Thank You Fans

The Omnibar followers are cut from a different cloth. A community of adventure seekers, risk takers and open-air enthusiasts. The Omnibar community is filled with people that like their trails steep and their ingredients simple. Check out some ways to contribute to the Omnibar world. We'd love to hear from you. View full article →

Processed Meat Linked to Increased Risk of Cancer

Nowadays, it seems like you can’t turn on the television without hearing about the item in your life that may or may not cause cancer. The metal on your glasses, the finish on the coffee table or the rubber in your tires. The studies come from every corner of the world from unknown research labs and what appears to be headline savvy scientists.

However, when a headline gets released from the World Health Organization, it’s worth paying attention. Their most recent findings show that eating processed meat, like hot dogs and corned beef, can raise the risk of humans of getting cancer.

The Omnibar Way:
In what’s become known as the clean eating movement, tracking your food back to the source in the least number of steps possible is becoming a popular practice. And for good reason! Clean eating is something Omnibar has endorsed since the beginning. We never really needed a fancy study or breaking news to tell us about the dangers of processed foods.

Omnibar headquarters is based in Missoula, Montana. Surrounded by mountains, the people here would tell you there’s a connection with nature and the mountains. And we feel it. We feel it when we eat clean energy before a long hike and we feel it when our muscles are clamoring for something more than a generic sugary snack bar.

That’s why we source our beef from grass-fed cattle on the Two Creek Ranch in Ovando, Montana. We care about the fuel we give our bodies because it’s what allows us to do the things we love at a high level.

But we certainly don’t source locally, grass feed our cattle, and meticulously iterate a blend of clean ingredients for us. We do it for our fans. We do it for the weekend warriors and we do it for the adventure seekers.

The Path of Least Resistance:
Too often, the path of least resistance becomes crowded and, well, mediocre. You see this in the current state of energy bars. Rice crisps, maybe some chocolate, some nuts and some shiny packaging. Blah. We wanted to do things different by creating a savory protein bar and we don’t plan to change course. Checkout our ingredients. Hint: you don’t need to have studied advanced chemistry to pronounce any of them.

Roasted Peanut Omnibar. Ingredients:
100% grass fed beef, peanuts, dried prunes, dried sweet potatoes, organic oats, brown flax seed, spices, cane sugar, salt, brown cane sugar, red curry powder (spices [contains mustard], turmeric, salt). Contains: peanuts.

According to CNN.com, “The report finds a link between consumption of processed meats and colorectal cancer (and perhaps other cancers).” Are we the only ones that aren’t surprised to hear about the negative effects of ingredients like Corn Syrup or Monosodium Glutamate? Didn't think so.

We’re glad to continue producing quality bars to fuel those that attack the day. Our ingredients don't lie. Your's should't either.

If you ever have questions about Omnibar and the food we source, just tweet us your question.

Cold Weather Running: Five Videos to Get You Up and Out!

Feeling tired? Low motivation go you hitting snooze? Check out these videos from around the internet that might help put some motivation into your mourning routine. Quite hitting snooze, grab an Omnibar, and put your shoes on. It's time to run. View full article →

Alpine Entrepreneuring: Winter Edition

Omnibar is proudly made in Missoula, Montana. As a meat bar fueling adventure in the outdoors, we depend on a lot of other great companies and brands to keep us warm, safe and equipped for the excursion at hand. Whether that be a weekend overnight or a 600 mile trek through the crown-of-the-continent, we're always searching for great brands. Here is a list of companies we think are doing cool things in the business of going downhill on snow really fast. View full article →

Savory Protein Bars

What is a savory protein bar?

What is a savory protein bar? At Omnibar, we’ve done our darndest to answer this question by producing a product with one-third grass-fed-beef and two thirds clean ingredients. The degree in which people prefer savoriness in their food varies, but while beef protein attracts the savory-minded crowd, those interested in sweet won’t be disappointed. Packed with ingredients you can pronounce, cranberries and other wild-berries provide just the right amount of sugar. With a growing demand for natural fuel in the backcountry, front country and everywhere in-between, beef-protein and savory protein bars deliver the slow-burning meat protein needed for endurance driven events.

Disadvantages of sugary energy bars:

True, sugar has advantages to a high endurance event providing quick energy. But for many, the taste, consistency and performance of traditional energy bars disappoint. If you’re outdoor closet is filled with expired energy bars, it might be time to try something new.

Although the terms healthy, natural and energy get thrown around on packaging, many are made with cheap, low-quality ingredients while hiding tons of sugar and additives that can cause digestive chaos. These bars don’t cost much at the register, but ultimately the ingredients prevent absorption of important nutrients.

Take the PowerBar protein plus as an example. With 27g of sugar and plenty of processed ingredients, if it’s clean endurance driven fuel you’re after, you may want to pass on the PowerBar Protein Plus.

Advantages of beef-protein:

Rick Hall, a dietitian and lecturer at Arizona State University says of beef protein in an interview with muscle and fitness:

“Beef doesn't contain just any run-of-the-mill protein. It boasts an impressive collection of the nine essential amino acids and has a high biological value, which means it's very digestible and usable by the body, Hall explains. In fact, studies show that foods with a high biological value are what you should hunt for.” Hall goes on to say "Several of these micronutrients are involved in energy metabolism and help the body utilize sources of fuel such as carbohydrates and fat.”

When your body is in over-drive, a savory taste combined with clean ingredients equals a lighter job for the digestive system. Our bodies understand how to process meat, potatoes and almonds. After all, our ancestors didn’t find energy to kill sabertooth tigers at drive-through-windows or processed energy bars. They found it from meat. Get in the practice of fueling the body with ingredients closest to clean eating (foods in their natural state). Eating ingredients near their original state help digestion and ultimately the core of your health before, during and after physical activity.

Here’s what some folks are saying about protein versus other energy bars:

“Read the ingredients. these are excellent.” - Amazon Reviews

"Light weight and just the right amount of sweet and savory." - Amazon Reviews

"Would recommend to anyone involved in outdoor activity or an endurance sport." -Google Review

“I choose Omnibar for every adventure because I know the importance of having wholesome fuels that will keep me moving and motivated throughout the day.  It's a bar I can trust to keep me going when I'm 16 hours and 20+ miles into a ski traverse and my legs are digging deep to make it over that last crest; yet still find satisfying while snacking on one at home.” - Omnibar team-member Blake Votallia.

What is Jerky Plus?

Jerky Plus:

Difference Between Jerky Plus and Energy Bars:

Energy bars come in all shapes and sizes. Most people have seen and tried the classics: fruits and nuts, oats and honey and some variation of rice-crisps and sugar. Jerky Plus is one-third grass-fed beef and two-thirds natural ingredients. With grass-fed beef as the source of protein, jerky plus includes ingredients like almond butter, mango and cranberry to deliver pure fuel. Jerky plus is designed for the adventure seeker. It’s for the weekend warrior grown tired of biting into rice-crisps and sugar-filled snacks.

Jerky Plus.

History of Jerky Plus:

Picture yourself on an expedition before the days of energy gum, Redbull and Mountain Meals. What were explorers eating? What were they carrying in their adventure packs? According to PBC History, since refrigeration was out of the question, your grandfather’s adventure seekers ate dehydrated meats and fruits for sustained energy to power their excursions.

These guys knew how to explore! Source: dailymail.co.uk

Jerky plus brings modern day explorers and adventure seekers closer to nature and clean eating. At Omnibar, we like to describe the consistency of jerky plus as a mix between a fruit leather and beef jerky.

Biting into a real-food bar for the first time, most people experience a sense of surprise. It certainly doesn’t have the salty kick of beef jerky. The act of taking a bite doesn’t require carnivorous biting and ripping like that of beef jerky.

This is not the experience of eating jerky plus. Source: Instagram.com.

With two-thirds ingredients including an A-list of pure-fuel providers like almonds, flax seed, sweet potatoes and cranberries, jerky plus bites like a fruit leather. According to Cody Bartz on Trailspace.com, “The bars are soft and easy to chew. Like other jerky products, they hold up well to being thrown in your pack and carried around”.

Why do we explore?

We explore to discover. Discover new spaces, discover different ways of life and discover self. Exploring jolts the status quo and disrupts routine. We believe jerky plus jolts the status quo and disrupts routine. If you’re looking for a different type of clean eating food bar, give jerky plus a try.  

Five Cool Companies. Five Cool Packs.

Gear to Carry Your Gear: Five Companies Doing Cool Things:

The proverbial gear prep moment. That moment when your gear is proudly displayed on the living-room floor or on a tarp in the garage. There’s something special about that moment and not only because you suddenly realize the sum-total of your gear is worth more than the car you drive to the trailhead. It’s an important moment because whether you’re saying goodbye to the ebbs and flows of society for a couple hours or a couple weeks, everything you’ll need, not for pleasure or comfort or for entertainment, but everything you’ll need is directly in front of you.

A theme of the packs listed below is a lean design. Deliberately traveling lite. Since the Ikea lamp and the closet full of lightly-used dress shirts have to stay, it forces us to ask the question: well, what’s really important here? And that’s a healthy question to ask.

Food? Check. Water? Check. Flask? Check. Only the essentials. It’s tough to rank your gear in-order of importance. Of course, you could make a good case for matches. You could make a good case for a sharp pocket-knife, but for the non-survivalist or man-vs-wild-esque individual, a great pack ranks pretty high on that list. Today’s article features some brands we’ve come across that we believe are doing cool things in-town, out-of-town and off-the-grid.

#1: The Bike to the Boundary Kind

RockGeist:

About: Born in the hills of North Carolina, RockGeist is an up-and-coming brand with the durability of the well-known tour-de-biker brands and the responsiveness and customer service of an entrepreneurial team enthusiastic about every customer.

Pricing: $39-$120. Offers custom built bags and universal bags.

Why RockGeist? “If any of your RockGeist gear needs a repair, contact us and we’ll repair it free of charge.” There’s something refreshing about buying gear from a locally owned shop. The odds are good that the person putting the shipping label on your package is the same person that will sew it up for you after some good wear-and-tear.

Third Party Reviews:

1. High quality buckles, stitching and canvas. Really impressed.
2. Incredibly well-made bags. Quick turnaround and very responsive. These are perfect for any lightweight touring setup.
3. Awesome bag and awesome service

 

#2: The Off-the-Grid Kind

Gossamer Gear:

Gorilla 40 Ultralight Pack:

About: Minimalistic in design and weight. The Gorilla 40 is designed for the go-lite backpacker that isn’t quite into building their own packs but is into big miles in big wilderness. With customizable features with the waist-strap and accessories, the pack can be customized to reduce grams and power your next week-long warmer-weather backpacking trip or winter overnight/multi-day trip. Your hiking food, essentials and your lightweight gear can be stored up to about 30 pounds. 

Pricing: Ranging from $100 for day packs to $225 for the backpacking line, the packs are affordable as far as ultralight hiking gear is concerned. The Gorilla 40 is a great introduction for anyone thinking of lightening their load and heading into the woods for a couple days.

Reviews from Gossamer Gear Website:

I love this pack. It is lite, comfortable, holds everything I need it to and compresses down when I'm headed into town. I've loaded it with climbing gear for an overnight mountaineering trip as well as a 4 day trek on the PCT. I've also used it as a day pack when I needed bulkier layers. The accessible hipbelt and side pockets make my "snackpacking" strategy possible (I eat while walking). The removable frame is also nice for when I am carrying varying loads. The most versatile pack I own.

 

#3: The Day Tripping Day Dreaming Kind

Deuter

Deuter Speed Lite 20:

Outdoor Labs performed an extensive study and hundreds of hours of research to breakdown the top daypacks on the market. Although the Deuter Speed Lite placed second behind an Osprey Pack, The Deuter makes this list because it’s a bit lighter in weight than the Osprey Talon, and it also has less pockets. With seven pockets, the Talon seems a bit excessive. The goal here is reduction and focusing on things that matter. According to Outdoor Lab, The Deuter Speed Lite 20 earns our Top Pick award for presenting the perfect balance between low weight and simplicity with just the right features and comfort.

Reviews from Third Party Website:

“I find myself using it for anything and everything”

 

#4: The Crush it at the Coffee Shop Kind

Tom Binh

The Daylight Briefcase  If you’re the type to head to the closest coffee shop on a Saturday morning, the selection from Tom Bihn is a good place to start. Although the team at TH builds quality bags for both the backcountry, the front country and the city country, we’re focusing on the coffee shop crowd. Tom Bihn designs all of the bags and has been doing so for the last 30 years. The Daylight Briefcase is perfect for throwing over the back on a commuter bike or traveling simple to and from the coffee shop.

Keep it simple: “There was a relationship between the amount of stuff people were carrying and the amount of fun they were having. The more stuff, the less fun.” It’s that observation that goes into the design of his bags.

Pricing: The Daylight Briefcase runs at $80.

Reviews:

I love the light weight and simplicity of the design! I carry a 13" MacBook Pro Retina in a Cache, which slips into the pocket in the main compartment that goes to the bottom of the compartment along with my iPad mini and a Rhodia pad.

#5. The Crush it in Camouflage Kind

Mystery Ranch

Mystery Ranch #BuiltForTheMission from Mystery Ranch on Vimeo.

 

Mystery Designs CrewCab Pack:

Stepping away from the beaten path for a hunting trip into the backcountry leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The CrewCab Pack helps answer some of those. The pack has options to stay compact for scouting or expanding for packing-out. Reviews come from backcountry rangers to big-game enthusiasts. It’s certainly the burliest bag in our list.

Pricing: At $490, you’re getting a truly solid pack with huge versatility and Mystery Ranch guarantees all of their products.

Review from Third Party Site:

Awesome pack! This pack is very comfortable, regardless of load. I use it as a daypack and a cargo hauling pack. It has hauled chain saws for trail work, tools and parts for backcountry facility repairs, been used for SAR and hauls most of my EMT gear. Sturdy and durable are built into this pack. Yes it's heavier than some packs but it carries a heavy load very well and very comfortably. In 20 years in the USMC I never had a pack that felt this good under load. Perfect for my new job as a Backcountry Ranger.

What's the Difference Between Grass Fed and Grain Fed Beef?

What's the difference between grass fed beef and grain fed beef. the Omnibar team dives into some research to help answer this question. Sustainability, clean eating and connection with the environment is important to our team. 

View full article →

North Fork of the Flathead River - Trip Report

Traveling down the North Fork of the Flathead river with some family, this trip report details our fishing failures, successes and the logistics in between. We live for weekends like this. Unplug, hit the road, and let us know about what you're up to! View full article →

Vineman Triathlon - Andy Drobeck Q&A;

Interview with Omnibar team member and professional athlete. Enjoy! View full article →