Review: Honey stingers... love 'em!

Honey stingers, both the gels and the chews, have become my go-to fuel.

They are Gluten Free, more natural than Gu (which I still use), and delicious.

I get both the gels and the chews. The gels seem to be better when I'm fading. The chews seem to be better when I feel hungry.

Supposedly a chocolate exists, but I haven't found it in the stores yet! I like vanilla the best.

Nutrition: Very high in sugar and have a few ingredients with long names, which I'm weary of but it's hard to avoid. Overall, though, much better than the alternatives. 100 to 160 calories per pack.

Taste: Really yummy! Since the ingredients are all natural, you don't get that awful syrupy artificial aftertaste.

Packaging: The gels are really easy to open. I had some trouble opening a pack of chews on the bike.

PowerBar fruit blends: Not impressed

Powerbar Performance Energy Blends are really truly delicious, and everything about them sounds like they'd be a good product.

But they don't give me the same boost that the Honey Stingers and Gus do. When I take one on the bike or running after I start to feel tire or hungry, I feel no different ten minutes later.

Plus, at $3 each ($2.50 at my bike store), they're pricey!

Nutrition: There's no doubt that they're a better product than the more processed energy products. The ingredient list is short and the list of impossible-to-pronounce items is nil. Each pack is 80 calories.

Taste: Super yummy! Just like applesauce.

Packaging: I like how the cap closes so you can take a little at a time. I also like how it flattens.