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Reviews > Food > Energy Bars and Drinks > Honey Stinger Organic Energy Gel > Test Report by Ray Estrella
Honey Stinger Organic Energy Gels
TESTER INFORMATION
I've been backpacking for over 30 years, all over California, Minnesota, and many western states. I hike year-round in all weather, and average 500+ miles (800+ km) per year. I make a point of using lightweight gear, and smaller volume packs. Doubting I can ever be truly ultralight, I try to be as light as I can yet still be comfortable. I start early and hike hard so as to enjoy the afternoons exploring/chilling. I usually take a freestanding tent and enjoy hot evening meals. If not hiking solo I am usually with my brother-in-law Dave or my twin children. The Product
Manufacturer: Honey Stinger Product Description
I suppose some explanation as to what gels are is in order as it is not really an item that is used by many backpackers in my experience (including myself). Energy gels are mainly used by runners and cyclists as a way to provide large amounts of carbohydrates in a short period of time. A quick slurp of the package contents delivers a high concentration of calories in the form of carbohydrates in just seconds. As an example most energy bars have about the same amount of carbohydrates, but also have fats and protein too, and they take a while to eat. The main difference between these new Organic Gels and Honey Stinger's Classic line is that the majority of the carbohydrates comes from organic tapioca syrup. I have tried many gels in the past, including the Honey Stinger Classic and did not care for them. This test was part of another test (Honey Stinger Blueberry Buzz Energy Bars) so I had to take the gels too. The only reason I did was because I was intrigued by the tapioca syrup. As may be seen by my other food related reviews I am interested in nutrition and in healthy choices on the trail. So I did some reading up on tapioca syrup. Much of the info came from a 2000 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations report. The gist of it is that tapioca syrup is a mixture of simple sugars and more complex carbohydrates. The fact that it contains complex carbs too is a biggie to me. During endurance sports, (I used to be a distance runner) the body typically processes the simple sugars first for immediate energy and then slowly processes the more complex carbohydrates, giving intermediate and long-term energy. Gels that I have used in the past are way overboard on the simple carbs as that is what most sugars are. They result in what is called a sugar crash, or bonking, unless yet more carbs are ingested. Complex carbs do not have as quick or steep of a crash. OK, I will give it a go. The nutritional information and ingredients are exactly the same for all the flavors. Here is what it looks like.
As it is deep into winter here I will be looking at how the Organic Energy Gels work in extreme cold. The only way I can keep them warm will be in my pocket so it will be interesting to see how pliable they remain. Please come back in a couple months or so to see how they worked in the field. My thanks to Honey Stinger and BackpackGearTest.org for letting me see how they do. This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1.5 Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Read more reviews of Honey Stinger gear Read more gear reviews by Ray Estrella Reviews > Food > Energy Bars and Drinks > Honey Stinger Organic Energy Gel > Test Report by Ray Estrella | ||||||||||||||||||
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