ZipVit ZV8 Energy Plus Bar (20 pk)

I've tried a few energy bars in my time and the ZV8 is one of the best of its type. Although it got a little sloppy in my pocket on the hottest days I never found it a chore to eat and enjoyed its chocolatey taste – unlike other energy bars I could mention.

I'm more of a gel kinda guy but always take one or two energy bars if it's going to be a long day in the saddle... and The Marmotte was certainly one of those. I ate one halfway up Galibier and I'm sure it was my saving grace... I wish I'd taken a few more!

I have been very surprised at how agreeable these bars are given the difficulty of eating some of the others on the market. Oat flake and rice crisp based, it's chewy but not overly so and tasty to the point that you look forward to eating another. A bit of a revelation for me really!

Each bar contains 37.2g of carbohydrate and 9 Vitamins "specially selected to help with energy production" – I couldn't really comment on exactly how effective they were at that, but it's easy to digest so you do get a swift and noticeable delivery of energy. You also get a small amount of protein and fat, both of which are useful.

Verdict

Tasty bar that kept my energy level up when I needed it. Definitely one of my favourite energy bars on the market