Vibe Energy Gum promises a pint-sized kick

Thought you'd seen every conceivable energy product? Think again - we've just taken delievery of a tube of Vibe Energy gum. Energy Gum! If we seem excitable, that's because we've been roadtesting it a bit this morning.

Co-founder David Webb had the idea for the gum when he was working at a ski resort and found the need for a pocket sized energy source: “Working long hours in the mountains left me tired on the hill. I needed an effective, portable energizer; something I could carry whilst I skied but wouldn’t hurt me if I bailed.” Thus was Vibe Energy Gum born.

It's been three years in development but has just launched, and will be available in both convenience and 'extreme sports' stores (we're not sure whether cycling qualifies as an extreme sport). "Vibe is manufactured through cold compression technology which, unlike traditional pellet gum, allows the gum to be entirely fused with functional ingredients that enable sublingual absorption – a rapid absorption through the mouth, which is five times faster than being absorbed through the digestive system," we learned from the press release. That's good news if you're teetering on the edge of a massive bonk, although the gum, which is sugar-free, obviously doesn't contain much by way of energy-giving carbohydrates. It will leave you with minty-fresh breath though.

What it does contain is caffeine, Guarana and ginseng for a pick-me up, and two tabs of the gum contain as much caffeine as a can of 'the leading energy drink'. Asda Blue Charge then. There's ten tabs in the metal tube, which is designed to be waterproof, sandproof and sat-on-proof to keep your powder dry in even the most extreme conditions. A tube will cost you £2.49, with a foil pack of two tabs also available for 79p.

www.vibegum.com