Great Walks tries out the new Roam Energy Nut Butter.
Some years ago I completed the Oxfam Trailwalker. The idea was to walk 100km through thick bushland as a group of four. No sleeping, just rest stops. It took us a gruelling 33 hours (and only two of us made it – long story…) but one of the things that kept us going was a brand of energy gel where you ripped open the sachet and squeezed this goo down your throat.
It was full of caffeine, sugar, amino acids and sodium, and it was sickly sweet. Not once did I enjoy using it but it did give me an energy boost when I needed it.
After that event I always wondered if one day something would come on the market that was similar to this gel – a small pocket-sized sachet filled with all the things you need to keep going on long trails – protein, carbohydrates, sugars, sodium etc – but actually tastes good!
Well I have found that in Roam, a new brand that uses nut butter (including almonds and cashews) as its base. It’s naturally energy dense, nutritious, and versatile. Basically it’s like a peanut butter paste in a small sachet that you can squeeze straight into your mouth or put on bread or a cracker.
I really like it on sourdough! Roam Energy Nut Butter comes in a range of flavours, Coconut, Chocolate and Expresso. I tried them all and not one of them gave that sweet sickly flavour that made me *gurn.
“While sports gels provide a quick, high-carb rush, Energy Nut Butter offers a balanced mix of fats and protein for sustained energy, perfect for endurance activities like hiking,” Roam founder Raeana Connell told Great Walks.
It’s defiantly something I’ll be keep in my backpack.
Roam also produces Pea Protein which can be made into a low carb, high protein drink for a pre and post-training routine. You just add the contents of the 90g sachet to water or your choice of milk, shake and away you go.
I don’t really do protein shakes but I did like the chocolate flavour, and the Recovery Smoothy – 30g pea protein, one packet of chocolate Energy Nut Butter, one small banana, some cinnamon, salt and 300ml of milk – was a great way to start the day!
roamenergy.com.au
*Gurn: To pull a grotesque face. In a tradition dating back to the 13th century, ‘gurners’ frame their face inside a horse collar.
Review_Brent McKean