Red Bull on the trail?!

[Tahawus]

It may just be a sign of me trying to compensate for reaching my forty's and worrying about my ability to keep up the pace but during a dayhike last weekend up the Sewards and Seymour, I found myself wondering if maybe I needed the extra edge these different, drinks, bars and gels might give me.

I have never really used Gatorade or any of its ilk. They have always seemed like gimmicky versions of Tang which i only use occasionally along with CountryTime lemonade at diluted strength to cover the taste of Iodine. And I only use Iodine on rare occasions when I don't feel like hauling my filter.

The only upgrade to the way I intake fluids since I was a teenager was to get a Platypus 2 years ago and religiously take 2-3oz. sips at frequent intervals.

 

[JohnL]

Hydroxycut?? I thought that was a weight loss supplement. How can that possibly help you on the trail?

If you do any studying of sports training and nutrition, you'll see one main word: carbohydrates. That is what fuels your muscles. If you want to keep going on the trail, feed yourself carbs. For me, meats, cheeses, and nuts are for after the hike, not during. I drink GatorAde or GookinAde (Hydralite) during the hike and a recovery drink such as Endurox or Accelerade right after the hike. An hour later I'll follow that with a protein drink. In my opinion, these trendy drinks such as Red Bull and Crank 2-O are junk. They are marketed and designed to sell to people who think they are sports drinks.

My 2 cents.

JohnL

 

[JimB]

Cytomax

I haved used Cytomax for over 10 years and I swear by it for any endurance efforts. I now have a Platypus hydration pack(about 400 ci) and I keep 2 bladders in it. A 100 oz that is just water and a 70 oz that always contains a mixture of Cytomax. I ran the 2 tubes together and zip tie them near the mouthpieces so they hang together in the shoulder clip. With this setup and a few Nutrigrain Bars, granola bars, Hammer Gel and some hard candies I recently hiked The Devil's Path and Santanoni's, both over 10 hours without bonking. I use a Platypus bladder for the Cytomax mix because it is very easy to clean with the large ziplock type opening. The only thing is after a day of this fare a greasy, salty cheeseburger tastes really good

 

[tycho_32]

I have tried pretty much every energy drink out there at some point in time. Believe it or not Red Bull tastes better than most. My friends and I call it liquid pez. Anyway we have found that the effects--positive and negative--vary from person to person. I swear by the stuff and drink on before every hike and for lunch. My friend tried it and it had absolutely no effect on him. As with any caffeinated drink i make sure that I stay properly hydrated. I carry lots of water. I also tend to hydrate the night before. I think the biggest benefit it has for me is to get me through the start of my hike when I continually ask myself why I torture myself this way. It boosts me into that stage where I am in my groove and loving every minute on the mountain/trail. It also doesnt hurt that it awakens me after getting up at the butt crack of the morning to go hiking.

 

[Nadine]

Red Bull mixed with Jaegermeister is much tastier

 

[jbrown]

Hydroxycut?? I thought that was a weight loss supplement. How can that possibly help you on the trail?

It's actually just a stimulant in disguise. It works as a weight loss supplement by making you all spastic and jittery. It's supposed to "help boost your metabolism, increase energy levels, burn more calories, and ultimately support weight loss..." It gives a great buzz...but a big crash at the end of the day.

 

[lilmountaingirl]

It works as a weight loss supplement by making you all spastic and jittery.

That's the last thing I need on the trail!

I tried a Red Bull & vodka...besides the fact that I was partially offended by the fact it wasn't RED...I was pretty much done in the rest of the night. Tried to go to sleep later that night and just sort of lay in bed, wide-eyed and fidgety.

I'll stick to coffee in the AM and water on the trail.

 

[Doc McPeak]

Carbs give you energy, but some protein keeps muscle from breaking down during long hauls. Accelerade has a 4:1 carb to protein ratio which is perfect for any hike over 5 or 6 hours... or every one of my hikes. I like the mildly sweet flavor -- as opposed to the teeth rotting out of my head as I drink it Gatorade.

But for all hikes under 5 hours...

I'll stick to my mudslides and wild mountain blueberry martinis.

Mmmm... blueberry seasons almost here.

 

[BrentD22]

MONSTER

BIGGER, BETTER, WAY MORE EVERYTHING.

I'm sure people will have the same problems with this drink as Red Bull, but I think this one is the lesser evil.

monster drinks are either green or blue.

 

[Stan]

No debate for me. One look at the label suggests Red Bull is something I can live without. I'm not a purist by any stretch of the imagination but I'm more inclined to natural ingredients to maintain my body's balances, including energy level.

... and caffein is a diuretic so too much can actually lead to dehydration and that can wipe out your energy pretty fast.

Now that debate about shaken or stirred, I'm all taste buds on that one.

 

[Bob]

PRO

It gives me wings.
I love the taste.
The 'Monster' energy drink is good also, they give you a lot more.