Backpacker Magazine – April 2008

Taste Test: Best of the Bars

What to grab when you need a boost

by: The Backpacker Editors, Photos by Julia Vandenoever

1 2 3 4 5

Detour Runner

1 2 3 4 5

Bobo's Oat Bar

1 2 3 4 5

Larabar Jocalat Chocolate Mint

1 2 3 4 5

ProBar Apple Cinnamon Crunch

1 2 3 4 5

Balance Bar Sweet & Salty Peanut Butter

Detour Runner
Best for muscle recovery

Taste
A nutty core generously dipped in chocolate overpowers saliva-sucking whey protein.

Energy
A top pick for replenishing late-day endurance, the Runner includes a protein-based dietary supplement called MicroLactin to help muscles and joints recover.

$1.25 (per bar), weight 50g
Calories 210 Fat 7g
Carbs 25g Protein 12g
detourbar.com

Bobo's Oat Bar Cinnamon Raisin
Best breakfast replacement

Taste
Moist and chewy, this bar was a favorite on mornings when we didn't want to fuss with dishes. It also worked well as a 10 a.m. snack on alpine-start days.

Energy
"Recharged" is how one tester described feeling after eating this dense bar. To extend its energy boost (and aid digestion), many hikers ate this bar by tearing off small hunks over time.

$1.65, weight 84g
Calories 180 Fat 6g
Carbs 29g Protein 3g
bobosoatbars.com