I rely on protein bars for fast, compact fuel in the mountains, but after reaching the punchy pre-bonk stage two days into a rugged bikepacking trip while consuming almost nothing but bars, I realized that, while valuable, standard protein bars often lack complete nutrition. Fortunately, I’d stashed a RecPak in my bag, and it quite literally saved my day—and the trip.
Designed by a veteran, RecPaks combine MRE efficiency (just add water and shake) with clean, complete energy for a mountain meal on the move. The ‘Paks come in three flavors: chocolate, vanilla chai and coffee, the latter with a dash of caffeine that recommends it as a stove-free breakfast-and-coffee combo. Whether to combat protein bar burnout or to avoid the dreaded dehydrated meal gut bomb, RecPaks make a worthy addition to any pack. MSRP: $38.99 (pack of three). Recpak.co (Aaron Theisen)
