Crayv Protein Energy Bar Range Flavour Comparison

Last week I was fortunate enough to be able to taste test the complete range of Crazv Protein Energy Bars and thought I'd share what I thought of each flavour to give you an idea of which one you might like best.

So, who are Crayv? They're an all-Australian brand that’s committed to performance, health, and sustainability. It’s their mantra that performance can be fuelled naturally – with non-GMO, filler-free, vegan products that taste bloody good. 

As well as protein energy bars (a great combo of protein and carbohydrates) they also make protein powders (handy for an ultralight protein hit on the trail!).

Colour me excited.

I did an in-depth review of the Crayv Choc Peanut Butter Protein Bar last week so if you're looking for in-depth nutritional analysis, head over there and check that out. The ingredient and nutritional profiles are very similar across these bars so it'll give you a good indication of what you can expect.

Let's crack on with these flavour reviews!

Note: Yes, I've been overwhelmingly positive so far. This isn't because the post is sponsored (it's not!) but because I'm genuinely really impressed with these bars.

Crayv Protein Energy Bar Range Taste Test

Appearance

One thing all of these bars had in common was their appearance. And in all respects, they look pretty stock standard as far as protein bars go. They're each

covered in a chocolate coating which is exceptionally prone to melting.

Despite eating these on a mild day they were melting under my fingers and left plenty of melted chocolate behind on the chopping board I use when product testing.

Other than the melted surface, the bars all look appealing in the way that anything covered in chocolate tends to do!

Digestibility

Another aspect these bars excelled in was their digestibility. They made me feel full without bloating, and no discomfort was experienced afterwards.

Crayv Choc Berry Burst Protein Energy Bar

Energy: 203 calories

Protein: 11g

Carbs: 12.1g

Fats: 11g

Fibre: 5.7g

Sodium: 38mg

Protein Bar Aroma

This Choc Berry Burst Protein Energy Bar smells just like a Cherry Ripe Bar. It has a strong berry-infused aroma though it was hard to tell exactly which one.

My other taster was getting strong cherry vibes despite the ingredients listing raspberries and cranberries. The chocolate wasn't detectable. Overall it had a healthy-smelling aroma.

Protein Bar Texture

This was the second most dense bar in the range (the Choc Mint took the title for the most dense). It was very consistent, firm, and smooth, with no crunchy bits.

It was satisfying to bite into and you felt like you were eating and chewing something of substance rather than having it dissolve in your mouth almost instantly. The smooth chocolate coating melts away slowly.

Check out how thick that coating is!

Protein Bar Flavour

You're hit with a rich smooth silky chocolate flavour to start, which is interspersed with pops of sweet berry. Finally, when the chocolate and berry flavours have gone you're left with a savoury nutty aftertaste, which is really lovely.

This bar is quite the flavour journey and would be a great choice for those who like more depth and complexity of flavour.

Out of the four bars, I'd definitely call this one the foodies choice. It's also the sweetest of the lot thanks to the pops of berry.

Rating out of 5 (0= terrible, 5= amazing): 5/5

This bar was nothing short of a delight. The flavour hit everything you crave on a hike with both savoury and sweet, a little bit of fruit, a little bit of chocolate, and a little bit of nuttiness for good measure. Loved it.

Crayv Choc Fudge Brownie Protein Energy Bar

Energy: 201 calories

Protein: 11.5g

Carbs: 11.4g

Fats: 10.8g

Fibre: 5.9g

Sodium: 40mg

Protein Bar Aroma

This had a deep dark cocoa smell. It was chocolate on chocolate on chocolate. Very enticing.

Protein Bar Texture

Similar to the Berry Burst Bar, this one had a consistently dense and doughy texture, though it was slightly softer. It was the most dry of all four bars and it took quite a few chews to break it down.

The bar doesn't dissolve at all – your teeth will be doing all the work. It's not a jawbreaker and you won't have bits stuck in your teeth, it's just not a bubbly, airy bar like so many chocolate ones are.

Protein Bar Flavour

The flavour of this bar was milder compared to the strength of the aroma but it was overall very balanced given every part of it was chocolate. It's more of a dark, rich chocolate than a milky one despite both being present in the experience.

Initially, the flavour is of dark, rich chocolate but it quickly softens and becomes more milky. It also tastes quite doughy which is presumably what reduces the intensity of the chocolate taste overall.

Rating out of 5 (0= terrible, 5= amazing): 4.5/5

While this bar was delicious, it wasn't as exciting as other chocolate bars out there. It's very good, skirting both dark and milky flavours quite uniquely but I feel like it could pick a lane and excel as either a milky chocolate or a dark chocolate bar to be more specific. In terms of appealing to the masses though, it does well.

Crayv Choc Peanut Butter Protein Energy Bar

Energy: 188 calories

Protein: 11g

Carbs: 13.3g

Fats: 8.8g

Fibre: 5.7g

Sodium: 104mg

Protein Bar Aroma

The protein bar has a strong, natural roasted peanut aroma. It’s savoury, not sweet. I couldn’t smell the chocolate at all. 

Protein Bar Texture

This bar from Crayv has a dense texture that dissolves slowly. The dryer inner is offset well by the exceptionally quick melting chocolate exterior. While dense, it’s not crunchy – more crumbly with smooth chocolate. 

Protein Bar Flavour

This bar has a very mild flavour, making it appealing to just about everyone. The initial impression is fleeting sweetness from the chocolate coating followed by a general nutty flavour. It doesn’t make me think of peanut butter specifically. 

While the flavour is nice, and palatable, the real standout of the bar was the texture. I cannot emphasize more clearly that this is without doubt the best tasting chocolate coating I’ve experienced on a protein bar. It’s as if the bar has been drizzled underneath a chocolate fountain. 

The only downside of the delicious chocolate layer is that it’s hugely prone to melting – you’re not coming out of this experience with clean hands and plenty of chocolate was left on the inside of the wrapper. 

Rating out of 5 (0= terrible, 5= amazing): 4.5/5

I deducted half a point because while this bar was tasty and I very happily ate it, the chocolate coating was more dominant than the flavour of peanut butter. I wouldn’t have guessed it was peanut butter if I didn’t already know from the wrapper. 

Crayv Choc Mint Protein Energy Bar

Energy: 210 calories

Protein: 11g

Carbs: 10.9g

Fats: 12.3g

Fibre: 5.8g

Sodium: 35mg

Protein Bar Aroma

Like most mint chocolate bars this has a very strong peppermint aroma. It smells minty fresh without a hint of chocolate.

Protein Bar Texture

The texture of the Crayv Choc Mint Protein Energy Bar is distinctly different to the other bars in the range. While it's the most dense, it's also chewier and stickier. The consistency is still very smooth like the others.

Protein Bar Flavour

Like the rest of the bars, the chocolate coating is absolutely divine – I'll be talking about this coating for ages, it's officially the new bar for what a choc coating should be. I only wish it didn't melt so easily, but if that's the trade-off, well, I think it's worth it.

The peppermint flavour is refreshing without being overbearing but it does crowd out the chocolate flavour. It tastes like every other mint chocolate bar out there (but without all the artificial flavours). The aftertaste is predictably minty and cool, though I can't fault it for delivering on what it promised.

I'd say it's an improvement on the Choc Fudge Brownie Protein Energy Bar because it's a bit more interesting.

Rating out of 5 (0= terrible, 5= amazing): 5/5

This was an absolute delight. It'd be perfect on a hot day as it's refreshingly cool. Just make sure you keep it out of the sun and away from your hot back in your bag or all of that lovely chocolate coating will get left behind on the wrapper.

Final Thoughts

These protein energy bars from Crayv are a great option for mid-hike as they give you some carbs and healthy fats for prolonged energy, along with a chunk of protein to keep your muscles fuelled.

The ingredients are natural and healthy with no artificial sweeteners or nasties. I wouldn't have picked that they were vegan or plant-based and they absolutely blow out of the water the falsehood that plant-based bars don't taste as good as the regular ones.

For a delicious AND nutritious protein energy bar for hiking, you could do a hell of a lot worse and I'd have to dig through a lot of bars and do some blackboard number crunching before I found one that was better overall.

Disclaimer

CRAYV kindly sent me these protein bars to taste for my 52 Bars in 52 Weeks Protein Bar Review Series. My opinions are my own and aside from a tasty snack, I received no other benefit or kickback for sharing my opinions.