Gear Junkie: Trail Butter Energy Food

Brothers Brad and Jeff Boggess founded a company to create a new kind of energy food. Bogg’s Trail Foods is based in Portland and its Trail Butter line gives on-the-go sustenance that you squeeze from a pouch.

But this is not energy gel. The “butter” inside each pouch is based off of almonds, peanuts and hazelnuts. Seeds, honey, dried fruit, oils, and other ingredients are mixed in for a final product that’s substantial but still convenient to eat.

I tested this modern-day pemmican over the past month. The flavors are good enough to eat at home, and on a hike they taste luxurious.

Trail Butter comes in large, 4.5-ounce pouches. Unscrew the top and squeeze the butter straight into your mouth – you can eat it while hiking, camping, or drifting in a canoe.

A single pouch is almost a whole meal. The Ozark Original flavor, which has a nut base with chocolate and cranberries added in, gives 680 calories. I ate one after a 5-mile hike with some water and was satisfied and full.

Unlike regular energy gel, Trail Butter is a “slow burning” kind of food – eat it during backpacking trips or on long hikes, but not in a bike race or while on a run.

The taste is semi-sweet – the nut foundation gives a savory base flavor, and constitutes like chocolate, honey, vanilla beans, and dried fruit add sweeter notes.

Trail Butter comes in three flavors. Eat it straight from the pouch for trail food, or the company sells it in larger jars to spread on veggies or bread.

The pouches cost about $4.80 each and are sold in stores or online at Trailbutter.com.

Try it out if you’re tired of trail mix and energy bars. Trail Butter is a great alternative in a convenient pouch that you can literally grab and go.

On the Web : gearjunkie.com.