Maurten Solid 225 Review

Flavor: I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the Maurten Solid 225 is. Despite being loaded with simple sugars, it isn't overly sweet. The flavor is sweet and slightly salty like you might experience with a oats & honey granola bar (maybe even less sweet than one of those). When I used this product during a long run, it was a welcome reprieve from the mix of real food gels I was using (Spring Energy/Huma). In fact, I was experiencing some GI upset prior to the Maurten Solid and this seemed to calm my gut a bit. Granted, this was a very easy long run in somewhat temperate conditions; I would be curious to see how someone would respond to having a Maurten Solid bar during a hard workout or on a hot/humid day. The cacao version of the Maurten Solid doesn't have a strong flavor at all. The most apparent difference between the plain and cacao is the color of the bar. 

Texture: the chewy granola bar design makes for a surprisingly easy snack that you can take in while on the move. It won't crumble or fall apart, so no worries about losing half of your fuel! Maurten did a great job formulating this bar to be easily digested in the mouth without much work. While you do have to chew the bar, saliva seems to do a lot of the work too, so there's no need to chug copious amounts of water to help get it down. Once in the gut, this bar doesn't sit heavily at all. It was nice to have some real food in my stomach, but I had no discomfort or feelings of fullness during the remaining 2 hours of my 5.5 hour outing. As pre-run fuel, the Maurten Solid goes down easily and quick, so it could be used in close proximity to a workout without any GI issues. 

The packaging is easily torn open, yet doesn't separate too easily from itself as to risk accidental littering. I am always worried about creating micro-trash with sports nutrition product packaging that tears apart completely from itself, and that was one of my concerns with this bar. Yet I was able to easily open (without shredding) the packaging and keep it contained while on the move. 

The shape of Maurten Solid 225 is similar to a Quaker Chewy Granola Bar. It stashes easily in a pocket or hydration pack without much fuss. The narrow/compact shape also makes it easy to chew and breathe simultaneously. 

Compared to other similar fueling products on the market, the Maurten Solid isn't too costly given its thoughtful design/formulation, but if you're seeking a simpler product that costs less than $3 per bar, take a look at Betty Lou's Bars (gluten free/vegan). However, many simpler products rely on fructose for the primary carb source which may not be ideal for sensitive guts. For a comparable product to the Maurten Solid, check out the Enervit C2:1PRO Carbo Bar.