Gear and Wear
A comprehensive review of gear and clothing for the active lifestyle, run and written by an avid hiker, runner, and all around fitness junky. The aim of the Gear and Wear is to fill the gap left from the lack of complete and thorough reviews available anywhere else. As such, all products reviewed by Gear & Wear have been used extensively before being reviewed to insure only reliable information is being passed on to other consumers. Reviews can be found categorized as a piece of gear (for hiking, camping, climbing, boxing/MMA, working out or other), wear (for footwear, shirts, jackets, pants and shorts or accessories) or by their brand name. Additionally we'll also upload a review on some food to keep you fueled! We can also be found on Twitter @GearandWearBlog.
Cost: $19.25 (for a 16 pack) Cost: $9.07 (for a pack of 12)
Great for: Snacking on and being an alternative to desserts. The good: The paste within the fig is very sweet and thicker than what you find in most figs. This really makes the figs much more sweet than your standard fig. The bad: The nutrition information can be misleading if you don't read the serving size. Rating Taste/Texture: 8/10. One package consists of 2 pretty small figs. Each fig has two very dense pieces of wheat sandwiching a thick layer of very sweet and slightly tarty paste. The wheat on its' own has a neutral smell and taste but when added to the paste it makes for a very tasty treat. Nutrition: 6/10. Each serving size only has 110 calories, 20 of which come from fats. Additionally there are 20 grams of carbs, 10 grams of sugar (which is fairly high), and two grams of both fiber and protein (both of which are a little low). My biggest problem with the nutrition information is the serving size, which happens to be one fig. That is a bit misleading given how they are packaged as pairs and how small a single fig is. I think it would be much more transparent and helpful for the run-of-the-mill consumer to have the serving size as a package not half of one. Other: 10/10. These figs are verified by the Non-GMO Project, which as mentioned above, is important because of the need for transparency in food production. Also, it has been shown that GMO crops tend to do more harm than the environment than their Non-GMO counterparts, which is important to support. Overall: 24/30. Verdict: This is a good food to snack on, however, due to the serving size and the small amount of fiber it is very easy to overeat so it should be bought with caution. Cost: $15 (for a pack of 12).
Great for: A meal replacement, snack, or pre/post work out food. The good: It tastes amazing and everybody loves peanut butter! The bad: There is a very high concentration of sugar (21 grams). Rating Taste/Texture: 10/10. This bar has an immediate rich peanut butter smell as soon as you open the wrapper. As you eat it you notice each and every bite is incredibly smooth and consistent (unlike some other flavors with pieces of fruit/nuts). Each bite you take has a very savory peanut butter taste that is very enjoyable and filling. If you are a peanut butter fan (and you should be) this is the Clif Bar for you. Nutrition: 7/10. The original Clifs are all pretty consistent nutrition wise. They have a good macronutrients spread but a ton of sugar (21 grams). Besides that there is a decent amount of protein (11 grams) and fiber (4 grams) making not too bad for you. Other: 10/10. In addition to peanut butter being a very satisfying food, this bar seems a little denser than a standard Clif Bar. This makes you really chew and enjoy each bite. Because of these two factors I am often full for longer after eating on of these bars as opposed to any other flavor. Overall: 27/30. Verdict: This is a wonderful snack or meal replacement that really fills you up and tastes great. Additionally it makes a great go to flavor if you're buying snacks and don't know what someone. Cost: $2.98 (for a 6 pack). Great for: Snacking, a quick breakfast (with some fruit or other filling addition), or for pleasure eating. The good: It has a lot of tasty but healthy ingredients. The bad: With only 140 calories and 2 grams of fiber this is not very filling, even for a snack. Rating Taste/Texture: 10/10. There is a lot of really diverse textures and flavors melded into one single granola bar and it was done perfectly. The granola is more or less what you expect out of a granola bar, however, the raisins and cranberries add some sweetness to the granola while the peanuts and almonds offer a crunch. This makes it so every bite is a little bit different but still delicious and satisfying. Nutrition: 8/10. This bar comes in at 140 calories with a reasonable amount of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. However, it is concerning that corn syrup is the second most used ingredient after oats. Other: 10/10. This bar fills a niche that most companies ignore. Most energy bars are in the 200-300 calorie range to offer a sustained amount of energy. This bar is different, it is about half the calories and is perfect for snacking because you feel like it. Many times I've hiked or camped and got caught in some bad weather and just wanted to munch on some food for a "pick me up". These Nature Valley bars are tasty enough to do that, but small enough to not feel guilty about it afterwards. Overall: 28/30. Verdict: These are really great to have around as an alternative to bigger and higher calorie energy bars. Cost: $18.75 (for 15 pack) Cost: $4.29
Great for: A quick breakfast, snack, or to fill you up. The good: It has an impressive 8 grams of fiber per serving (for comparison Fruity Pebbles has 0 grams and Frosted Flakes has <1 gram). The bad: The flavor can seem dull to people used to sugar loaded cereals. Rating Taste/Texture: 8/10. This cereal offers a subtle wheat flavor with a hint of honey all wrapped in very crunchy little kernels. In a way it reminds me of Honey Nut Cheerios (in flavor, not texture). On its' own some might describe it as bland, but I disagree. I think there is a very good flavor to the cereal, just not in the hyper sugar infused way people are used to. Also, the flavor is a pleasant change because you can mix in some fruit (my favorite being blueberries) and allow both flavors to coexist. Overall it isn't going to satisfy a sweet tooth but it is still very tasty. Nutrition: 10/10. Obviously eating cereal isn't as healthy as eating nonprocessed foods, but compared to other cereals this is the holy grail. It can flaunt its' impressive 8 grams of fiber, 9 grams of protein (before milk) and only 3 grams of fat. Additionally only 13 (or 34 percent) of its's 38 grams of carbs come from sugar (most cereals have around 40 percent or more coming from sugar). Other: 10/10. This is one of the few cereals I can have a serving of and remain full for a few hours. Even though Kashi Go Lean Crunch has 190 calories per serving chances are you will eat less calories during your day because you won't need to snack between breakfast and lunch. Overall: 28/30. Verdict: If you don't like all the super sugary cereals on the market or are trying to eat healthier, this is for you. Cost: $24.08 (12 pack)
Great for: Cutting weight, getting extra protein in your diet, or snacking. The good: It is high in protein making it an excellent and easy way to build muscle. The bad: There is an insane amount of sodium. Also, the price per protein ratio is pretty high. Rating Taste/Texture: 10/10. The taste is phenomenal, is has that smooth smoked flavor with an extra kick from the pepper that is really addictive. The actual jerky is cut thicker than most jerky you get and that gives it a texture that is kind of unfamiliar. The "stick" of jerky is tougher than bagged jerky, but only because of its' size, but if you compared both at the same thickness the "stick" would be much softer. Nutrition: 5/10. Low in fat and carbs but very high in protein makes this an excellent choice to meet your protein needs without getting the extra calories from the other macros. However, one pack has over 60% of your daily recommended sodium! Additionally, you can get a similar macro breakdown with skinless chicken and have it contain a lot less sodium for a fraction of the cost. Other: 10/10. The convenience of Jack Link's product really sets it over the edge, any other well seasoned piece of meat is going to take a while to prepare and cook, but Jack Link's made it as easy as opening up some packaging. Overall: 25/30. Verdict: This is a fantastic product, the sodium is the biggest problem with it, but if the rest of your diet is in check then it won't hurt to indulge in some of this great jerky. Cost: $15 (for 12)
Great for: A snack, hiking, camping, or following a workout. The good: It has an extremely rich and delicious flavor that will satisfy the most stubborn of sweet tooths. The bad: It contains a hefty 21 grams of sugar! Rating Taste/Texture: 10/10. The chewiness of the pair is complimented perfectly with large chunks of macadamia nuts, and all of this is coated with a drizzle of smooth white chocolate. Nutrition: 7/10. It has a decent break down of macronutrients but over half of the carbs come from sugar. It also has a fairly standard 4 grams of fiber. Other: 10/10. This Clif Bar has a very bright and fun packaging that makes you want to pick it up at the grocery store. Any angle you look at it has something interesting to see or read making it very appealing to the eye. Overall: 27/30. Verdict: I'm fairly biased, since macadamia nut cookies are my favorite dessert, but this is a great snack that is satisfying and fairly health conscious. |
About your Reviewer: Joe P.Growing up in Michigan and around the Great Lakes has made it easy to be an avid outdoors enthusiast and conservationist my whole life. I love doing anything that keeps me staying active and being outdoors. This ranges from running, lifting, climbing, hiking, camping, biking, etc. All of these hobbies of mine are things I take very seriously and love to do. Because of this, before I make any purchase for one of my passions I try to do as much research about a product as possible to insure I am getting a product that I will enjoy for years. That has led to me starting this site in hopes of helping others avoid the guess work I went through by providing honest and unbiased product reviews. If you have any questions, concerns, or request please contact me at [email protected] ArchivesCategories
All
|