Carb BOOM Gel: Solo W/O
Written: Sep 20 '04 (Updated Sep 21 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Best flavors by far. Apple-Cinnamon will change your mind about energy gels
Cons: Packet design
The Bottom Line: This would be my absolute favorite if they'd work the packet design to be more user-friendly.
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| pilotpat's Full Review: |
INTRO: This is part of my write-off on energy gels. Click here to read an overview on gels and how they fit into sports nutrition. To read any of my other reviews in the write-off, click below (the words will change to links as I write the reviews):
Clif Shot
Gu
Power Gel
OVERVIEW: Carb BOOM is a relatively new entry into the gel market - I got to try it first in 2003, I think. You can get them in either single-serving packets, or in a huge, 12-serving "Multi-Serve" pack to fill your flask with. The Multi-Serve is in a resealable bottle, which you can tuck in the fridge between uses. This is nice because you can just put a couple servings into your flask for your daily training ride, instead of using a full 5. You could do the same with the GU filler-paks, I guess, if you were to clamp the end shut afterwards. The Carb BOOM Multi-Serve saves you quite a bit - about .30 to .35 per serving.
DISTINCTIVES: Carb BOOM uses more complex carbohydrates than the other gels. The packet claims a 25:3 ratio of complex:simple carbs, which means you'll get less quick energy and more long-lasting energy, as it takes a tad bit longer for your body to convert it. If you work the numbers out, you'll figure that that ratio is about the same as the 80-20% ratio advertised by PowerGel. Like PowerGel, It also contains electrolytes, including potassium.
FLAVORS/TASTE TEST: The Carb BOOM flavors are my favorite by far. They taste more substantial and more like the "real" things they're imitating. However, I find that I like them more immediately before or after exercise than during. These are the only gels my wife enjoys, by the way. The others, she gags down, almost literally.
Apple Cinnamon: Oh yeah, baby. The best gel flavor available from anybody, in my not-so-humble opinion. Think about squeezing out the filling of a McDonald's Apple Pie. There you go. Mmmmmmmm.
Banana Peach: Not my favorite, but better than any of the other makers' banana offerings.
Chocolate Cherry: What were they thinking? Not on par with the others at all.
Strawberry-Kiwi: Not bad at all. A bit on the sweet side, but a nice-tasting gel.
Vanilla Orange: Near the top of my "favorite flavor" list. Gets some of that sweetness out of the way with the citrus taste.
PACKET DESIGN: One of the worst, I think. It's a pretty bulky packet, and requires two hands to empty and keep track of the tab. One nice thing is the tab itself, which is easy to grab and tear off with your teeth because it hangs out on the sides. But then you're stuck with it in your mouth. Go with the multi-serve pack and flask - much better.
EXPERIENCE WITH USE: I've used this one for a few years now off-and-on, mostly while road-riding. It is the gel of choice when my wife and I are doing long rides on our Santana Arriva Tandem Bicycle, partially because it's the only one my wife actually likes. The main difference we have noticed between it and other gels is that it seems "heavier" and more satisfying when you're hungry.
NUTRITION BASICS:
Carbs: 27g
Calories: 107
Protein: 0g
Fat: 0g
Sodium: 50mg
Other Stuff: 50mg Potassium
SUMMARY: Lousy packet design, but the best flavors. I rank it #2 out of 4. Multi-serve bottle is the way to go.
-----------THE REST OF THE STORY--------------:
If you've read my introduction to my solo w/o on energy gels, you don't need to read further; but if you haven't, here is some basic information which applies to all four gels I have rated.
NUTRITION BASICS:
For short rides (depending on which expert you listen to, around an hour or less), there is no need for additional nutrition while you exercise. Indeed, even if you were to eat, your body wouldn't have the time needed to convert the food into usable energy. For these shorter efforts, especially intense ones (such as a time trial), your nutrition concerns need to focus on pre-ride and post-ride (recovery).
However, on longer efforts, eating during the ride is a necessity. Bicycling at a healthy century pace (20mph on a smooth road) consumes about 900 calories per hour for a 180lb male, depending on aerodynamics, wind, etc, etc. Your body simply can not store the energy it needs to keep the body efficient during a multi-hour event. Obviously, there's a lot of variables that go into the dreaded "bonk" (for you MTB-ers) or "crack" (for us roadies) - where your body ceases to be an effective motor. So, there's no one thing you can do to prevent the bonk; however, there are a few things you can do that will ensure it. One of them is lousy nutrition. If you don't keep your body fed, you WILL crack.
If you're going to eat mid-ride, then, you have a few options:
"Real" Food: On tours, I think there's no substitute for a banana, apple, and/or sandwich. But there's some cons: Storage, peeling/discarding (have you ever left a banana peel in your jersey pocket for the better part of a day? Yuk!), and eating. It can be done - I've even seen a guy on a slow group ride down a couple McDonald's hamburgers (we got to see them again, by the way) - but it's tricky, and not something I'd try in a fast peleton. One of my best/worst banana-cycle stories is when I tried to grab one from a volunteer at a food/water station on a century ride - doing so is an art, and I wasn't a good artist that day. Even though I slowed down to maybe 15mph or so, I did a poor job of "soft grabbing" and the banana came apart explosively. Not much nutrition from what I was able to lick off my gloves. And a banana after an MTB tumble? Other problems hinge on the fact that real food takes longer to digest - good for tours, bad for shorter races.
Sport Drinks: Lots of these out here, and they work pretty well. You get hydration with your meal, and they're more cost-efficient than gels if you buy multi-serving powders. You can get them in about any blend you want, and you can sip as much as you want, or as little. The downside is that they aren't as concentrated, and they take up your water bottle cages. When I'm using them, I usually mix a bottle double strength and put it in my upright cage (so it doesn't dribble onto my frame) and keep my other bottle and/or camelbak with pure H2O.
Energy Bars: Portable and light. Most gels are made by people who make energy bars. These usually have a similar nutritional makeup as their corresponding gels, and have the benefit (usually) of being less messy. The two disadvantages are taste and consistency - I find most of them to be a mixture of rubber cement, cardboard, and sawdust, and some of them feel like they're trying to extricate your molars while you chew.
Gels: Here's where my review takes us. Most gels are semi-gelatanous mixtures of sugars and other nutrients. Usually, they come in single-serving packets that you rip open and slurp down. They're an acquired taste, and like some "performance foods," I find that they taste pretty lousy if I'm not actually exercising hard (an exception is in one of my reviews). But when your body is demanding nutrition, it's amazing what it will crave. Most gel makers recommend you consume one of these every 30 to 45 minutes during exercise, but obviously this depends on level of exertion, body mass, and metabolism. If you're working really hard, you'll need more energy. And the fact is that during very hard exertion you'll have a hard time putting as many calories in your gullet as you're sweating out. No matter how many you use, make sure you follow them with a ton of water - not only is it good for your body (and aids fast digestion), but it gets the sugar off your teeth!
Of course, pre- and post-ride nutrition is important, but those are other reviews. And we could probably start a huge comment war on what exactly is the balance of carbs-protein-fiber we need for effective nutrition during the race. The truth is, even the people who've spent thousands of dollars on doctorate-level nutrition education can't agree completely. So instead of entering this debate, my write-off reviews will concentrate on giving you factual nutrition information (grams of carbs, protein, and fiber, source of those, etc) and my subjective impressions based on my own use.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
pilotpat
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Member: Pat
Location: World Traveler
Reviews written: 96
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About Me:
"Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now."
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