Test: For many athletes, the search for the right energy bar is no less than an odyssey - too sweet, too big, too heavy or not tasty enough. With the Clif Bars, there has also been an alternative that has been established in the USA for decades. Ecological, sustainable and simply different: we tested the products from California for some time.
Although the name and product design might not suggest it, the idea for Clif Bars came to company owner and founder Gary Erickson more than 25 years ago during a long bicycle race. After more than 200km he could no longer see or taste any of the conventional bars - despite his hunger. In the years that followed, Gary would spend countless hours in his mother's kitchen formulating his own power bar. The goal: it should be heartier, nutritious and full-bodied, but not too sweet, and in addition, mainly ecological and sustainable ingredients should be used - Clif Bar was born.
When it came to the name, Gary was inspired by his father, Clifford. “He's my childhood hero and he was my companion through the Sierra Nevada mountains,” says Gary – who still owns and runs the company today – of his father. The first Clif Bars opened in 1992 and since then things have been steadily increasing for Gary and his now dozens of employees in California. Incidentally, every year there is a ride with the employees to remind them of the origins of their own company.
Clif Bars: Seven varied flavors
What made the Clif Bars stand out from the crowd of energy bars in 1992 is still their unique selling point today: No other bar uses the basic ingredients oatmeal and soy and at the same time does without any preservatives and trans fats. Likewise, no syrups with a high fructose content are used - instead, Clif relies on brown rice and cane sugar syrup. By the way: since there are no animal ingredients, all flavors are suitable for vegans – even the variants with chocolate.
The manufacturer's recommendation is to consume the bars - depending on the length of the workout - one to three hours before the workout with plenty of water or during longer sessions. We tried both during our test phase and had the best results when we ate the bars in small pieces with plenty of liquid during training. It doesn't matter which flavor: The goal of company founder Gary has worked out perfectly, because Clif Bars differ quite clearly from the competition in consistency and taste. Since the different variants differ quite significantly, we recommend trying out all variants.
In Germany, Clif Bars are now available in many supermarkets and drugstores. The price per bar is usually – depending on the flavor – around €2
Clif Shot Gel and Clif Shot Bloks during training
The handling of the bars is sometimes a bit difficult due to their size and the rather firm consistency while driving. The Clif Shots products, which were specially designed to meet the requirements during training, are therefore quite new. The gel comes in two flavors, Razz and Chocolate. While the Razz variant with its fruity-sweet taste is very reminiscent of comparable products from other manufacturers, the 'Chocolate' flavor has managed to pack the special features of the bar into gel form. Sweet and chocolaty, with a mousse-like consistency, it's a welcome change.
The Clif Shot Bloks energy cubes are already known in this form: the fruit gum-like cubes are intended to regulate the blood sugar level and are either consumed with plenty of liquid during training or simply placed behind the cheeks.
We have tested both the gels and the bloks over a longer period of time and can only say positive things - even if the chocolate gel is certainly not to everyone's taste. In terms of price, the products are a bit more expensive than the competition at around €2 (for the gel) or €3 (for 60 grams of bloks, 8 pieces), but since they mainly use ecological ingredients and Clif Shot products without preservatives get by, we think that's entirely justified.
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