Red Bull vs. Five Hour Energy vs. Mountain Dew
My opinion on the energy war.
There isn't a week that goes by that I'm not at a convenience store register buying a Red Bull and the person behind me asks, "Does that stuff really work?" On the surface it seems like a silly question because why would I be buying it if it didn't "work". I always answer, "It works for me." But if you flash back five or six years I would've been at that same register with a Mountain Dew. My how the times have changed.
I've always been an energy drink nut/guinea pig. It started as a kid when I discovered that Mountain Dew seemed to give me a little more "up" than other sodas. But I also discovered what they mean by "crashing". It was a horrible feeling. One you might liken to having your head slammed between two cymbals. I started a search for alternative drinks that would supply me with energy. Sure I could've mixed some crystal meth in orange juice and called it a day but I probably wouldn't be here to write this hub. I stumbled on two products early in the energy drink game. One was Sobe and the other was Bawls.
Sobe had several variations on their fruit drink, one of which was Energy. It contained some herbal ingrediants along with the usual sugar and syrup. I could only drink so much of this because it was so sweet and found it never really supplied any noticeable energy. Bawls was harder to find and never really made it onto the national beverage scene. It was heavy with guarana and provided a bigger punch than Sobe. But it wasn't long before the new king came along.
Red Bull rolled into town and quickly defined what an energy drink was and also how it should be marketed. I was hooked after my first sip and found the smooth energy level with no crash in an eight ounce can was perfect. I only needed one in the morning and I was good for the rest of the day. Shortly after that they came out with a sugar free drink and that's been my go-to ever since.
But awhile back I added a shot to go with my beer, if you will. Five Hour Energy hit the market a couple of years ago and has moved up the energy drink ladder by leaps and bounds. No longer do you have to pound down huge Monster or Rock Star drinks (Red Bull wannabes). This little B12 shot is great and like Red Bull provides a lift with no crash or jitters. I eventually thought, "What the hell. A little shot in the afternoon couldn't hurt." So my daily double is a Red Bull in the morning and a Five Hour Energy in the afternoon. I have to admit the one drawback is price. This isn't Dollar Store one gallon soda prices. A 12 pack of Bull runs $20 and a six pack of Five Hour Energy is usually $12. But it's a cheaper habit than crystal meth.
My energy war doesn't involve oil and has long since been declared over. Red Bull/Five Hour Energy are the winners and yes my convenience store patron, they do work.
