Since the launch of MusclePharm’s first protein bar, we have been nothing but impressed with Combat Crunch. The supplement gave us a combination of texture and taste that we hadn’t come across before, with a list of flavors that just keeps on growing. It is because of that increase in options and great taste that we have continued to keep up with reviews of Combat Crunch. Here today following on from our last flavor review of Chocolate Brownie and the sweet White Chocolate Raspberry, we have the other two options available in most places, Cookies ‘N’ Cream and Cinnamon Twist.
The crunchiest Combat Crunch
We’re going to start the review off with the one we actually thought we’d like a little more, Cookies ‘N’ Cream. We were most excited to try Cookies ‘N’ Cream Combat Crunch purely based on promotional images of the bar as well as other experiences we’ve had with classic cookies recipes. When you first bite into the bar you’ll be greeted with that always reliable crunch, thanks to the crisps that line the outer chocolate layer. Once you get through that you’re then on to the thin milky chocolate line which adds a bit of lightness to that initial chocolate crunch. Lastly it is the center, usually the thickest part of the bar although this time things are a little different.
Instead of getting stuck with a rather doughy center to chew through, Cookies ‘N’ Cream Combat Crunch packs a field of cookie bits. If you happen to strike gold hitting a handful in one bite, the bar immediately becomes a lot more comfortable to eat. It is still thick and doughy, but overall less dense than the other flavors. The cookie bits don’t really add too much to the experience of the high protein treat, however they do give it a bit of extra texture. The cookie bits are almost like larger versions of the outer layer’s crisps, making Cookies ‘N’ Cream easily the most crunchy one of the Combat Crunches all while delivering a solid chocolate milk like taste.
Sweet sweet Cinnamon Twist
Now we have what is almost our new favorite Combat Crunch with Cinnamon Twist. It is worth mentioning that we were never big fans of cinnamon flavored protein bars, or even powders for that matter. With that being said just as PES Select Snickerdoodle quickly changed that for protein powder for us, Combat Crunch Cinnamon Twist has done it for protein bars. Much like White Chocolate Raspberry, this one is a whole lot sweeter than the others. The cinnamon hits you the instant you bite down with the classic crunch being equally as good as it is in the others.
Once you get through the first two layers of the bar, before you come close to the center, you’ll already be 100% certain that what you’ve got is cinnamon flavored. The taste isn’t thick, it’s quite light, and somewhat milky just as the things are in White Chocolate Raspberry. The real cinnamon hit comes in the middle where Cinnamon Twist Combat Crunch brings in that doughy consistency packed full of flavor. The center actually ends up adding a twist to the overall taste taking it from a sweet dose of cinnamon, into a less sweet more strong cinnamon dough. Fortunately the sweet side of Cinnamon Twist remains throughout, turning it into much more of a treat than you’d expect.
Combat Crunch legacy lives on
While we didn’t exactly expect Cinnamon Twist to come out as one of our favorites, and Cookies ‘N’ Cream to be as light as it is, we are once again impressed. MusclePharm seems to have a good formula in place and just continue to add traditional or even uncommon tastes to the mix, resulting in exciting new experiences every time. We can honestly say of all the six we’ve tried, the Athlete’s Company has yet to fail. The next two flavors are of course the GNC pair, Chocolate Cake and Birthday Cake, both of which we expect will only further strengthen the Combat Crunch reputation.
