1. Energy bars: Bushtukah manager Cameron Wheler favours the “shot in the arm” he gets from Clif bars (especially lemon poppyseed), having wolfed down a couple as he wearily approached the freezing summit of Mount Washington last month.
2. Energy drinks: Gatorade may be tried-and-true but Wheler prefers eload for quenching thirst, balancing electrolytes and preventing cramps.
3. Energy gels: Such as Clif Shot, Carb-BOOM or GU Energy Gel. A favourite of marathon runners, these doses of highly concentrated complex carbohydrates can be squeezed directly into your mouth but Colleen Mooney, manager of Mountain Equipment Co-op, warns that some people aren’t fond of the goopy texture.
4. Jolly Ranchers: It’s low-tech and nutritionally empty but this square of hard candy releases the flavour of watermelon or tart green apple inside your cheek and temporarily distracts you as you pick your way up Gros Morne mountain’s seemingly endless scree.
5. Gorp: It may be old-fashioned but you get protein, carbohydrates and a funny name with this mix of dried fruit, nuts, seeds and–that key of all gorp ingredients–chocolate (smarties or chocolate chips are best).
Mary Gordon, The Ottawa Citizen
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God I love Clif Bar. It was one of the tastiest energy bars I have ever eaten. I could live off the stuff.
I love Clif bars myself, been trying the Luna bars but I’m still partial to Clif, like scienceguy, I could live off of them I think
I see a lot of people try those electrolyte jelly beans. I have a pouch in my pack, just waiting ’til I need them I guess.
Peanut butter sandwiches are great for a filling energy boost, especially with some bananas cut in, but they get squashed in the pack, and make me thirsty.