I’ve been trying to revamp my usual ride food, not always relying on the stuff I jam in my pocket before most rides, like Clif Bloks, Lara Bars, etc. I discovered that ProBar, who make, I think, the best energy/meal bar in the portable food aisle (I like their SuperFood Slam), also make ProBar Bolt chews, which are their version of the Blok, a gelatinous, chewable calorie puck.
That’s, maybe, an ungenerous description.
I really like them. They are softer than Clif Bloks, although to be fair, the texture of gummies like this really depends on the outside temperature and how fresh they are. The flavor of the Bolt chews was subtle, not too cloying. One of the complaints a lot of people have with synthetic carb/electrolyte suspensions is that they leave your teeth feeling like each one has a tiny sweat sock on it. I didn’t get that feeling after downing a pack of Bolts, and I think it’s just because the Bolt chews dissolve so well.
Nutritionally, they’re slightly different from Clif Bloks, each pack has 20 fewer calories (180 vs. 200), but 50% more sodium, which I find helpful, sweating as I do, also slightly more sugar. To say you’re going to notice a big difference is probably stretching it, unless you’re one of those people so finely tuned to inputs that you sense incoming thunderstorms a day ahead of time.
From a packaging standpoint, I found the Bolt package easier to open while riding than the Clif Blok sleeve. The sleeve is probably a better dispensing device, like the bike nerd version of Pez, but the Bolt package is not hard to navigate.
They come in six different flavors, Strawberry, Berry Blast, Pink Lemonade, Orange, Raspberry and Cran-Pomegranate. Each pouch is 2.1oz, and you can get a 12-pack of pouches for $29.99.