Clif Shot Bloks

A fruit-flavored organic energy chew with great flavor and no filling feeling. However, I found I need to consume a whole pack (six chews) in order to feel any energy increases.

Taste:
There are some creature comforts that we deprive ourselves of while out on the trail. Because of my sweet tooth, I always crave sweet treats while on the trail, but some of my favorites—cookies, candies, and baked goods—don’t lend themselves well to being stuffed in a pack. When I set out to find a snack that could serve as a delicious treat and hold up well in my pack, I found the Clif Shot Bloks, specifically the strawberry flavor. 

The taste is not overpoweringly sweet nor is it full of fake strawberry flavoring like many candies, but rather it is pleasant, with only a light to moderate strawberry flavor. 

Energy: 
The packaging recommends consuming 3-6 chews per hour during activity, being sure to wash them down with plenty of water. I've tried the following tests:

Test #1: Consume 3 chews over the course of 60 minutes while mountain biking in relatively easy terrain in warm, humid weather (75-80F).
Results: Felt nothing in terms of energy 

Test #2: Consume 3 chews over the course of 30 minutes while biking (same trail and weather conditions as test #1)
Results: Still nothing in terms of energy. 

Test #3: Consume 6 chews in 45 minutes while biking (same trail and warmer weather conditions, 85-90F)
Results: Felt a noticeable increase in sustained energy. 

Because the recommendation on the packaging is pretty broad (i.e. 3-6 chews per 60 minutes of activity), I suspect because I am a larger than average person (6’2” or 1.88m and 190 lbs or 86.2kg) my requirements to feel the energy boost are on the upper end of the recommendation.  

Since the aforementioned mountain biking tests, I also have also consumed these while hiking on several occasions. Sometimes this has been simply for the taste, while other times it has been for the energy boost. Most recently I split a package of 6 chews with two hiking partners (each person consuming 2 chews each), and while it did nothing for me in terms of energy, it was still a much welcomed, great tasting treat. 

Image source: clifbar.com

Packaging: 
A standard pack of six chews is roughly the size of a thick marker (think one of the thick Sharpies). The linear packaging is easy to pack and can squeeze into any pocket in my packs (Osprey Atmos 65 and Osprey Talon 22), or simply into my pants pocket. There is no mess once the packaging is emptied, unlike that of some energy gels on the market. 

Recommendation:
While the Clif Shot Bloks aren’t the best at providing sustained energy, the flavor is great (at least the strawberry flavor), the texture is wonderful, and they hold up great while stuffed away in a pack.

I’d recommend the Clif Shot Bloks to folks who like an easy to pack, fruit flavored treat in the backcountry and those who don’t want to worry about their treats melting (I haven’t witnessed any melting up to 95°F). Clif makes many other flavors of these chews, but I initially purchased the strawberry flavor and really enjoy it. If it ain't broke...

50 lbs on your back, hard pull ahead, one or two blocks and you will feel the difference. However, I don't recommend blocks late in the day because the caffeine will keep you awake long after dark.