them at Performance Bike which sometimes have decent sales on many of the bar varieties.
I highly recommend BigSur bars. bigsurbars.com (http://bigsurbars.com)
Found em' only once or twice out west, hard to find, but you can order them online.
They're stupid expensive (around 3 bucks each) but they're a small meal within itself. 600+ calories, 24 grams of fat and they're absolutely delicious.
Might be a good thing to treat yourself to, or to have a family member (with money) send you along the way in a care package.
These things are freakin' great! Definiitely expensive but very tasty!
Phlashlite
02-27-2008, 22:58
try going to emergencyesstenials.com and look at the bars there. We used some of each variety and found them to be fine. They are less expensive than Cliff and most other bars. Remember to drink plenty of water with them!
mosquito ninja
02-27-2008, 23:11
Just wanted to thank everyone for the advice. I'm gonna go energy bar shopping this weekend and try a couple that ya'll have suggested. :banana
desdemona
02-28-2008, 01:03
Just wanted to thank everyone for the advice. I'm gonna go energy bar shopping this weekend and try a couple that ya'll have suggested. :banana
Yeah but I don't think you'll find the Soylent green ones. LOL!
:D
--des
Thoughtful Owl
02-28-2008, 10:43
Has anyone else tried the Snickers Marathon Energy or Protien Bars. What do you think of these?
I've tried Snickers Marathon bars. In cold weather you really need to keep them next to your body or it will be a Snickers Marathon popsicle, rock hard. I guess it's the caramelly-ness of the ingredients. This also had the effect of making them extremely gooey in hot weather and they stuck to the packaging making them difficult to eat. This was a few years ago so perhaps they've changed the formulation.
HUNTHIKELIFT
03-05-2008, 17:53
Cliff bars. You can smash these babys in your pack and no worries. Other bars loose the chocolate coating or whatever if smashed. Cliff bars weigh more than the majority of the bars out there though.
Oh, let's not forget nuts. Plenty of calories, fat and even some protein. Salt, too, for those electrolites. Crunchy. Easy to store the uneaten portion. Doesn't melt when it's hot, either.
take-a-knee
03-05-2008, 19:22
Has anyone else tried the Snickers Marathon Energy or Protien Bars. What do you think of these?
I tried the protein bars and tired of them pretty quickly. I went back to the Cliff Builder bar (20gm protein, about halfway between a mega muscle bar and a snickers)
Think Spring
03-06-2008, 15:24
Here's another vote for Cliff and Cliff Builder bars. Read the ingredients and compare to others; basically I think they're about the best. I can get 'em around here at Kroger's for $1.39. BUT I got two dozen or more yesterday for 10 for $10. Woohoo! I usually add some others to the pack to add a little variety. Enjoy 'em.:sun
I have not acquired a taste or positive position on ANY trail bar, as their contents for health, or health benefits are not that outstanding, based upon price, ...and the only one acceptable to my taste, is the ZONE BAR series.
They are expensive, and you might do better with another choice yourself, for a more tastefull product, and less pricey purchase !!!
freefall
03-07-2008, 03:09
It's all personal preference. I can't stand energy bars so I ate Snickers throughout the day. You gotta try em out before your hike.
Long Island Ice Tea
03-07-2008, 09:25
Many a clif bar, powerbar, kashi (yawn), granola bars. All of em do what they's supposed to do's. However, new kid in town-found em at costco.
https://www.larabar.com/secure/index_.php
earlyriser26
03-07-2008, 09:33
Payday candy bars! I never hike without taking as many Paydays as I can carry. Taste great, don't melt like Snickers, as good or better energy than a energy bar....
desdemona
03-10-2008, 00:07
Funny thing. I had half an Odowalla (Chocowalla) that I had left over and ate it for dinner last night (went on a day hike yesterday). It tasted awful. Tasted like food of the gods on the trail. (Otoh, I have had some other flavors that tasted ok at work. For instance the Sweet and Salty) I think that dense taste is one that I don't really care for, but like outside where lots of things taste wonderful.
--des
travis71
03-10-2008, 09:32
I am a fan of the Clif bars that contain almonds. Gives them a better consistency IMO. However, I am fairly certain that I am just going to start bagging up some home made GORP for my day hikes. As an above poster mentioned, I will probably get more bang for the buck in regards to nutritional density.
Make your own and send them in drops when you can.
Bear Valley MealPack bars
a balanced complete protein: all 8 essential amino acids
33% of daily protein needs
25% of daily calcium needs
vital B vitamins, iron and dietary fiber
natural honey and malt for quick energy
health benefits of soy
all natural ingredients: no stabilizers, additives, isolates, preservatives, refined sugars or trans fats
sustained energy: perfect for skiing, hiking or any sport activity
homebaked taste: real food for a wholesome snack or quick meal on the go
great value: meal-sized, 3.75-ounce bars (compare with smaller bars costing more)I always feel like I have more zip after eating one of these. I keep some on hand to eat for breakfast when I don't have time to eat at home.
The other good thing... or maybe not so good ... is that you need to drink a lot of water with these. It's sort of a forced hydration meal.
They used to be available in stores in my area, but now I can only find them online. The carob-cocoa & fruit-n-nut are my favorite. I also carry them when I travel. Saves spending big $ for airline or airport food.
//www.mealpack.com/ (http://www.mealpack.com/)
Here's what you need...Mainstay Energy Bars (http://www7.mailordercentral.com/longlifefood/prodinfo.asp?number=P8254&variation=&aitem=201&mitem=266)
Sure..it's like carrying a brick but it's only 3 bites and 400 calories per square.