Problem: you’re high on a cliff or in the mountains, and you’ve bonked. A fresh cup of coffee is miles away, and you have nothing in your pack to give you a quick caffeine fix. Solution: Voke.
Voke is a start-up company based out of Montana, that seems to have gained a following among the climbing crowd. Ambassadors include Conrad Anker, Kit Deslauriers and Jimmy Chin. So what is Voke? It’s a chewable tablet that gives you an all-natural energy boost from ingredients like guarana, green tea leaf, and acerola. The tablets also have rebiana and monk fruit for sweetness, and a daily-dose of vitamin C.
I got a sample canister of Voke to test out. Each container holds seven tabs (which is only a week’s supply in my world.) What’s obviously great about Voke is how portable it is. The canister is wafer thin, so it fits into any pocket. I took mine on outdoor adventures in the Wasatch and on long drives. So how does it work?
Taste: Voke is very bitter. Even though it is naturally sweetened without the use of sugar, I definitely got a case of pucker mouth when I chewed one for the first time. But seeing as how I drink black coffee and love hoppy microbrews, I actually enjoy the bitterness. But the level of punch-in-the-face may be a turn-off for people with sensitive palates. Beyond the bitter qualities, the flavor is fruity, though more on the berry side. There’s also a hint of tea leaves going on. I think it tastes good, but there is a strong aftertaste that made me need to drink a ton of water to clear.
Effects: I could feel a caffeine buzz only a few minutes after eating a Voke tablet. While on mountain bike rides and hikes when I started to feel sluggish, I would pop a Voke and get that burst of energy I needed to keep going. The effect seems to last a few hours with a slow ratcheting down at the end. The company says one tablet is the equivalent of a single cup of coffee, and I found that to be true.
One tin of Voke is $7, which means each tab is just a buck. At first glance, that seems a bit expensive, but when you break it down, $1 is less than a cup of coffee and you get the same amount of caffeine, so it is a good value.
The Good: Strong, sustained caffeine energy, super portable, good value.
The Bad: Bitter flavor and strong aftertaste may be too much for some people.
Final Word: Voke is the perfect solution for outdoor adventurers who have a caffeine addiction (like me) and don’t want to haul a thermos of coffee everywhere they go.
To purchase Voke, check them out at www.voketab.com