Backpacking Energy Bars
Understand energy bars and compare the top energy bar brands
Energy bars come in all different tastes, textures, and types. Although many base energy bars around taste, there are other aspects of the nutrition and purpose of each bar that should help you make the decision of what bar to use. Different ingredients produce different results for activities like backpacking and hiking. Choosing the correct bar for your activity is vital to keep you going and your energy up.
Types of Energy Bars
Activity Bars
Similar to endurance bars, activity bars focus on prolonging energy. However, they tend to focus on all-day outdoor activities that require both energy and some meal-replacement nutritional features. Clif Bar is perhaps the most prevalent bar in this category. Outdoor bars, Clif Bar included, often focus on organic ingredients and have crunchier, more granola, textures. Activity bars are the best energy sources while backpacking and hiking.
Meal Replacement Bars
Also known as weight-loss bars, meal replacement bars are designed more for dieting and weight loss rather than a quick burst of energy during hiking or backpacking. They are meant to provide the complete nutrition of a lunch or breakfast and to fill you up. Nutribars, ProBars, and Balance bars are examples of energy bars designed to replace, rather than supplement, a meal. Each of these bars provides calories from carbs, proteins and fats in proportions that sate hunger. Each bar is typically over 300 calories, has at least 25 grams of protein and at least 30 grams of carbs and typically has 50% RDI of vitamins and minerals.
Protein Bars
Some energy bars, such as protein bars, are designed to help you gain muscle mass. These bars attempt to cram as much protein as possible for recovery from strenuous workouts. Pure Protein bars and most Met-Rx bars fit into this category.
Endurance Bars
Endurance bars are primarily designed to be eaten before a long workout. They typically have a higher proportion of carbohydrates to provide complex, non-sugary energy that is digested over a long period of time. The most well-known endurance bars include PowerBar and Honey Stinger Bars.
Organic Bars
There are a new wave of energy bars that focus largely on providing energy in as natural a method as possible. Organic bars reject artificial sweeteners and inserted protein, preferring to have a compact load of simple ingredients. Larabar is particularly popular, with an ingredient list that typically includes only a few items and never adds protein, gluten or soy.
Steps to Compare Energy Bars
- Look at the carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the main fuel source for the muscles and brain. If you are performing highly strenuous activities, you will want an energy bar high in carbohydrates--around the 40 gram range. Carbohydrates are pure energy and will most likely be used up by your activity.
- Find the protein count. Protein will keep you feeling full longer while providing the energy you need. High-protein bars will be the perfect snacks when hiking or partaking in activities that aren't as strenuous as mountain biking or whitewater rafting. For high protein, you will want at least 9 grams, but you can find ones well over 20.
- Check the calorie count on the bar. Calories will also result in sustained energy. However, calorie counts over 300-400 tend to be a little excessive and end up turning the "energy" bar into more of a "candy" bar.
- Consider the price. Once you have found several energy bars that fit the kind of energy you need, the price may be the deciding factor. You will likely go with the bar of the same nutritional value that costs $2, verses the bar that costs $6.
- Purchase several kinds of energy bars to test. Even if one is slightly more expensive than the other, you may find it tastes much better (some energy bars are notorious for having a bad, chalky taste). It will probably be better to spend a little more on an energy bar you like than one you can't stand.
Leading Energy Bar Reviews
Bear Valley Pemmican
The moist, homemade quality of this cake-like treat makes it a favorite, especially the Carob-Cocoa. Made with soy flour, malted corn, and barley, and sweetened with honey and grape juice, the bar contains a whopping 68 grams of carbohydrates and 16 grams of protein, enough for two power-packed snack breaks or lunch. Some claim this bar to be the best all-around energy bar.
Size: 106 g
Calories: 440
Fat: 12 g
Carbs: 68 g
Price: $1.50
mealpack.com
Clif 
Bar
The Chocolate Chip flavor of Clif Bar is crispy and liked for its 10 grams of protein, thick coat of chocolate frosting, and crunchy cocoa crisps. Made with soy protein and organic and natural ingredients, the bar also packs 23 vitamins and minerals into a filling snack or breakfast that gave us several steady hours of energy on the trail. Although, a downside is that it’ll melt in hot weather. Many other flavors are offered as well.
Size: 68 g
Calories: 240; from fat: 45
Fat: 5 g
Carbs: 44 g
Price: $1.45
clifbar.com
ProBar 
This all-around favorite comes in 11 other flavors, and they are all winners. The new Old School PB&J flavor, however, is filled with an all-natural mix of peanuts, raspberries, oats, and almonds. Made with 15 natural ingredients, this performance bar packs a nutritional punch great for backpackers.
Size: 85 g
Calories: 370; from fat: 150
Fat: 17 g
Carbs: 48 g
Price: $3.30
theprobar.com
PowerBar
PowerBar is one of the original and most loved energy bar brands out there. PowerBar Triple Threat Energy bar tastes like a candy bar, but is a great choice for use before or during moderate-intensity exercise and sports, like backpacking. Fusing the tastes of chocolate, peanuts and caramel into a nutritious and tasty snack for all occasions, these bars are not your average candy bar!
Carmel Peanut Fusion is one flavor you have to try!
Calories: 230; from fat: 70
Fat: 9 g
Carbs: 30 g
Price: $1.60
powerbar.com
Larabar
Gently blended raw, natural food bar retains whole food energy to get your body humming. It's energy in its purest form for health, life and fun. The Cinnamon Roll flavor is just one of many delectable flavors that some might even consider a trail-side dessert. A blend of dates, almonds, walnuts, cashews, cinnamon and raisins, this bar delivers irresistible flavor and health: 4 grams of natural fiber, 4 grams of protein
, 4.5 grams of Omega-6 essential fatty acids, and Omega-3's.
Size: 51 g
Calories: 240; from fat: 110
Fat: 12 g
Carbs: 30 g
Price: $1.65
larabar.com
Hammer Bar
Delicious Organic Hammer Bars™ are packed with natural energy sources that'll keep you going strong while backpacking, running a marathon, or any activity. Hammer Bar combines alkalizing protein and healthy carbohydrates for maximum sustained energy.
Size: 50 g
Calories: 220; from fat: 80
Fat: 9 g
Carbs: 25 g
Price: $2.50
hammernutrition.com
Additional Resources
- Trails.com - How to Compare Energy Bars by Greyson Ferguson
- Trails.com - Types of Energy Bars by Louie Doverspike
