Clif Bars, Shots and Gels
Clif Bar makes several on-the-go energy bars, gels and shots to keep you satiated in the backcountry while skiing, hiking, climbing, paddling – or whatever it is you choose to do.
Named after the founders dad "Clif", the company aims to use as many organic ingredients as they can. As far as I am aware they are still privately owned so are a nice alternative to the corporate run Goliaths. Gary Erickson's book "Raising the Bar", a history of the company and how it came to be, is a worthwhile read and it highlights Clif Bar's interest in the environment, society, community, sustainability and people.
I have been a big believer in Clif Bars for many years and was happy to give some of the more recent products a try.
Clif Bar
This is the original Bar and the one that started it all. 70% organic ingredients, 11grams of protein, 23 vitamins and mineral, no trans fats and they taste great too! Before Clif bar came along we were stuck with other bars that looked (and tasted) more like horse feed or candy and if they got cold you could easily pull a filling out trying to eat them. Clif Bars come in 10 flavours, (Black Cherry Almond, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Almond Fudge, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch, Cool Mint Chocolate, Crunchy Peanut Butter, Maple Nut, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut, and Peanut Toffee Buzz) Black Cherry Almond and Cool Mint Chocolate are my personal faves but really they all taste great even after multiple days in the backcountry.
Luna Bar
This bar is aimed squarely at women and comes in 6 flavours such as Caramel Nut Brownie, Chocolate Peppermint Stick, Lemon Zest, Nutz Over Chocolate, S’mores and White Chocolate Macadamia. They are high in calcium, folic acid and iron (which most women are in need of) as well as a good source of Vitamin D. 70% of the ingredients are organic and Luna Bars are low in fat, so these are a great alternative to chocolate bars and other junk foods and they will not get crushed in your pack like a banana.
Clif Builder's Protein Bar
The Builder Bars are primarily and energy bar with 20g of protein for those looking to maintain or build muscle. The Clif Bars have an average of 11 grams of protein by comparison. Their are 3 flavours to choose from (Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Mint) and they come packed with 23 vitamins and minerals and no artificial sweeteners, sugar, alcohols or trans fats. I find this bar pretty sweet given that it is covered in chocolate, however on longer backcountry trips it is nice to get a shot of protein occasionally so I tend to mix the Clif builder Bars in with the regular Clif Bars.
Clif Shot Energy Gel
These Gels come in a regular and turbo version, the main difference being that 100mg of caffeine is added to the Turbo version to give them that extra kick—if this is your thing. With 3 flavours (Chocolate, Razz and Vanilla) and 90% organic ingredients these little 34 gram packs of gel definitely do get you going when you need it. I am not a big gel person as I prefer any excuse that will give me a 5 min rest on the skin track or hiking trail to put the pack down and have a snack that I can chew rather than just swallow. That is just me and I can see a place for the Clif Shot Energy Gels. One nice design feature on the packaging is the "litter leash" which provides a place to clip the used package to your pack so that the used packaging doesn't inadvertently slip out of your pocket. (I have been guilty of that one).
Clif Shot Blocks Energy Chews
Think of a gummy bear that with 95% organic ingredients and 33 calories to give your caloric and electrolyte intake a boost when you are on the skin track. Small and portable for a quick fix when you need it – and plenty to share with others too. This is the closest thing I can think of to semi-guilt free candy, but again in the backcountry when you crave something sweet these hit the spot, taste great and won't fill you full of artificial colours and flavours. There are 5 flavours to choose from (Cran?Razz, Margarita, Strawberry, Lemon- Lime and Mountain Berry) and come 6 shots to a pack.
It would be great to see Clif Bar offer a low or non-refined sugar version, there doesn't seem to be much around in the way of refined-sugar free bars. The only other area for improvement would be to create packaging that is biodegradable or at least recyclable. I do give a high five to Clif Bar for being a pioneer in the organic energy bar field – Bravo!
Plenty of product to choose from for your next backcountry adventure, check them out at clifbar.com