Oompf Energy Bars £1.99
Readers of the Life Of Tri website will know that we are often looking for new and wonderful ways of fuelling our long training sessions, and seeking convenient snacks we can use in races. This week we have decided to look at Oompf Energy Bars after a colleague of mine recently used them on a long cycle.
First impressions of the bars were that they seem very appealing with a lot of thought gone into the look of packaging. However this is of little relevance for most triathletes as we are more concerned with; how easy it is to open, what it tastes like and is there enough fuel within?
The bars do not have your traditional single layer packaging as most energy bars have. Oompf wrap their bars with a simple and effective foil layer under a paper branded layer. These are one-hand-friendly as long as you remove the paper layer before stashing in your cycling pockets. Supposedly this ‘easy to open’ packaging has been adopted from the pro cycling world with the foil layer simple to open especially in the saddle.
The bars are promoted as natural which isn’t a regulated term, so I was suspicious until I saw the ingredients. I was pleasantly surprised that all ingredients were indeed natural, and especially beneficial for anyone hoping to eat ‘clean’. According to Oompf, they ensure that only whole, natural and unprocessed ingredients are used. The bars are free from gluten, wheat, dairy, lactose and refined sugars. One thing to note is that Oompf bars are made to order, and are designed to be stored in the fridge where they can keep for up to four weeks, or up to three months in the freezer.
Oompf have created four flavours to choose from which include:
- Awesome Acai
- Cacao Charge
- Oh So Pistachio
- Very Berry
The bars weigh in at 55g, which is comparable to a standard size Mars bar, and calories range from 220kcal to a little over 300kcal depending on the flavour chosen.
Because of the lack of additives the bars do have a short shelf life (as mentioned above), but this does mean that they have a more ‘fresh’ feel and taste compared to other energy bars. The bars have a moist texture, which definitely makes them more appealing, an almost fruit cake consistency. I was a huge fan of the Pistachio which has an excellent ratio of nuts to other ingredients. The bars are easily digested which will be kind to stomachs on long training rides.
Verdict
The energy bar sector is a highly competitive market but I believe Oompf have created a product that will appeal to many triathletes. As mentioned, the bars are easy to stomach and the use of only natural ingredients will offer a solution to many athletes who choose ‘free from’ foods. The only down side to the product is the short shelf life which prevents buying in bulk for a prolonged period. However this is the trade off for the natural approach to fuelling. I personally would use these bars as a compliment to a wider fuelling strategy. Oompf also produce Energy Balls which are the same as the bars but come in handy bite sized portions
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