Efficient Multipitch Fuel

I like a bottle of Coca Cola for the descent. Sugar and caffeine after a big day get you back to the car.

Cold prunes are great.  Warm is decent, but refrigerate or freeze them beforehand if it's above 60°F.  That and a nice meatstick should have you covered.

The other trick is to put a tiny amount of himalayan pink salt in your water, not much, maybe 1/4 tsp/L?  It varies based on how badly you need the electrolytes.  I usually don't measure.  You'll know you have the mix right when the water tastes slightly sweet.

Sam Schwinghammerwrote:

The other trick is to put a tiny amount of himalayan pink salt in your water, not much, maybe 1/4 tsp/L?  It varies based on how badly you need the electrolytes.  I usually don't measure.  You'll know you have the mix right when the water tastes slightly sweet.

This has me very intrigued what adding some salt to my honey would be like. Some corse crystals to match the ones already present sounds great if they stay separated long term. Im thinking it would taste something like honey roasted peanut glaze perhaps. Im definitely trying it tomorrow! 

Probably just a sweet tooth, but jazzed up jelly belly sport beans and a stick or two of the jerky/cheese combo deals they sell at every gas station.

Funny and probably shouldn’t apply to climbing, a bike racing friend said his best finishing drink was 3/4 Coke, 1/4 vodka.  The sugar and reckless abandon to see him through.

Maybe not the greatest approach, but this has worked pretty well for me so far. If I have to carry a pack, then I like to carry an Orange and some sort of gummy fruit snack. The sugar and carbs of the orange are great fuel, its still fairly light, and the juices are so much more refreshing than whatever dry snack I could fit in my pocket. The gummies, I've found, really help me avoid dry mouth in my local desert environment. 

If I'm not carrying a pack, then the climb is likely short enough or easy enough where I'll very likely be fine with out food. I'll tank up on food and water before leaving the ground, and again before hiking out.

Long/intense  climbing day? I’ll bring larabars, Clif block shots, GUs, chocolate brownie fig bars, candy, and some other high carb foods. Intense hiking day? Snickers, tailwind or Gatorade powder, Justin’s packets, various bars. When I did a fast pack of the JMT, I ate 4800 calories per day, 2000 of which were Gatorade/tailwind powder and it worked pretty well. More casual day, or scrambling? Dried fruit and sandwiches - uncrustables, cheese and salami in tortillas, or just a whole ass sandwich from town.

For a long climbing day, I’ll stuff my chalk bag zipper full of snacks, then my pockets, then my approach shoes if I’m carrying them on my harness. 

Whether MP or a day at the crag, I generally prefer a few hundred calories every 2 pitches or so, rather than an actual lunch break with a sandwich or whatever. 

Pugnacious Slabwrote:

Dried fruit and sandwiches - uncrustables, cheese and salami in tortillas, or just a whole ass sandwich from town.

Hell yeah, a real sandwich is hard to beat. Enjoying the food is important! I don’t think I have eaten a bar on a long climb for like a year. I just don’t want to ever eat them again.

GORP

I've been filling the zippered side pocket in my pants with nut and dried fruit mix (no chocolate or anything that melts) for a few years. found it to be a good way to get just the right amount of fuel as i'm going without messing with wrappers and digging into bars, small handfuls every pitch or so.  high protein and reasonable sugar to keep it going.  This is usually in addition to some energy waffles/chews, cheese sticks!, and packaged pouch of tuna for lunch.  for super big days a 5 hour energy and a couple of ibuprofen at the summit to keep you alert and the sting out of the joints for the descent works wonders.

Josh Rappoportwrote:

Whether MP or a day at the crag, I generally prefer a few hundred calories every 2 pitches or so, rather than an actual lunch break with a sandwich or whatever. 

It is interesting how people seem to strongly prefer one or the other.  I'm definitley a grazer myself and prefer to eat like you on MP, but cragging is usually like glamping compared to MP so I'll bring more goodies when I do that and usually bring some fresh fruit, a sandwhich, pizza, or whatever as a treat.

CTBwrote:

This has me very intrigued what adding some salt to my honey would be like.

I don't do honey while climbing, but black pepper goes really well with honey if you can find the right amount. It "distracts" from the "sugary overload". Try at home first though ... If it sounds really weird, it has the same effect of sweet/hot as jalapeno jelly, which is a "thing".

As for multipitch food: Carrots, carrots, and more carrots. They survive any kind of chimneys, off-widths, "scummying" ... If you want to start a little "softer", I'd suggest apples cut in quarters. 

Spring energy 57% off now- Speednut has 50 mg caffeine. Epic bison bars. KING SIZE SALTED NUT ROLL (pearsons) is like 450 calories. Way way better than Payday but same idea. Mavericks has them. Deglet dates. Nuts. 

Been big fan of Lara bars lately. 200 calories for a very small and tasty bar. Also like the kind protein bars, shot blocks or any other energy gummies, and anything with caffeine. Caffeine gives you super powers when worked.

Gina Schaeferwrote:

I don't like the idea of having to carry a separate bottle to mix water or mixing electrolytes into the entire 2.5L blade I carry with me. I have been looking into both chewable electrolyte tabs and snacks that have sodium/potassium/magnesium which seems to be the main combination in many electrolyte drinks. Curious if anyone uses any they would recommend. 

Hammer Endurolytes are swallowable electrolyte pills, no flavor and they go down easy with a drink of water.  Easy to control dosage since they aren’t tied to your calories.

Lots of sweet snacks come in varieties with extra sodium, the margarita Clif blocks are one of my favorites.

I've been really enjoying Jones Bars recently.  Very simple ingredients, good macros, not melty, not messy, good texture.

e.g. https://jonesbar.com/collections/bars/products/pb-j

For long climbs, I swear by Clif Bars. They pack well, give a good energy kick, and come in flavors that don't taste like cardboard.

Gina Schaeferwrote:

It is interesting how people seem to strongly prefer one or the other.  I'm definitley a grazer myself and prefer to eat like you on MP, but cragging is usually like glamping compared to MP so I'll bring more goodies when I do that and usually bring some fresh fruit, a sandwhich, pizza, or whatever as a treat.

I like to just fuel enough for the climbing (cragging or MP) and then gorge myself at dinner after!

j mowrote:

Spring energy 57% off now- Speednut has 50 mg caffeine. 

Where are you finding spring 57% off???

I also like to use lightweight ~3oz reusable container (like the GoTubb mediums) to hold pre-portioned trail mix, which I make using:

12g plain m&m's

12g cocktail peanuts

24g raisins

I'll bring two of those for a low-intensity day.  You can change the ratios to change the macros.