Was looking for some caffeine gum and would up choosing Jolt(20mg caffeine per piece) over Stay Alert (100mg caffeine per piece) based on overwhelming taste reviews for Jolt. Apparently with gum, the caffeine enters your system in 5 minutes as opposed to 20-30 minutes for coffee. Plan on trying it out on those long trail days where its not really possible to stop and brew a cup. Figure I'll keep a pack in the car and throw some in the kits. Anyone tried either one?

Stay Alert... Not a bad product. Takes a while to get used to the taste and I can barely keep chewing it for anything more than 10-15 mins because the taste deteriorates rapidly.

But it does work. Do not exceed the recommended doses and even if you stay within the prescribed limits, you might notice some side effects (hands shaking, excessive sweating etc.). Still, it will keep you awake for a while.

I have no experience with Jolt, though.

There are several other flavor out there. I keep some from the wal-mart checkout stand impulse buy rack. It comes in small tins like the mini altoids tin. I don't remember the brand though.

LED, I just want to say the obvious, because it once wasn't so obvious to me and I think it bears saying in case this reaches someone else, who can hear their own situation in my words: caffeine gum is okay, but relying on it when driving is Bad. I bought some basically to stay alert, and had it in my car when I was coming down from Mt Rainier. I have a habit of leaving for the mountain pre-dawm, and driving home I can get really tired. After driving for 45 minutes and descending a couple thousand feet, I could almost be asleep at the wheel, and not know it or admit it to myself. I could catch myself beginning to doze, but still not stop or slow the car. There's not alot of oncoming traffic on Hwy 410, so frankly I think I got away with some bad driving for several seasons. I would pop a piece of caffeine gum, thinking it would make a difference. It didn't. Long story short, I didn't kill myself or anyone else, but I might have, and I have learned that pulling over for a 20-30 minute nap refeshes me way, way better than caffeine gum ever could. Caffeine gum isn't addictive, except in the sense that you can fool yourself into thinking you are more alert than you really are. Maybe its my 47 year old body, but a short nap does way better than the gum.

i found hard-shelled (like m & m), chocolate-covered coffee beans called shock-a-lots. mmmmmm gooooood. satisfies two cravings at once.

one bag (approx 12 beans) = one cup of coffee - which can be rationed one at a time or, if you're in a hurry for a quick buzz, down the hatch!

for me, i've just munched one at a time while hiking.

Shock-A-Lots

5 Hour Energy for the win.

I agree Lono, nothing is a substitute for proper rest and if I'm that tired, gum won't help anyway. Similiar to what Nighthiker said, it'd be more of a pick me up rather than keep me awake type thing.

Hi I'm Boatman and I am a coffee addict...I find that products like these are handy when you can't get your morning cup'o joe.Some people can get serious head aches from withdrawals.Caffine can be just as addictive as nicotine or heroine.Something(gum,mints,beans,etc.) like this can almost seem like a life saver.In a survival situation it can at least take the edge off.Then a person could make clear and rational thoughts.In the service they use the instant coffee packets from MRE's.Put the coffee crystal between the cheek and like chewing tobacco.They call it Ranger coffee to go.Another one is to put a tea bag in the cheek and suck on it.just my $.02 worth

BOATMAN
John

Interesting Boatman, thanks. Instant coffee between the cheek huh? Well, I used to dip (skoal bandits, nasty stuff ) when I was a teenager....so I suppose instant coffee couldn't be any worse. Even though my life wouldn't be the same without it, I don't know if coffee is quite as addictive as nicotine though. No coffee = cranky SOB with a headache. When I gave up nicotine it felt like gremlins were jumping on my brain for two weeks.

Ranger dip works, but you really have to want it. There just isn't much to be said for the taste.

Desperado,I agreewith you that you REALLY have to want it.That is why I would make my coffee the night before.I would then put it in a Thermos and keep it my sleeping bag with me.Morning Joe near at hand...
BOATMAN
John

A quick 20 min nap is the best way to avoid a problem. Many many times I had been driving late/early and found myself starting to doze. I pullover into a rest stop and a 20 min nap and I was good to go.

20 mins seems to be the key. Any shorter/longer and you don't seem to shake the fuzz off. Unless the longer is several hours... ;-)

Caffeine is only if you must absolutely keep going under all cicumstances. But that brings in other problems like being jittery, shaky, headaches, and other things that may influence judgement.

IMHO...

I personally would never drive that tired.I did one time and results were not good.Fell asleep behind wheel after a long day and working third shift.I was much younger then and felt I could handle it.Head on colision with a pickup truck.Thankfully no one was hurt.So I whole heartedly agree on not pushing it while driving.More people are killed by cars than guns.But if you are hiking/walking then by all means go for it...

BOATMAN
John

+1.

I have found that my best strategy for not feeling tired while driving and it might be a danger is to drink a lot of caffeinated soda. More so than the caffeine, the need to remove the quantities of liquid from my body has kept me awake. I've found that an urgent need to pee keeps me from wanting to nod off.

I did this mostly in my younger days. Now, I use it some, but when I feel the first nod coming on, I am looking for a nap, usually in a hotel room.

I have sleep apnea that, due to lack of real sleep, causes me to fall asleep at inappropriate times - like driving. My doctor recommended that I keep peppermint gum on hand. The combination of the chewing activity and the peppermint keeps you away. I've used it many times when I begin to feel drowsy when driving and the gum works every time. No bad side effects, either.

I keep a sachet of Stay Alert Gum along with a First Strike Bar, from a First Strike Ration, in the same pouch as my PKS attached to my body armor (IBA). Stay Alert Gum is great for those early morning flights along with those days that never seam to end, when a hot cup of coffee in nowhere to be found.

Cheers,
W-W