Best Energy Bars for Trail Running and Ultras: 10 Solid Fuel Options
Compare 10 of the best energy bars for trail running and ultras, including Veloforte, Maurten, STYRKR, SiS, OTE and TORQ. Carbs, texture and honest advice.
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The quick answer
Veloforte Avanti is our best overall research pick for trail running. It provides a substantial carbohydrate serving in a soft, real-food-style bar that can be divided into smaller portions. STYRKR BAR50 is the high-carbohydrate choice, Maurten Solid 160 is the plainer oat-and-rice option, and SiS GO Energy Bake suits runners who struggle with dense bars.
Energy bars work best on long trail runs and ultras where the pace is steady enough to chew properly. They give you a break from gels and can feel more like ordinary food, but dense bars are harder to eat while breathing heavily.
Our testing position
Trail Running Planet has not personally tested every bar in this guide. The rankings are research picks based on:
- Carbohydrate per bar
- Texture and ease of chewing
- Portion size
- Fat, protein and fibre content
- Suitability during exercise
- UK availability
- Public Amazon popularity signals
- Relevance to trail and ultra running
Amazon review counts are popularity indicators rather than proof that one product performs better.
Best energy bars at a glance
| Energy bar | Best for | Carbohydrate per bar | Texture | TRP tested? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veloforte Avanti | Best overall research pick | Around 36–40g | Soft fruit and nut bar | No |
| STYRKR BAR50 | Highest-carbohydrate bar | 50g+ | Soft puffed-rice bar | No |
| Maurten Solid 160 | Best plain option | 40g | Oat and rice bar | No |
| SiS GO Energy Bake | Best soft bake | 30g | Soft cake with filling | No |
| OTE Anytime Bar | Best flapjack-style option | 35g+ | Moist oat bar | No |
| HIGH5 Energy Bar | Best-value traditional bar | Varies | Soft fruit and oat bar | No |
| TORQ Energy Bar | Best low-fat sports bar | Around 34g | Soft and chewy | No |
| CLIF Bar | Best substantial snack | Around 38g | Dense oat bar | No |
| Näak Ultra Energy Waffle | Best lightweight waffle | Around 16–19g | Thin soft waffle | No |
| Rawvelo Energy Bar | Best short ingredient list | Around 20–24g | Dense fruit and nut bar | No |
Nutrition can vary by flavour. Check the current wrapper before building a race plan.
1. Veloforte Avanti
Best overall energy bar for trail running
- Carbohydrate: Approximately 36–40g
- Caffeine: None
- Texture: Soft fruit, rice and nut bar
- Dietary information: Vegan and gluten-free
- Testing status: Research pick
Veloforte Avanti is the strongest all-round research choice for runners wanting something closer to real food than a gel.
The bar uses ingredients including dates, pecans, brown rice syrup and maple syrup. It can be divided into two portions, giving roughly 18–20g of carbohydrate per half.
The fruit and nut content makes it more satisfying than a concentrated gel, but also adds fat, fibre and protein that may slow digestion during harder running.
Good for: long ultras, hiking sections and runners tired of gels.
Watch out for: contains nuts and may feel too substantial at higher intensity.
2. STYRKR BAR50
Best high-carbohydrate energy bar
- Carbohydrate: At least 50g
- Caffeine: None
- Texture: Soft puffed-rice bar
- Dietary information: Vegan
- Testing status: Research pick
STYRKR BAR50 provides the largest carbohydrate serving among the conventional bars in this guide. The puffed-rice base is lighter than many dense oat or nut bars.
For most runners, splitting the bar into two roughly 25g portions will be more manageable than eating it all at once.
Good for: high carbohydrate targets and reducing wrapper count.
Watch out for: still a substantial amount of solid food during hard running.
3. Maurten Solid 160
Best plain-flavoured energy bar
- Carbohydrate: 40g
- Caffeine: None
- Texture: Dry oat and rice bar
- Available versions: Original and cocoa
- Testing status: Research pick
Maurten Solid 160 is designed as a texture change from gels and drink mixes. The packet contains two smaller bars, each providing around 20g of carbohydrate.
The flavour is restrained, which may help late in an ultra when rich or fruity products become difficult. The dry texture is easier with water.
Good for: plain flavours and simple 20g portions.
Watch out for: dry texture and premium price.
4. SiS GO Energy Bake
Best soft energy bake
- Carbohydrate: 30g
- Protein: Around 3.5g
- Caffeine: None
- Texture: Soft bake with a flavoured centre
- Testing status: Research pick
SiS GO Energy Bake is closer to a small cake than a dense cereal bar. The soft centre makes it easier to chew when your mouth is dry.
The 30g carbohydrate serving also keeps the maths simple: one bake provides 30g and two provide 60g.
Good for: runners who struggle with dense bars and want a soft 30g serving.
Watch out for: the product can squash in a packed race vest.
5. OTE Anytime Bar
Best flapjack-style energy bar
- Carbohydrate: More than 35g, depending on flavour
- Caffeine: None
- Texture: Moist flapjack-style oat bar
- Testing status: Research pick
OTE Anytime Bars suit runners who want something closer to an ordinary flapjack. The bars use oats, fruit and syrup and are generally easier to chew than a dry compressed cereal bar.
The full bar is relatively large, so splitting it into two portions is usually more practical during a run.
Good for: steady long runs, hiking sections and runners who prefer flapjacks.
Watch out for: heavier and bulkier than specialist sports bars; ingredients vary by flavour.
6. HIGH5 Energy Bar
Best-value traditional energy bar
- Carbohydrate: Varies by flavour
- Caffeine: None
- Texture: Soft fruit and oat bar
- Testing status: Research pick
HIGH5 Energy Bar is widely available and often discounted in boxes. It combines oats, dried fruit and maltodextrin in a familiar soft bar.
Nutrition and vegan status differ between flavours, so check the exact wrapper.
Good for: lower-cost training fuel and familiar flavours.
Watch out for: a full bar is relatively substantial and product details vary.
7. TORQ Energy Bar
Best low-fat sports energy bar
- Carbohydrate: Around 34g
- Caffeine: None
- Texture: Soft and chewy
- Dietary information: Vegan options
- Testing status: Research pick
TORQ Energy Bar is more focused on carbohydrate delivery during exercise than many heavier natural snack bars. The relatively low fat content may make it easier to digest during steady running.
Flavours are often strong and fruit-led, so a mixed box is a better first purchase than committing to one flavour.
Good for: runners wanting a purpose-built sports bar with relatively little fat.
Watch out for: strong flavours can become tiring.
8. CLIF Bar
Best substantial bar for long days out
- Carbohydrate: Around 38g, depending on flavour
- Protein: Around 9–11g
- Texture: Dense oat bar
- Testing status: Research pick
CLIF Bar is one of the most established products in the category, but it is more substantial than most performance-focused bars.
The combination of carbohydrate, protein, fat and fibre makes it useful before a run, at a checkpoint or during a long hiking section. It is less suitable for a hard climb where fast carbohydrate and easy swallowing matter more.
Good for: long days, checkpoints and pre-run food.
Watch out for: dense texture, higher fibre and slower digestion.
9. Näak Ultra Energy Waffle
Best lightweight waffle for ultra running
- Carbohydrate: Around 16–19g, depending on flavour
- Texture: Thin soft waffle
- Testing status: Research pick
Näak Ultra Energy Waffle is thin, light and easier to bite than a dense bar. The smaller carbohydrate portion suits runners who prefer to eat more frequently.
The main drawback is fragility. Keep the waffle away from full bottles and poles that may crush it.
Good for: small regular portions and runners who dislike thick bars.
Watch out for: relatively low carbohydrate per item and inconsistent Amazon stock.
10. Rawvelo Energy Bar
Best bar with a short ingredient list
- Carbohydrate: Around 20–24g, depending on flavour
- Caffeine: None
- Texture: Dense fruit and nut bar
- Dietary information: Vegan, organic and gluten-free options
- Testing status: Research pick
Rawvelo bars use recognisable ingredients such as dates, nuts, cocoa, maple syrup and fruit. They are more like natural snack bars than concentrated sports fuel.
That makes them satisfying during slower ultra sections, but the higher fat and fibre content may feel heavy during harder running.
Good for: natural ingredients and lower-intensity sections.
Watch out for: nuts, higher fat and less carbohydrate than the size may suggest.
Are energy bars good for trail running?
Yes, particularly during runs lasting several hours.
Bars provide:
- Carbohydrate
- Texture variety
- Something more filling
- A break from gels
- Easy-to-carry solid food
They work best on steady sections, long climbs that you are walking, aid stations and easier tracks. They are harder to use on technical terrain or when breathing heavily.
Are bars better than gels?
Bars and gels solve different problems.
Choose a bar when you want solid food, a more satisfying texture or a break from sweetness. Choose a gel when you need compact carbohydrate with minimal chewing.
Most ultra runners benefit from carrying both.
How many energy bars should you eat per hour?
Calculate carbohydrate rather than counting bars.
A broad framework is:
- 30–60g per hour for exercise lasting roughly one to two-and-a-half hours.
- 60–90g per hour for longer endurance events, where the runner has trained their stomach.
Eating 80–90g entirely through bars will be difficult for many runners. A mixture of bars, gels and drinks is usually more practical.
Example combinations
- One Maurten Solid 160: 40g.
- One SiS Energy Bake plus one small waffle: roughly 46–49g.
- One STYRKR BAR50 plus a 30g gel: at least 80g.
- Half a Veloforte bar plus a 30g gel: roughly 48–50g.
Count everything you consume, including carbohydrate drinks.
When should you eat bars?
Bars are usually easier early in a long run, when your stomach and mouth are less fatigued.
A practical strategy is:
- Use bars and ordinary food during the first half.
- Eat on gentle sections.
- Divide bars into smaller portions.
- Drink water with dry products.
- Switch to softer fuel if chewing becomes difficult.
Can supermarket bars work instead?
Yes. Flapjacks, cereal bars, rice-crispy bars and malt loaf can provide useful carbohydrate at a lower cost.
Specialist sports bars normally offer clearer carbohydrate quantities, smaller portions, exercise-friendly packaging and lower fat in some products. They are convenient rather than mandatory.
Are protein bars suitable during a run?
Usually not as the main fuel. Protein bars often contain more fat, fibre, dense protein ingredients or sugar alcohols, with less carbohydrate than a purpose-built energy bar.
A protein bar may suit a checkpoint or multi-day event, but check the nutrition panel.
What to look for
- Carbohydrate per bar
- Texture after several hours in a vest
- Portion size
- Fat and fibre
- Allergens
- Wrapper design
- Flavour strength
- Carbohydrate per pound spent
Frequently asked questions
What is the best energy bar for trail running?
Veloforte Avanti is our best overall research pick. SiS GO Energy Bake is easier to chew, while STYRKR BAR50 provides the largest carbohydrate serving.
What is the best energy bar for an ultra?
STYRKR BAR50 is useful for a high carbohydrate serving. Maurten Solid 160 divides neatly into two 20g portions.
Are energy bars better than gels for ultras?
Neither is universally better. Bars provide texture and feel like food; gels are easier at high intensity.
Can you eat CLIF Bars while running?
Yes, but they are dense and better suited to steady sections, checkpoints or pre-run food.
Do bars need water?
Most bars are easier to chew and swallow with water, particularly dry oat and rice products.
Can bars upset your stomach?
Yes. Large portions, fat, fibre, nuts, dehydration and intensity can all contribute.
Final verdict
Veloforte Avanti is the strongest overall research pick. Choose STYRKR BAR50 for maximum carbohydrate, Maurten Solid 160 for a plain option, SiS GO Energy Bake for softness or OTE Anytime for a flapjack-style bar.
Solid food is useful, but do not build an entire ultra plan around bars without testing it. Chewing and flavour tolerance often become harder as the hours build.
The best bar is the one that still feels edible after several hours in your vest.