Maxifuel's Viper Boost puts a varied mix of sucrose, rice flour, ground almonds, starches, fructose and glucose syrups under a relatively thick (14 percent) dark chocolate skin.
A relatively low sugar percentage with a high protein and fat content makes it a steady energy delivery bar. Its infamous reputation comes from the caffeine and guarana buzz ingredients for kick-starting workouts or restoring flagging focus in the last gasp of a race.
Like most stimulant-enriched products, tolerance before queasiness kicks in varies between athletes. Add a crash as noticeable as the boost and you need to check how these bars work for you before racing with them. Very pricey, too.
This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine, available on Zinio.