The Best & Worst Climbing Snacks

Climbing Snacks are more than just food. They can be performance enhancing aids and provide health benefits. Getting it right can mean better training sessions and better performance on your projects. But depending on the snacks you choose, they may have some negative consequences or be outperformed by alternatives. In today's episode we have one of our nutritionists, Ed Smith, talk us through the pro's and con's on some of the most common climbing snacks we see at the gym or the crag.

Many alternatives exist and we are not advocating you need any one of these foods in your diet. Personal preference and individual needs apply. So let us know what your preferred climbing snacks are and why!

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[stefanofalero]

you spoke at length about sport drinks. what are your recommendations for boulder and trad drinks?

[jirelbyu]

===DRINKS===

1. Sports Drinks
- Better than water coz of electrolytes & glucose
- fast acting energy

2. Energy drinks (ie. Red bull)
- caffeine enhances performance
- Sucrose (glucose + fructose)
- sadly no electrolytes
- not necessarily bad for your health
- taken after 4pm, caffeine may affect your sleep

3. Chocolate Milk
- Post workout recovery (protein)
- overall good nutrient quality
- replenishes carbohydrates
- could be normal milk

===SNACKS===

1. Granola bar
- not cheap
- super convenient

2. Soreen
- high carbs
- may have artificial ingredients

3. Banana
- high carbs

4. Sweets
- good for energy
- could be problematic for hygiene

5. Mixed Nuts
- has protein
- very little to no carbs

[meinblubber]

Don't be afraid to transport fruit. Fyi a spotted banana or a dented apple for example are still perfectly fine to eat. Most civilized areas also have drinkable tap water which can be transported in reusable bottles. If you are a caffein lover, delicious coffee can be brewed at home for low cost. Oatmeal with banana, peanut butter and flaxseeds makes a fine and cheap breakfast and/or pre climb snack.

[BiggFanDDD]

Lol I have boiled eggs and dates at the crag. Good for energy and protein. Plus they fill you up decently

[Ducksnuget]

I usually get a coffee about an hour before climbing. Sometimes a PB&J before leaving the house. Might get bananas now due to being prone to cramps.

[svenningen]

Love my pre-climb banana(s)!
I hate climbing after having a meal that feels too filling and I just feel heavy. The bananas are a perfect lighter snack if I need one.

[Wijkert]

Great video! Personally would have loved to see a focus on healthier options, but understand that this is more useful for the average climber.

[TenaciousD]

12:21 living in Brasil eating a cold banana has come handy many times! Just chop it in pieces, some granola and wheat, maybe some mangos, on the fridge for 30min to cool It down and it's bussin

[joshpennwatson]

I would be interested to see the non ultra processed foods alternative suggestions to replace some of these, like a home made fruit cake to replace the malt loaf

[hyau]

Can we get a video on what foods/meal to eat after an intense training session?

[wixic]

I knew someone who used to freeze bananas then eat them. Absolute monster.

[Dan.lawrence.uk]

id be interested to see what the climbing elite eat, before, during and after climbing

[pilaraguayo]

I love making my own snacks, homemade protein granola bars are my go too (when I want them). Although I’m not a big snacker

[Martin-zoen]

great video and such good and deep knowledge.
a few things you have not talked about but would be cool to have your opinion about, because I just read about them and am not sure if this is all true..
- fructose can upset your stomach, that is one reason some of them contain only glucose. another reason to prefer glucose over sacharose or fructose.
- bananas that are not really ripe are pretty hard to digest and therefore provide pretty slow energy.

[joelurner]

I go for a coffee in the mid morning, then bring an whey isolate protein for sipping on through the day and also a amino acid bcaa 2:1:1 drink towards the end of the session/driving home for muscle recovery. For food I bring a protein bar for an extra boost. Eat big protein meal when home.

[NaturaPug]

Great vid guys! Missed the snickers(my snack of choice) and chocolate, your not you when your hungry!

Also would be good to see which snacks were good for pre session during and post like you did the drinks, maybe a part 2? 😉

[Seba]

What about mate? We southerns drink a lot of mate (pronounced máh-teh) and since Patagonia and Cochamó are pretty popular climbing spots, mate is also pretty common between climbers, more common even than pure water I dare to say. Also mate is often paired with nuts or cookies during rests. I don't think I've seen in the crag other than mate, cookies, nuts and fruit, never seen a red bull or an isotonic drink. Indoors is either mate or pure water, never saw anyone eating at the gym.

[benbowers]

Good video but worth considering maybe is how much comes in plastic packets. The environment is more important than our climbing sessions. I'm as guilty here as anyone but increasingly I have this feeling that my priorities need to shift. Climbers in general are some of the most eco aware people I know so I know I'm not alone!

[jezzadee]

Satsumas - the ultimate multi-pitch snack? A bit of fluid, bit of sugar. Never seem to get squished if kept in front pocket; wouldn’t go well stuffed in trousers though.

[SnapDash]

As a Canadian, I've never heard of Soreen before... Or even malt loaf, generally.
It is analogous to a fruitcake?