Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem Solids Review

Straight up... I'm a fan of Hammer Nutrition products. It took me a few years to get on board but once I did I haven't looked back. When I first heard about the fuel of choice in an easy to use tablet I was excited of the possibilities for my running and cycling activities. Hammer has long been a world wide choice for multi-hour fuels with natural ingredients and Perpetuem leads the way. Normally Perpetuem is consumed either in a water bottle (not bad if your on a bike) or mixed into a pan cake type paste and carried in a smaller flask (this is my preferred choice of use). But the interest of a smaller tablet to carry that is not effected by heat or time intrigued me (the down side to using a flask/bottle is a max usage time 5 plus hours depending on temperature).

Like most products I test, I'll sample them before an activity. My initial taste test of the Strawberry Vanilla flavor was noticing the large size of the tablet, not like the Smarites Candy I was hoping for but more like a couple of Alka Seltzer tablets stuck together. I noticed the flavor was good like all Hammer products, mild and not too strong however the almost chalky feel and powder texture soon left my mouth very dry. That said I was not willing to give up on the idea of an easy to carry unit of sustained energy.

My first outing with the new Solid was an early morning trail run in the wind and with my wife. An hour into the run I reached for my first tablet, the size was not as bad as I had anticipated but still a bit large for the likes of me. Once I started chewing I reached for a sip of water, make sure H2O is close at hand, then the ease of getting the fuel down was a bit simpler. I did notice an almost pasty texture getting stuck on my teeth. Hammer recommends 1-4 tablets per hour (based on other calorie intake). I would not want to consume the tablets during high output or heart rate periods in fear of choking. I thought my wife who loves Perpetuem would appreciate the tablet and ease of the product but her first bite was her last... too big and too chalky. For me the overall result of Perpetuem was the same as a flask/bottle, no stomach issues and a sustained energy.

The Solids can be purchased in a reusable 6 tablet container ($3.95) or a large 90 tablet ($36.95) container in 3 tasty flavors; Strawberry Vanilla, Orange Vanilla or Caffe Late flavors.

• Taste: 4 out of 5 wheels


• Performance: 4.5 out of 5 shoes


• Size: 2.5 out of 5 chains


• Cost: 4 out of 5 water bottles


• Total: 4 out of 5 races
  

I recommend the product for race days and ultra training. The ease is not worth the large tablet or dry powder in your mouth for your mid range activities less then 3 hours when regular Perpetuem will not go bad. Stick to mixing the powder Perpetuem when time is on your side but for the mid range miles/time and ease of use the Solids will provide the energy to finish strong. My recommendation to Hammer Nutrition: Make them a bit smaller and thus easier to consume (assuming a gel type tablets can not be produced without preservatives) then we can just chew more tablets instead of one big one.

From the Hammer Website:

The search for a convenient, yet high-quality, solid fuel source is over. With Perpetuem Solids you have the same exact, time-proven Perpetuem formula in easily chewable, easily consumable tablets.

• Convenient, easy-to-chew-and-digest tablets


• Stays fresh and tasty even in the heat


• Consistent, stable energy


• Minimize lean muscle tissue cannibalization


• Caffé Latte contains caffeine


• Contains GMO-free soy protein


• Gluten-free and vegan friendly