Travel Essentials: Clif Bar

The more I travel, the more I fall in love with hiking. There’s just something about exploring lush forests, steep mountains and rugged terrain that puts a huge smile on my face. I often get lost on my journeys, but ironically discover a bit more about myself with each adventure. That’s one of the things that keeps me going: there’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when you push your body and mind to new heights. Having been on some epic hikes (from Table Mountain in South Africa and Mount Pilatus in Switzerland to the Sleeping Giant in Ontario and Mont-Megantic in Quebec), I know exactly how important it is to be fueled properly. Regardless of how fit we are, our bodies need carbohydrates, proteins, fat and nutrients to sustain us. That’s where energy bars come in. Trust me, I’ve tried everything from healthy snacks to protein bars, but nothing comes close to the expertly-formulated Clif Bar products. That’s because they’re made to feed your adventure…

I’m convinced that when a product is developed out of need/personal experience, it almost always leads to a great outcome. This couldn’t be more true for Clif Bar – an energy bar that was born on a bike. Let me explain: the inspiration to create the bar came during a 175-mile bike ride. Disappointed by the energy bars he had packed for the journey, Gary Erickson (the founder and owner of Clif Bar & Company) decided to try his hand at making a better product. Fast forward two years and countless experiments in his mom’s kitchen, Gary successfully created a bar he was proud of and named it after his father Clifford. Incredible story, right?!

Even more impressive is Clif Bar’s commitment to organic food, farming and products. For over a decade (since 2003), they’ve sourced 637 million pounds of organic ingredients to craft their products! They also support organic practices that avoid the use of toxic pesticides, conserve biodiversity, protect our natural environment and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Oh, AND 70% of the organic oats they source come from Canadian farmers — woot woot.

While they have a ton of bars, chews and gels to choose from (depending on your needs/how challenging your adventure is), there is one that’s a travel essential in my books: the Clif Bar Energy Bar. Optimized for activities like hiking, cycling and climbing (like the ice climbing mission I went on last year), this bar provides the right blend of carbs, protein, fibre and fat to fuel my journeys. It’s thoughtfully crafted and made with Canadian organic rolled oats with no partially hydrogenated oils, high-fructose syrup or synthetic preservatives. Best part? It’s avail in 10 delish flavours — from the new Chocolate Brownie to Crunchy Peanut Butter. Oh, and I got a sneak peek of a new bar that will be released in Canada early next year: Nut Butter Filled (the Chocolate Hazelnut Butter is honestly the best-tasting energy bar I’ve EVER had so keep your eyes peeled):

Do you guys have a fave Clif Bar product? I’m trying the Coconut Chocolate Chip bar next and can’t wait to get my paws on their seasonal Iced Gingerbread bar!

This post is sponsored by Clif Bar. In exchange for the review, I have received products and compensation. As always, all opinions are entirely my own.