If you don’t have time to read the entire review and just want to find out what Best Energy Bars for Hiking is, then we recommend the KIND Bars as the best choice.
Hiking may not be a high-intensity sport, but it sure is excellent cardio training that requires a lot of energy.
Plus, it’s a great workout for those who want to reconnect with nature while doing something beneficial for their body. Undoubtedly, spending time in the great outdoors while being active has therapeutic aspects.
To carry out your exercise, however, you need to eat well and make sure your body has enough fuel to complete the walk.
Nothing can replace fresh fruits and vegetables, but energy bars can be a good choice for a quick snack to recharge your batteries and move on. There are lots of different types available, but which ones are the best energy bars for hiking?
In this post, we’ve reviewed the Best Energy Bars for Hiking. These are:
- Best Energy Bar for Your Heart: KIND Bars
- Best Energy Bar Without Added Sugars: RXBAR
- Best Eco-Friendly Energy Bar: CLIF Bar
- Best Vegan Energy Bar: Larabar
- Best Vitamin-Packed Energy Bar: CLIF Chocolate Chip Bar
Why Is Hiking Good for You?
Like yoga, hiking is a workout that has immense benefits for both your body and mind. You do it in nature, so it’s not like a regular walk around the block.
This type of walking gives you a chance to enjoy picturesque scenery and breathe in that much-needed fresh air lacking in cities.
It’s a chance to empty your mind, reconnect with nature, and increase your body’s energy, especially if the terrain is uneven. Also, it’s fantastic for your muscles; you’re burning lots of calories; and you know you’ll sleep incredibly well after a good workout.
Other than this, uneven terrain guarantees you’ll improve your stability and balance, reducing the risk of falling and being injured.
The muscles you use while hiking aren’t typically used in our daily activities, so this kind of exercise makes them work harder. This means they’ll be less prone to injury in the future.
How to Choose a Good Energy Bar
But hiking is no picnic if you’re not in shape. You need to breathe correctly and be prepared for long walks. It’s best to start small and then extend your routes as you improve your technique and endurance.
And don’t forget the appropriate gear; you should wear comfortable, quality shoes, as well as proper clothing for different weather conditions.
Most importantly, a balanced diet is essential for a good hike. Having a calorie-packed breakfast will give you enough strength to complete your hike. Therefore, don’t skip proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Drinking enough water is also a must if you want to stay hydrated and protect your body while hiking.
Granted, you can’t stop and have a full meal while hiking, but having a couple of energy bars with you is an excellent way to stave off hunger during your exercise.
The best energy bars for hiking contain raisins, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. You can combine them with fresh veggies and fruits to create a real power-snack while on a hike.
This way, you’ll provide your body with an appropriate amount of fibers, proteins, vitamins, minerals, etc. Make sure your energy bar isn’t packed with added sugars, such as brown rice syrup, fructose, or honey, although most of them do contain traces.
Best Energy Bars for Hiking
Best Energy Bar for Your Heart: KIND Bars
KIND bars are so kind to your body! They contain numerous ingredients that help boost energy and keep you healthy while you hike away. KIND bars are available in packs of 12, 14 or 48, so no matter how often you go on hikes, you can find a suitable amount.
These gluten-free bars come in several different varieties, but the absolute favorite among consumers is the whole-nut bar with dark chocolate and Brazilian sea salt.
You can also opt for a lovely almond and apricot combination, pomegranate and blueberries with pistachio, dark chocolate plus cherry and cashew, caramel with almond and sea salt, and many more options.
The manufacturer is proud to say that all these bars have ingredients that you can “see and pronounce.” For example, the famous dark chocolate, nuts, and sea salt bar contains almonds, peanuts, honey, palm kernel oil, rice flour, unsweetened chocolate, soy lecithin, cocoa butter, etc.
Everything’s perfectly visible on the packaging. Most of these non-GMO bars contain 180 calories per serving (one bar is 40g), zero cholesterol and trans-fats, 5g of sugar, and 6g of proteins.
KIND energy bars have a low glycemic index; they’re a great source of fiber. Also, they’re low in sodium, which is good for your heart health. Limited amounts of sodium may help reduce your blood pressure. This improves your overall heart health and helps avoid heart diseases.
Almonds are also excellent at keeping your heart healthy because they’re a great source of monounsaturated fats. Combined with hiking, these bars are almost a warranty for having a healthy heart!
Another great thing about KIND bars is that you can get a 10% discount if you subscribe to their snack club, or build your own box with all your favorite flavors in one place.
Pros
- Low sodium levels
- Low glycemic index
- Wide variety of tastes
- Moderate amount of added sugars
- Benefits for subscribers
Cons
- May be hard to chew
Best Energy Bar Without Added Sugars: RXBAR
RXBAR is as simple as they come. A few essential ingredients converted into a high-energy bar perfect for your hikes. With around 20 flavors available, it’s one of the most wide-ranging energy bars on the market.
Depending on your needs, you can buy these bars in a 12 or 24 pack. And the best thing of all, each bar contains “no bad stuff,” as the manufacturer proudly claims on the wrapper.
The closest one to our hearts is the Sea Salt RXBAR, a protein bar made of real, natural ingredients. There’s 100% chocolate, dates, cashews, and egg whites, which are a fantastic source of protein.
This is why this bar contains 12g of it, with 5g of fiber and zero gluten and no added sugars. Note that the absence of added sugars doesn’t necessarily mean this bar is a low-calorie snack – it contains 210 calories. However, as you’re going to eat it while exercising, the number of calories shouldn’t worry you too much.
In terms of the various ingredients, the RXBAR with chocolate and sea salt also contains 9g of total fat, zero cholesterol, 24g of carbs, and 13g of total sugars. All of this refers to one serving, which is one bar, weighing 52g.
Be careful if you’re allergic to egg whites or other ingredients that may cause an allergic reaction. On safer ground, dates are known to be one of the healthiest sources of sugar, as they also contain lots of fiber, and not too many carbs.
These protein-packed bars are also available for kids, in a version adapted to their nutritive needs. They contain no gluten and are made of whole foods. One of the available flavors, the RX Nut Butter bar also makes a good keto choice in case you’re on this diet plan.
Pros
- No added sugars
- Packed with proteins
- Numerous flavors available
- Kids’ version available
- Suitable for the keto diet
Cons
- Contains egg white, which is a common allergen
Best Eco-Friendly Energy Bar: CLIF Bar
Are you all about supporting environment-friendly companies that use organic materials and ingredients in creating their products? Then you’ll consider Clif one of the best energy bars for hiking and other occasions.
They come in several delightful flavors, among which you’ll find your favorite for sure – maybe Chocolate Brownie or Crunchy Peanut Butter.
Each bar weighs 68g and contains 250 calories. There’s also 2g of monounsaturated fats, which are beneficial for you, but also 21g of added sugars, which aren’t so good. Too much sugar in your body can cause higher blood pressure, as well as prompt the liver to release more damaging substances into your bloodstream.
You don’t need to avoid added sugars altogether, especially when the foods, such as these bars, contain other healthful ingredients that are beneficial for your health. Just make sure you don’t exceed the recommended daily amount. One per hike is enough.
The company says their goal is not only to make high-quality foods for their customers but also to take care of the planet. That’s why their recipes contain 70% organic ingredients, such as rolled oats.
These contribute to your body’s health and are also more sustainable for the planet. These ingredients also come from wholesome foods. Therefore, these bars are non-GMO, non-artificial snacks without high-fructose corn syrup.
On the other hand, they are high in proteins, which makes them perfect for when you need to take a break during your hike.
You’ll regain energy in no time because the plant protein is combined with a dose of carbs, so they act fast, and have long-lasting effects. Just note that these bars are not gluten-free.
Pros
- Made of organic rolled oats
- Low in sugar
- Low in carbs
- Made of wholesome foods
- High in proteins
Cons
- May contain caffeine
- Not the most affordable option
Best Vegan Energy Bar: Larabar
Being a vegan can sometimes mean your choices are limited. But today, more and more manufacturers are taking their vegan consumers into account when creating new products.
That’s why Larabar has made a healthy, delicious snack to enjoy on your hike. At the same time, you’ll regain energy and fill your body with the fuel necessary to complete your activity.
Although this bar is available in many flavors, such as apple pie, cashew cookie, or lemon, our top choice is the yummy peanut butter chocolate chip bar. According to the manufacturer, it’s made of only four minimally processed ingredients: dates, chocolate chips, peanuts, and sea salt, simply blended together.
Larabar energy bars are also non-GMO, gluten-free, and don’t contain any dairy products. This makes them perfect for vegans.
Chocolate chips used in the making of these bars are Fair Trade Certified, which means all the ingredients that go into the bars are ethically and sustainably sourced from communities around the world. And that’s not all – the bars are also compliant with Whole 30 and kosher dietary practices.
One 45g bar contains 210 calories, so you get a wholesome snack in a small package. One serving has 6g of monounsaturated fats, zero cholesterol, only 65mg of sodium, 5g of proteins, and only 4g of added sugars.
One of these will keep you full and content for a long time, so ordering a box of 16 bars means you’re ready for the next 16 hikes.
Pros
- Suitable for vegans
- Fair Trade Certificate
- Low amount of added sugars
- Good price-value ratio
- Plenty of different flavors
Cons
- May have too many carbs for certain diet plans
Best Vitamin-Packed Energy Bar: CLIF Chocolate Chip Bar
If you’re looking for a bar that can boost your energy, supply your body with necessary vitamins and nutrients, and be incredibly delicious at the same time, you’re on the right track.
Although individual bars may be a bit pricier than some other brands, the Clif Chocolate Chip bar offers fantastic value if you consider the list of ingredients.
The Chocolate Chip is our pick this time, although Clif bars come in a wide variety of flavors, like white chocolate and macadamia nut combination, or the sierra trail mix.
What’s interesting about this mix is that the company donates 100% of the net profit from this bar to the Second Responder Fund.
Their goal is to help communities recover after natural disasters. If you bear in mind that CLIF also uses 70% of organic products, we’re talking about a very socially responsible and eco-friendly company here.
One of these weighs 68g and contains 250 calories. They make up for the high level of added sugars with packing this bar with numerous vitamins and minerals that are excellent for your health.
There’s 25% of the recommended daily value of niacin and vitamin B12, 20% of magnesium and phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium, vitamins A, C, D, E, and more. Quite an energy bomb.
CLIF bars don’t contain the infamous corn syrup, high in fructose, they’re non-GMO, but do contain gluten, so be careful if you’re allergic. The bars have a high level of protein and make an ideal snack for those long hikes you enjoy.
The amount of proteins they contain makes a good team with the carbs, so you’ll feel the energy boost shortly after eating the bar.
Pros
- 70% of organic ingredients
- Low carb count
- High protein count
- Vitamin-packed
- Environmentally friendly company
Cons
- Pricier than other similar bars
- Contains added sugars
Which One’s the Best?
These bars are proof that healthy food doesn’t need to taste bad, nor contain only grass and leaves.
When you combine the ingredients and flavors the right way, you get a great complementary snack for your physical activities, a snack that gives your body healthy fuel and boosts your strength so you can keep on working out.
After you’ve tried some of the best energy bars for hiking, it’s not easy to pick one that beats them all. It was a tough choice, but today we opted for KIND bars. They’re so kind we simply couldn’t resist!
Why do we believe these are the best energy bars for hiking? For cardio exercises like hiking, you need a strong and healthy heart before anything else.
And KIND bars make sure your heart stays healthy by offering a wide variety of almond-based bars combined with other healthy ingredients, such as blueberries, that also have a positive effect on your heart. They don’t contain as many calories as CLIF bars, for example.
Also, their glycemic index and sodium level are low, they have something for everyone when it comes to flavors, and the level of added sugars is kept low, unlike some other bars from the list.
Not to mention the benefits you’ll get if you become a subscriber, which is a unique offer in the energy bar market.
