Product Review: CLIF® BLOKS™ Energy Chews.
Updated: Feb 22, 2018
CLIF® BLOKS™ Energy Chews provide quick, chewable, energy to athletes while training and racing. BLOKS come in 33 calorie cubes, with sleek and portable packaging, making it easy to customize and track caloric and electrolyte intake during long outings and races.
Love gummy bears? Hate chalky protein bars? CLIF® BLOKS™ might be your new go to. These delicious little blocks will boost your blood sugar, sodium level (prevent muscle cramping), and give you a strange amount of energy. Everybody feels the first quarter of the hike can dominate your body as it acclimates your heart rate to your activity. Take them before, or mid hike, and you kind of won't believe how much energy you have. And, not to mention the best part, a little dose of caffeine.
What I really love about BLOKS™ is the avoidance of packing energy bars. The problem (my problem) with energy bars is that you are likely to consume some kind of processed flour or wheat products, which means...gluten. The allergy prone and dieters can relate. Also, energy and protein bars most likely some kind of whey protein isolate that will just leave a brick in your gut. In my experience, this can have an adverse effect when trying to be active.
Each six chew pack provides 25mg of caffeine derived from green tea, 40mg of potassium, as well as the same 48g of carbohydrates in the same 50/50 ratio of simple to complex sugars. Some of the CLIF® BLOK™ flavors just didn't do it for me. Tropical Punch? Meh.... Spearmint? Gross.... but then I found the Salted Watermelon. That salty sweet flavor somehow also quenches your thirst. Margarita flavor is amazing as well, and designed for those who had one too many Pinot Noirs the night before.
The "Gels" that have hit the market are far from appetizing... and competitors with similar products haven't quite nailed the consistency of the gummy texture. Remember the candy JuJu beans or Jujyfruits? Stick to your teeth? I was expecting that to happen too, but, BLOKS™ won't be sticking to your teeth, no matter how dry your mouth is.
The only gripe I have is the price. You will find a individual packages to cost you between $2.50 to $3.50, and if you want to buy a few packs to throw in the bag, you've somehow spent $10 on what isn't a lot of product. I'd prefer the cost similar to candy bar pricing, but, inflation has no intention of slowing down, so, for a good product?, I can deal.
That being said, you can buy in bulk on Amazon and save a few bucks:
With the amazing minimal packaging, these can fit in a pocket easily, or slide into any bag taking little to no room at all, and in hot temperatures, they won't melt or get gooey on you.. I gotta hand it to CLIF, they killed the competition.
I found it fitting to put Angel's Landing as the back drop for this product photo. One of the worlds most famous hikes that will challenge you both mentally and physically. CLIF BLOKS should be in the bag for this one, they sell them at the Zion National Park Store.
Greg Harlow is a traveling photographer and videographer residing in Salt Lake City, Utah. Web: gregharlowmedia.com
P: (605) 430-9769
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