Skout Organic Cherry + Vanilla Trailbar

A completely organic, great tasting, energy providing trail bar. Difficult to find in retail stores in some areas (i.e. East Coast), but seems to be expanding distribution.

On a trip this past summer to the Pacific Northwest, I was reintroduced to a previous friend—the Skout bar. I had tried a few of these bars a couple years ago when I lived in the PNW, but since moving to the East Coast, I’ve had trouble finding them in retail stores.

The Portland, Oregon-based Skout Organics company seems to be slowly making a name for itself in the energy bar market and since that trip, I have now found a couple places in my local area that carry them, but at $2.50 a bar, it's certainly not the cheapest option in the myriad of trail bars. I've tried three of their four flavors. All are great tasting, but the Cherry+Vanilla is my preferred. 

Taste: 
It is labeled a Cherry+Vanilla bar and the cherry is the more pronounced flavor, with its many big, tart cherry chunks. The vanilla is much more subtle, as well as a subtle almond flavor. While it is good anytime of the day, this bar is my ideal breakfast bar while on the trail. Pair it with a fresh cup of coffee and you have a delightful trail breakfast. 

Satiety:
While I don’t fully expect any one bar to meet all my hunger or energy needs while on the trail, I do add them to my pack to supplement my energy needs. This bar does a fine job of staving off my hunger until the next planned meal and giving me the extra energy to shave a few more miles off the trail.

Energy:
As a pre-activity bar, this seems to have a pretty decent ratio of carbs and calories, and low levels of fat and fiber. 

Nutritional Facts:

• 1 bar = 50 g
• Calories = 180
• Calories from fat = 40
• Total fat = 4 g
• Total Carbs = 33 g
• Protein = 3 g
• Sugars = 22 g (all from real fruit - apples, dates and cherries)

While there are countless bars on the market, each claiming to offer energy for a variety of activities, I feel this one is a good mix of providing real energy while tasting great and doing so with only organic ingredients. It should be noted that the packaging itself does not make any energy claims. Instead, it's labeled a "trail bar" and "...sustains those who seek, find, and embrace adventure to its fullest."

For those with dietary preferences or restrictions, this is a vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free bar. 

Packaging:
Another thing I like about these bars are that they stay fully formed in their packaging. Some other brands often crumble apart in their packaging while sloshing around in a pack. These Skout bars stay to their original shape and are easy to eat upon opening. 

Recommendation:
Skout bars are a great-tasting option for either getting that extra bit of energy late in the day or starting off on the right foot in the morning (my personal favorite). Good for those with dietary restrictions (soy, dairy, gluten-free and vegan) and who desire all-organic products. 

Two of my favorite Oregon-based outdoor products—Skout bars and Silipint cups (filled with PNW-roasted coffee, of course).