[Tom]

[captain jack]

[Stefan]

[Kat]

My only experience with those artificial energy drink thingies was based on the recommendation of someone who has done ironman triathlons. We tested out Accelerade, the lime flavor before using it for real - thank goodness!!! Not only was it the most ghastly, non-dissolvable, puke tasting drink (gee, we liked it a lot) but more pertinent to this thread, after determinedly choking it down I got about a 20 min high from it, then a terrible low. I'll never touch those things again. I'll go with real food, thank you. And clear water. But kudos to y'all that get this stuff to work for you, seriously. It's all what your individual body needs.

[polarbear]

I second the vote for real food. It usually tastes pretty good. When you combine a bunch of chemicals to realize some nutritional benchmark, you end up with something that tastes like a scientific experiment. The science diet.

[Quark]

Haven't met a sports drink yet, that did anything for me. Unless it did, and during or after my trip I was only near death, rather than totally dead if it weren't for the sports drink. So maybe they helped afterall. But what I found was odd for me, and this may not be true for Dicey, is that I was drinking too much water, thereby diluting the energy and vitimins. Plus, I was eating too much junk; candy bars and the like. Along with the usual cheese I had always brought, I now snack on smoked salmon or diced up pork-chop or chicken (pardon the pun), mini-bagels spread with peanut butter & raisins. My lunches are just an enhanced version of a snack - I might pull out a candy bar then, for a treat. I take dehydrated fruit that I make myself. You can carry 4 mangoes if you want, that way. Plus a pear, an apple or two, a pint of strawberries and a banana.

[EF]

I have exactly the same pukey problem that Dicey has, including that stress makes it worse. My unoriginal and somewhat successful solution has been to load up my water bottles with energy drink powder, drink as much as practical along the way, try to make myself eat stuff well before the pukiness starts, and bring jerky (which for some reason I find easier to choke down than other foods when I get the bad feeling). Climbing Philadelphia Mountain with Stefan left me with such profound respect for him that I just picked up some Johnsonville brats and frozen apple juice at the store! I'll try out the sausages-and-apple-juice method this weekend.

[Karen]

As usual, I wasn't hungry while hiking today but did stop just below Tiger 3 for an energy gel. I found one I'd forgotten about -- it's called Honey Stinger, Honey with B Vitamins (pure natural energy). It had kind of crystallized (I liked that, actually) but it did revive me a bit and took away the beginning of hunger. Hmmm, wonder where I got it? REI, I hope because I like this one. 120 calories, no fat, sodium 50 mg, potassium 85 mg, total carb 29 g, sugars 29 g. Protein, 0 -- Vitamin B, 25 percent. Label details: honey, pure water, potassium citrate, salt, niacinamide (Vit B3), calcium panththenate (Vit B5), maltodextrin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vit B6), riboflavin (Vit B2), thiamine monoitrate (Vit B1), cyanocobalamin (Vit B12). Karen Back at the car .... a different story. A mint patty and a cup of coffee.

[Spotly]

[solohiker]

I'm with whomever it was up there - Kat I think - that said real food not sport drinks. But I'll still insist that everybody's body's (*note correct use of apostrophes ... the first is possesive and second is contracted form of body is) different. Mine can't do sugar ... and those electrolyte drinks are just different forms of sugar - they may break down easier or whatever but they are still sugar and they make me ill. If I must do dried fruits, dried bananas are the best - they aren't as sicky sweet as most others. My stomache must be like Stefan's - gimme a good brat and I can go anywhere. There's a little store in Roslyn that sells super jerky, too - I always pick some up there when heading to a trailhead out that way. So you guys that love your sport drinks, that's cool, just remember they don't work for everybody.

[wbs]

I'll vote a second the mention of FRESH apples. Despite my initial rantings on fake energy bars the fresh stuff does rejuvenate. Fructose and anti oxidants It may be Spartan, but the simple stuff on trail / lunch works for me: PB&J, apple, water, jerky etc. The only real times I think I've struggled up the switchbacks were excessive the big night before a hike. (*not recommended as the views from the top are hazy) Then there are the others who I wonder how they do it... That guy who completed the Triple Crown (PCT, AT, CDT) back to back reportedly subsisting on power bars and Pop Tarts. I saw Polarbear eat a peanut butter and fresh tomato sandwich and skamper down the trail

[touron]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Pop tarts rule. Plus, they are a valuable trading commodity with other nearby campers. A $1.60 box of poptarts can bring in as much as $10 worth of other things. Poptarts O' poptarts You belong in my pack I don't take just one I bring a whole stack It's always that moment For thee I'm savin' Vitamin A, Niacin, Iron And Riboflavin Blueberry, straberry Whatever fruit I can trade you to others For a whole stash of loot Frosted or plane, them both I like Poptarts O' poptarts You make my hike

[Spotly]

I know a nutritionist who swears by cold pizza. That's what she and her husband eat on big climbs.

[Quark]

[marzsit]