Clif Shot Bloks FastPak Review and Shot Roks Preview [Was Giveaway]
December 14, 2008 by Bryon Powell · 29 Comments
With the holidays upon us, iRunFar.com and Clif Bar teamed up to spread joy to runners around the country. If you were one of the first 25 U.S. residents to leave a comment noting your favorite flavor of Clif Shot Bloks (or why you’d like to try Shot Bloks) and we’ll be sending you two packs of the brand new Mountain Berry flavor Shot Bloks. [Send us your shipped address if you are above my "And We're Full" comment. You won!] We tried the new Mountain Berry Shot Bloks back in August and loved them. (FYI, the Mountain Berry flavor is a caffeine free variety of Shot Blok.)
If you won, not only will you be among the first to try the Mountain Berry flavor, (these bad boys aren’t even on the Clif website as we write this post) but you’ll get to try the new FastPak packaging before everyone else. Rarely is a packaging update as noteworthy as the introduction of the FastPak, but the FastPak is a huge improvement over the old packaging… which was not ideal, to say the least. Long gone is the overly voluminous, air-filled packaging with 6 Bloks glommed together. Now, the FastPak provides the 6 Bloks in a compact, linear arrangement that takes up no more room than is absolutely necessary. While the FastPak is about an inch wider than the old package, it’s less than one fourth the height and less deep, as well. We were going to conduct a volumetric comparison… but think that it’s fair enough to estimate that the FastPak takes up about half the space of old package. (Clif says its a third smaller.) This is great as it means you can fit twice as many Clif Shot Bloks in the same pocket.
Old v. New comparisonThe FastPak has another advantage aside from its more compact shape – its linear packaging! In the past, it was sometimes difficult to separate individual Blok before squeezing them through a small hole torn in a corner of the package. Now, you can simply tear one end open, squeeze the far end of the package, and pop them out one at a time into your mouth.
Keep your eyes open for Mountain Berry Clif Shot Bloks and the new FastPak packaging for all Shot Bloks at you favorite outdoor retailers!
Also keep your eyes open for Clif Shot Roks. The Shot Roks are the high protein counterpart to Shot Bloks. There are 10 Roks and 20 grams of protein per pack. There are also 4.5 grams of fat per pack. Both the protein and fat are excellent complimentary energy sources for long endurance endeavors. The shell of the Shot Rok has a pleasant crunch and the taste of the two flavors we tried weren’t overly sweet. The chocolate flavor tastes of chocolate with an after taste that reminds us of malt balls. The chocolate chip cookie dough is quite tasty. We haven’t tried the peanut butter variety yet.
Clif Shot Roks – Peanut ButterRelated articles:
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Filed under Contests, Other Gear ·
Bryon Powell is the Editor-in-Chief of iRunFar.com, which he founded five years ago. Also the author of Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons and a contributing editor at Trail Runner magazine, he's quickly approaching 10 years as an ultrarunner and 20 years as a trail runner. These days he calls Park City, Utah and its trails home.
All posts by Bryon Powell
I love the Black Cherry Bloks!
Huge Black Cherry Fan
My first love: the Strawberry flavor. Looks like there is going to be some competition with another caffeine free berry flavor. Bring on the mountain berry & hurray for the FastPak. It's engineering at its finest.
I, too, am a big fan of the Black Cherry Bloks — my other favorite is Margarita. My only complaint about them was the packaging. I’d always repack them in snack-sized plastic baggies for my long runs so I could get to them easily. I can’t wait to try the FastPaks. Great idea.
Pina Colada.
Never have tried, although interested. Please count me in – and thanks!
I need ‘em! I about died at mile 21 in my last marathon because I wasn’t using anything…
THANKS!!
Cran Razz, definitely. Not too sweet, always hits the spot.
cs
So far the margarita Bloks are what I prefer since they’ve got the added sodium, but I’d love to try the new flavor and packaging! (especially the Chocolate or Cookie Dough Shot Roks if you got any of those, those sound delicious and practical for the longer runs!)
Black cherry is my huckleberry. Can’t wait to try the new packaging on runs around the lake!
Black cherry does it for me! When in the mood I really like Cola too.
I always like the Cran Razz flavor!
I love the Razz Flavor. I ate one every 10 minutes for the entire Laurel Highlands Race and did not get tired of them!
Cran Raz are quite good, but like many others, I vote Black Cherry. Shot Bloks have long been a staple of mine, as GUs and gels just don’t sit well with/in my stomach. I always have ‘em with me for a long run. New packaging looks sweet!
The Margarita flavor rocks! My problem is that I have to buy them right before my races or runs, cause if I have them around my house or office I just eat them like candy and they’re gone in seconds…
Black cherry for me!
Margarita
Black Cherry = Best
Cola or lemon lime.
Black Cherry!
Only five more winners yet to name themselves!
oooh! i like the strawberry the best but would love to try the new mountain berry flavor! The new packaging looks 100000000xs better!
Love shot bloks! Margarita with extra salt is my fave…
tlong
All the ones I’ve had are quite tasty, but would have to say black cherry and strawberry are my faves… I’ve been eagerly awaiting the new packaging too. Looks way better.
I think the only ones of tries are the margarita. They are a great substitue for a gel. I would love to try others.
French Kiss
Stawberry are my fav!
AND WERE FULL! Congratulations to all the winners. Please send us your shipping info so we can send you your Mountain Berry Clif Shot Bloks in the new FastPak!
Contact info: http://blog.irunfar.com/1978/06/contact-trail-goat.html
Bobby,
I’d share my Clif Shot Roks, but I only had one packet of the two flavors I noted. The Shot Roks won’t be in stores until early next year.
Tony,
I hope you stocked up on Pina Colada Shots Bloks … Clif isn’t making them any longer.
Hey – I got my blocks today – thanks. Will try them out this weekend!