Suggestions for Soft Energy Bar Requiring Minimal Chewing

Would like to get some solid or near solid food that I can eat in the middle of a 1.5 hr climb at 10k ft (Leadville). I have taken chopped up Cliff bars , but didn’t end up eating them as I wanted to maximize every breath.

The kids’ version, Cliff Z Bar, is softer and requires less chews, but would like to know if there is something even softer.

I’ve used carb drinks exclusively (SiS Beta), but I find myself having to pee too much. Energy blocks are one option, but it would be nice to have something that sits in the stomach in a more like sludgey form.

Going to try SiS Bake Energy Bar. Anybody have any other suggestions?

TIA!

I’ve tried the SiS Bake Bars and they are pretty good. They are softer than some other brands. Nature’s Bake Fig Bars could be an option as well. They make quite a few flavors to mix things up. Also I’ve found home made rice cakes do the trick for something on the softer side. Good Luck!

1 Like

If you don’t mind making your own, there are some good rice cake recipes including those from EF Pro. Just note that, depending on the consistency of your rice, they may start to crumble a little after the third time you’ve rewrapped them and shoved them back in your jersey pocket. This isn’t an issue outside but indoors requires a small amount of clean up after the ride.

1 Like

Same here, and I practice eating real food to make it easier. My current softer go-to is Cliff Blueberry Crisp bars, less chewy but still requires focus to eat during hard efforts.

Not sure how soft you need them to be, but Picky Bars are probably the softest bars I’ve come across. They’re also my favorite bars overall.

1 Like

I use Skratch Super Fuel’s full serving size in terms of scoops, but only use half the water. It’s got a runnier texture than a gel, but is really easy to ingest on big efforts.

I’ve also used pure maple syrup with kosher salt in a soft flask.

I like store bought breakfast bars. There are lots of cheap versions, but i prefer the Kashi brand because they are a little lower in fat, so the carb percentage per weight is higher. Soft and easy to chew. I snip the corners with scissors before heading out so i can tear them open with my teeth.

1 Like

maple syrup in reusable flask. this is my favorite one: https://amzn.to/3LQBNHg

Hammer

Have you tried the nut butter clif bars? They’re super soft when they’ve been in your jersey pocket.

GU Stroopwafels… sit nice and flat inside your pockets… open the package (but leave inside) pre ride for easy access… they are nice and soft (just check the date of expiry prior to buying as the later the date the softer they tend to be)

3 Likes

I have some of the SiS Energy Bakes and they are good but I find them quite doughy and drying in the mouth while chewing. I probably won’t buy these again because I have realised that GoAhead Fruit & Oat Bakes have an almost identical (maybe better) nutrition profile. They cost a tiny fraction of the SiS ones, and can be picked up in a local supermarket.

To my palate the GoAhead bars have a better texture. Counterintuitively, they’re very slightly dryer which means they crumble in the mouth more like a cookie, requiring much less chewing and saliva production to get them down.

I like NAKD bars (but unfortunately they contain quite a lot of fat)

I find the wheat and fat in the bars ain’t the best for me in long climbs. Shot blocks are my go to.

I, too, found the sis energy bakes to dry my mouth too much, compared to cliff bars.

Ultimately, after trying several bars, I ended up settling for sis beta energy chews. there are basically two long strips that, for me, are easier to gobble up than the chews from others and easier to put down the hatch than any bar. Yes, they are not energy bars, but I don’t think that there is any energy bar that has the texture that I want. Anyway, the form of the sis chew kinda reminds me of a long strip of sashimi…Didn’t notice for a while, but they are actually marks/notches that would cut up the strips into thirds.

I also like how it has 45g of carbs, which is almost double of the cliff bloks.

My kids ate things like this, basically a fruit roll up in bar form. Easily digestible, and soft. It was a European brand but they were similar to this:

I always took some on rides and loved them

Easy. Z Bars. Soft. Chewy. Mostly carbs (compared to a clif bar).

1 Like

How about approaching this from the gel side and go for something like Goo gel? These pack much more flavor than e. g. SIS gels and are much more viscous.

I haven’t tried and haven’t looked at the nutritional information but how about these from Maurten?

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/maurten-solid-225

Admittedly, they’re expensive!