Clif Shot Energy Gel Product Review

Like most runners, I’ve struggled with fueling during runs. Just recently I have finally gotten used to running with my Amphipod water belt and also have started using a Nathan hydration pack (which I will review soon also). However, I’m still looking for a practical way to get the necessary calories during medium and long runs. I’ve experimented with a lot of different foods – granola, raisins, nuts, regular clif bars, bananas and now these Clif Shots.

I have to say, that out of everything I have tried to use for fuel while running, that these are probably my least favorite. Here’s why.

The Good

• They taste not-terrible. Okay, so maybe that isn’t glowing praise, but for all I’ve heard about store bought gels I was expecting a lot worse. When I bought these I was expecting this to be the big deal breaker, but the taste doesn’t bother me at all.

The Bad

• Ridiculous directions. On the package it says, “For best results: One package 15 minutes before activity > One to two packages per hour during activity > One package immediately after activity.” That would mean for a typical long run, I’d be eating something like four t0 six of these in one sitting. Now, I know that the company is trying to make money and all that, but that is a little extreme.
• Hard to open while running. The first one of these that I took on a run, I didn’t think to pre-open it before heading out the door. Unfortunately the combination of sweaty hands and plastic packaging don’t mix well and I could barely get the darn thing open. I finally resorted to biting off the top of it and making a big mess just to get to the gel.
• Hard to completely empty. I can’t tell if there’s just not that much actual gel within the packaging or I just can’t get it all out. Either way it hardly seems like a lot of actual solid “food” either way.
• The price. I guess I’m actually fairly neutral on this, but they do cost roughly $0.75 per shot, even when buying through Amazon.
• The packaging. Like I said, there’s not that much actual gel in each package and yet there’s quite a bit of packaging for each shot. I may not be the biggest treehugger around, but the amount of waste per actual quantity of food seems pretty high, especially from a company so committed to environmental causes and using recycled materials.

My verdict

Personally, I plan to skip buying these and start making this energy gel recipe No Meat Athlete posted from Brendan Brazier’s Thrive. If these were priced a bit lower and packaged more to my liking I might consider buying more. As it is, I’m going to keep working to perfect a homemade gel recipe and continue to take fruit and nuts while running in place of these.

Have you used store-bought gels or gu? What do you think of them?

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