I’m never satisfied with any one trail food. Sure, there are a lot of brands that make great tasting products, but how many trips can you bring the exact same energy bars on? As for gels, I’ve never been a big fan. Too…gooey? Chews are good but after awhile they all taste the same and I always end up with some forgotten ones in my pocket. It’s a nasty surprise two months later. During autumn I had a chance to try out Tailwind Nutrition’s Endurance Fuel. This isn’t my typical activity grub, in fact, this is a drink. Clearly I needed to adjust my concept of a “liquid lunch”. Despite the unconventional idea of drinking my snacks, I have to say that I’ve been pleasantly surprised!
What is Endurance Fuel?
According to Tailwind it’s a complete body fuel made with everything that the gut is designed to absorb. You want healthy? How about gluten, soy and dairy free as well as non-GMO and vegan. BAM! The basic idea here is that Tailwind packs all of your hydration, electrolyte and caloric needs into one drinkable package. You adjust how much you’ll need based on your activity and off you go.
Testing the Tailwind Nutrition
What kind of pursuits did I undertake to test the Tailwind Nutrition drink? I laid down a new lawn in my backyard. For real. This involved several days of backbreaking labor in the form of digging, roto-tilling, wheel-barrowing, and finally laying down sod. How does this apply to testing a nutrition drink? In all the right ways, I promise you. During these long and labor-intensive days, I usually didn’t have time or simply forget to eat some food. But this wasn’t an issue as I simply mixed up a huge bottle of Endurance Fuel. One scoop= 100 calories; I made mine with 2+ scoops and it lasted me 2-3 hours. Honestly, it was all I needed to keep going. The Mandarin Orange flavor was appealing without being overbearing. Overall I didn’t feel like I got weaker as the days went on, and having a few bottles on hand let me work until I was done without needing a lunch break.
Oh, and I did use the Endurance Fuel for its intended purposes as well. Mostly for mountain bike rides, where the results were good. On longer rides I only found myself pulling over to catch my breath, rather than to slam an energy bar. The drink didn’t weigh me down (Tailwind promises “no gut bombs”) and I had the juice to keep pedaling as far as my sorry ass legs could take me!
What about all that sugar?
One of the things that jumped out to me on the nutritional information list was the amount of sugars in each serving. Twenty five grams, to be exact. I consulted a friend of mine who is a professional nutritionist. She assured me that this number was absolutely fine as Tailwind is supposed to be your main source of both hydration and calories during your activity. Furthermore, Tailwind is very clear on pointing out that if you also plan to eat food while using their product, you need to be mindful of what your total caloric intake will be and adjust your drink mix accordingly. So, to sum it up: no problem at all on the carb/sugar totals.
The Verdict on Tailwind Nutrition
During my time writing for Utah Outside I’ve had the chance to sample a lot of trail nutrition products. Some products are great, and some, well…let’s just say “not so great with a side of pukey-feeling”. Fortunately for me Tailwind is a good one. The taste is mellow and this product delivers on its promises. The company says “no gut bombs” and after testing it, I say they are correct. This is a great drink to try if you are a hiker, biker, runner, ski-tourer or just an everyday backyard laborer. No matter your choice of activity this stuff will power you through it. The Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel has definitely earned a place in my trail snack rotation.