Our friend Chris went to El Salvador recently and he brought along a Sportback. He took some nice pics down there. Check them out on Flickr when you have a chance. The Goblins Pics

Energy bars are some of the worst tasting food out there but they are getting better. Since the emergence of the Clif bar it seems like companies are making a big upgrade from the horrible PowerBar to something more natural and flavorful. The Clif bar has become a favorite at Symbiot for years and with what seems like an endless choice of flavors we can't complain. But we are always on the lookout for new bars that taste great and will keep us going.Backpacker Magazine recently rated about 30 energy bars and here are their top 4. Looks like I'm trying something new. Now if they can ever do anything with that horrible tasting goo that's out there...actually they should probably just get rid of that crap.


Best All-Around
Pemmican Fruit and Nut
Grandma would approve of this bar. In fact, she could have baked it. The moist, homemade quality of this cakelike treat shot it to the top of tasters' lists. Made with soy flour, malted corn, and barley, and sweetened with honey and grape juice, the bar boasts a whopping 58 grams of carbohydrates and 16 grams of protein, enough for two power-packed snack breaks or lunch. One tester enthused that it's the only bar that "truly suffices as a meal replacement." Other flavor: Carob-Cocoa.

Size: 3.75 oz.
Calories: 420
Price: $1.39
Contact: (800) 323-0042; www.mealpack.com
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Best Protein
Clif Builder's, Chocolate
Best way to enjoy your protein? Disguise it as chocolate. That's the secret behind this crispy bar, chosen by testers for its 20 grams of protein, thick coat of chocolate frosting, and crunchy cocoa crisps. One tester gushed, "It's big, dense, decadent"; another raved, "This healthy treat tastes like a candy bar." Made with soy protein and organic and natural ingredients, the bar also packs 23 vitamins and minerals into a filling snack or breakfast that gave us several steady hours of energy on the trail. Downside: it'll melt in hot weather. Other flavors: Peanut Butter; Cookies 'n Cream.

Size: 2.4 oz.
Calories: 270
Price: $1.89
Contact: (800) 844-5254; www.clifbar.com

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Best Nut
Mojo Bar
This unique bar will do a ying-yang on your tastebuds with its boldly contrasting flavors. The four Mojo varieties balance crunchy with chewy and sweet with salty by combining peanuts, almonds, and rice crisps with oat syrup and honey. "A nice break from the artificial sweetness of many bars," declared one tester. "Love the big nut pieces and the crispy texture," remarked another. Winning flavors: Honey Roasted Peanut and Mountain Mix. Other flavors: Mixed Nuts and Fruit Nut Crunch. Fewer calories make this bar a great dayhike choice.

Size: 1.59 oz.
Calories: 200
Price: $1.29
Contact: (800) 844-5254; www.mojobar.com

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Best of the Rest
ProBar
3.75 oz. 350 calories; $2.99 This all-around favorite comes in only one flavor, but it's a winner. Its hefty, all-natural mix of raisins, sunflower seeds, cashews, and chocolate chips earned it strong endorsements: "Great variety in taste and texture." "Perfect balance of nutty and fruity." Made with 15 natural ingredients, this performance bar packs a nutritional punch with a 60-15-25 carb-protein-fat ratio, an ideal combination for backpackers. As one tester put it, "It has a balance you can rely on to keep you moving."

Size: 3.75 oz.
Calories: 350
Price: $2.99
Contact: (435) 645-8686; www.theprobar.com

The Travel Gear Blog is a great site for information about new gear and gadgets. With a simple layout and tons of entries, this site is a good read. They even show you where to get discounts and great deals on your favorite stuff. If you have some time check out their site and also read our review.


"The Sportbacks claim is that it doesn’t move while running, climbing, hiking etc. It has a crazy look, unique design, and tons of pocket space."

Travelgearblog.com


Thanks

Ok so we are trying to take a descent hiking trip this year. We're looking for somewhere dope to go. A few places we have been looking at are the Badlands, the Cascades, and this other place I stumbled upon, Mono Lake, that I know little about but the photos look alien. I am pretty sure we also want to bag a peek above 10,000ft but not necessarily the most important aspect of our hike. If anyone has any ideas hit us up.

A great site gave us a second review of the bag. Here is an quote.
"The pack is very well-designed and about the most comfortable pack I've ever worn. Instead of hanging over your shoulders, this pack has straps that wrap around your torso and then clip in front. The back is padded with the kind of meshy, well-architected padding you find on top end hiking packs. There are little pockets and storage areas around the pack, with a small pair of them upfront for a cell phone, GPS, flashlight or ipod (albeit probably a mini), and several larger, compartmental pockets in back, two of which zip and appear to be nicely water resistant. The pack is particularly suitable for paddling." - Gadling


Gadling.com

Ok so we made it on T.V. Pretty crazy for us to see this on T.V. This is an unedited version of the show. We are one of the last segments here so you can either skip to about 7 min in or just watch the whole thing. I'm waiting on an the edited version and I'll post that as soon as I get it. Enjoy.