Have you ever wanted a caffeine boost but are stuck in a meeting or working outside and can’t just grab a cup of coffee? Elite Ops Energy Strips has solved your caffeinated needs with a product that can fit in your wallet and be carried at all times. I got to try some of their caffeinated strips for daily life and as they apply to Obstacle Course Racing (OCR), here are my thoughts:
Design:
Elite Ops Energy strips are 100mg sublingual strips that provide an instant caffeine boost. If that confused you, think about would it would be like if you took a Listerine strip but combined it with the magic of caffeine from a cup of coffee. (For comparison average coffee has about 80-100 mg per cup but varies by brand, a Red Bull has 80mg per 8.5 oz. can and pre-workout (brand dependent) can have 100mg to 300mg serving size dependent/brand dependent).
Taste:
Currently, they only one flavor available, Arctic Mint. I thought they tasted great and as good as any other breath mint type product.
Convenience:
Elite Ops hits a home run when it comes to convenience. One of the ordering options even includes one of those credit cards like wallets that stick to the back of your phone. This means that if you have your cell phone with you, you’ll have access to the strips at all times.
As someone who travels frequently for work, how much space a product takes up is always a concern for me. Elite Ops is an all in one solution that can replace coffee, canned energy drinks, and even pre-workout powder. This is also a perfect product for those long drives traveling to and from the obscene number of OCR events that now fill your calendar (here’s the Mud Run Guide OCR calendar to fill those last couple of gaps 😉 and the link to the race discounts).
Black rubber carrying sleeve for back of your phone shown in the center.
Usefulness for OCR:
Personally, I like to consume calories with my caffeine when racing. That being said, Elite Ops can be very useful. If you are the type of person that buys caffeinated gels and un-caffeinated gels, if you have Elite Ops Strips, you now only have to buy un-caffeinated gels. It allows for a more modular approach to in-race fueling. If you need; caffeine plus calories, you can eat a gel and a Strip; if you need just calories, eat just a gel; and if you need just caffeine, enjoy a Strip. This makes it a good option for those getting ready for Ultra-OCR like a Toughest Mudder or an Ultra-Beast (for more info check out Mud Run Guide’s Ultra-OCR Bible).
If you are the type of person that doesn’t eat much before a race but still want the proven performance benefits of caffeine, then this is the product for you. Taking a sublingual strip before the start will help reduce rate of perceived exertion (i.e. it will make running feel easier). The only warning I’ll give is that if you are caffeine sensitive, the 100mg might be too much, so just like any product you will use in a race, test it out before use on event day. However, for most people I know this is not an issue.
Usefulness for Other Applications:
Again, they do a stellar job with this. For those that have office jobs, it can replace cups of coffee at work when sitting at your desk. If you are in the middle of a boring meeting and are suddenly sleepy, you can have a strip, without getting out of your chair or having to worry about having it in advance (thanks to the phone wallet). If you don’t have a desk job, you can just carry some in your pocket and have instant access to an energy boost at any time of day.
Concerns:
With a product this small and minty, I could see it being a problem if you just left it around your house with the potential for a small child eating them. However, they are packaged in a sealed package, which would make it near impossible for a child to open. This sealed package also makes it great for racing since most OCRs involve going through water at some point.
Overall:
I love the product and its ability to provide you with caffeine without anything else make it adaptable to fit any situation. Like the name says, Elite Ops Energy, I think there is a strong application for those in the military. I know I personally have been laying in the prone on an ambush line or pulling security in both a training environment and in combat zones having trouble staying awake. This is a product I wish I had with me while training for combat and on my deployments to Iraq. This is not surprising since the company is owned by a military veteran. Elite Ops provides just caffeine in a convenient package without a whole bunch of extra ingredients that you will have to Google search to determine their safety and use. If you want instant caffeine that is remarkably convenient with a side effect of fresh breath, this product is for you.
Author and undefeated Master's Conquer The Gauntlet athlete Doug Snyder.
5/5 Stars