The folks that do the marketing for Detour Bars were nice enough to send me a variety for review.
They have different bars, based on the principle that we have varying nutritional needs according to the activity we’re engaged in. I tried their 50g Biker, Runner bars, and Core Strength bars. The first two each have 12g of protein, while the Core Strength offers a bit extra (15g). Calories vary between 190 and 210 per bar. In checking the label, I see a lot of ingredients that I don’t find in my regular bar, but nothing that would scare me away from having a go at them.
Since anyone can look up the nutritional content and decide if it suits them, I’m just offering my “gut” reactions. I did not sample the Lemon Yogurt, as that held zero appeal for me, but my wife gave them her stamp of approval. All of the bars that I tried had some form of chocolate on them. While this might be nice after a ride, run, or trip to the gym, it doesn’t work so well for cyclists that want to throw a bar in their jersey pocket and eat it on the go. Chocolate melts, and gets messy. But with flavor combos such as Chocolate Chip Cookie, Raspberry Dark Chocolate, and Chocolate Caramel, they may appeal to those that look for a bit of chocolate as a reward for their efforts.
I found them all to be satisfactory in taste, but a bit dry in the mouth. You will not think you’re eating a candy bar when you have one, as they’re not overly sweet, and they definitely promote hydration. I needed at least one large glass of water to get through each one. For people that like gels and blocks, the chewiness may not work well for them either. I found that at least one bar took a bit more jaw effort than is my preference.
Would I buy them? If I saw them in the store, I would probably have tried them. Other online reviews seem to indicate that people either love them or hate them, so the only way to decide is to sample a couple as each of us has individual tastes. I’ve enjoyed my own favorite for more than 10 years, even having them shipped to me in Australia. But I can see where the Detour Activity Bars fill a need. Not only can you choose from some appetizing flavors, but you get a bar with content appropriate to your needs.