About
Cluster Bomb is an intra-workout/carbohydrate product made by Redcon1. It should be taken during your workouts as a means of delaying “onset muscle soreness”.
According to the product website, Cluster Bomb is designed for “pumps and energy”. Yet the product also allows the user to train more frequently, “without the fear of overtraining”.
The product contains just one ingredient: Cluster dextrin – also known as “highly branched cyclic dextrin”.
The brand says cluster dextrin “has very fast gastric emptying” – allowing it to “pass straight through into the bloodstream” and go directly to the muscles for stronger pumps.
DaSlaya –
This Bomb will Cluster your energy during your workouts!
—-Introduction—-
38 years old, and I lift 4 times a week. I used to resist taking any supplements intra-workout, but have since learned the benefits of taking a good Carb during my workout. Cluster Bomb was part of my REDCON1 stack I have been running, and this is review 8 of 9 from that stack. Lets see how this performed.
—-Ingredient Profile—-
Simple transparent profile here, with the only ingredient being25g of Cluster Dextrin (Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin) per 27.5g Scoop. I did measure the scoop to ensure we were getting a correct dose as per the label, and this was right on the money. Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin (HBCD) is a source of carbohydrates and is synthesized through the breakdown of starch by an enzyme that forms clusters of sugar molecules. Basically, HBCDs are absorbed and sent to the muscles quicker than your traditional carbs. A great breakdown is found here on SR at https://supplementreviews.com/ingredients/highly-branched-cyclic-dextrin
—-Taste/Mixability/Dosing—-
[u]Taste:[/u] I got the Grape flavor, and really enjoyed it. It was not sweet, not tart, and was right on the money. It was like a nice grape koolaid type flavor, and was super esay to drink during workouts. Anything sweet kills me while I workout, but that was not the case here, this was spot on! [u]Mixability:[/u] Slight foaming upon shaking it up, but it settles down pretty quickly. Like any other REDCON1 product, this does leave slight residue on the bottom once you finish the shaker, no big deal, mixed up fine. [u]Dosing:[/u] The directions call to mix up to 2 scoops for intra-workout glycogen support. I would just use one scoop per workout, and sip throughout, finishing up on my last exercise. My workouts run about an hour long, so perhaps you would need more carbs if you hit the 2-3 hour mark, but that was not the case for me.
—-Effectiveness—-
When I first started to take a carb supplement intra-workout, I always thought it was just a placebo and not necessary. So, with Cluster Bomb, I took it for 2 weeks and then stopped for 1 week to see the difference. Definitely not a placebo. During my workouts when I would take this, my energy levels would remain high, and when I would get tired or fatigued, I could almost feel this give me a boost to keep going. A few times, mostly on deadlift days, I would sit on a bench, tired, sweating, dreading the next set…..then a sip of cluster bomb, and when I started my reps I would get a kick in of energy. Really good stuff here. When I took a week off from this, and since I have run out of this, I could tell my workouts seem to drag a bit mentally. My PWO usually does fine for the workout, but not having this as an extra boost makes a big difference. Cluster Bomb really did a nice job and delivering the Carbs for that extra energy during my workouts.
—-Value—-
I picked this up from REDCON1 for $39.99 for 30 servings, coming out to $1.33 per serving. It appears you can buy this from I’ll Pump You Up.com for $29.95 coming out to about a dollar per serving. A dollar a serving is not bad in my eyes, and appears to be about right for some quality HBCD’s. Sure there is cheaper out there, but the value here in my eyes is that the product works well for me.
—-Side Effects—-
None.
—-Conclusion—-
If you are like me and are skeptical about intra-workout supplements, then you should allow Cluster Bomb to change your mind. I have had a good run of intra-workout supps since being so skeptical (IntraBlast, Super Carb, Cluster Bomb) and have been very happy with how they truly to enhance my workouts in their own ways. Cluster Bomb gave me some decent energy, better than Super Carb in fact, and I was sad to run out of this. I will definitely be picking up more of this in the future, once I get done exploring the world of carbs that are out there. I highly recommend this one!
workoutguru –
Having this cluster bomb go off will really help increase your energy and recovery.
—-Quick Summary—-
Carbs are great for giving you some extra energy and help you recover better. This is the main reason I look to carbs and to help gain a little extra weight. I don’t feel they are always something you should take but once in awhile they are nice to have and do help.
—-Introduction—-
First I want to thank Redcon1 for letting us troopers have the chance to give this product a try. I don’t usually use carb products but they are kind of nice to have once in awhile. I think carb products are great for giving you more energy and better recovery. I know that when you start consuming lots of extra carbs you have to be careful not to over do it because it can cause you go gain some unwanted fat in the stomach.
—-Ingredient Profile—-
This is made up of 25g of cluster dextrin (highly branched cyclic dextrin) One scoop size is 27.5g Also this has 100 calories in it. Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin (HBCD) is a source of carbohydrates and is synthesized through the breakdown of starch by an enzyme that forms clusters of sugar molecules. Basically, HBCDs are absorbed and sent to the muscles quicker than your traditional carbs. This Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin they use in this is something that is fairly new and a lot of athletic and bodybuilders are starting to use I found out.
—-Taste/Mixability/Dosing—-
I got the grape flavor. This I thought tasted pretty good. Kind of reminded me of a grape popsicle. It was maybe just a little on the sweet side but not to bad. For a carb product this does not mix up real well. I noticed there was a lot of little floating pieces and had to keep shaking it up each time I would drink this. Other than that it was not to bad. This can be taken with your pre workout, during your workout, or post. I used this intra workout with my aminos. I wanted to get that little bit of extra energy and more recovery. One scoop is all you need.
—-Effectiveness—-
I feel overall this product performed really well for me. This HBCD they use in this and are hyping up to be really good did in fact work really well for me and now a much more believer in this. Most of my workouts usually last around 2 hours give or take. I would normally take this intra-workout with my aminos and sip on it. On days when I would have those harder more intense workouts it can really take a lot more out of you. With this product I feel this really helped give me that extra amount of energy I really needed to help keep me going more. I felt better and more refreshed like to keep going. I know that after some of these workouts I still felt like I had a bit more in me to keep going longer if needed. I feel this helps keep your muscles feeling more fresh like and not fatigued and give out as quickly. I tend to do a lot of high reps and go semi heavy on weight and feel this gave me that nice boost of energy to help me push through and do all of my sets and reps with out having to struggle as much even after being in the gym for a long time. A couple things I did notice a bit was that with these extra carbs was my recovery seemed to be a little better and not as sore like and my DOMS seemed to be a lot less than they normally are. While I was taking this I had been on a pump product also and with the extra carbs I feel really increased the pump I got a bit more. I know on leg day some of the pumps I got was a little to much meaning painful. Also on days I would work my forearms I had a lot of trouble going very heavy because of the pumps I was getting were to much and hurt a bit. On those two area’s is where I really noticed it the most. Overall I thought this was pretty good on my stomach and caused me very little to no gut issues. For someone like me I do have to be a little more careful not to consume a lot of extra carbs with this because if I do then I start to bloat a bit more in the stomach. I do feel that I did get some bloating in my stomach which should not have happened as long as you keep the rest of your carbs intake down. So part of this was my fault for the extra bloating and could have upped my cardio a little more which could have helped some. Do I think carb products are a must have no not always but are nice to have at times. If your trying to cut and want to use a carb product I would say you have to be a lot more careful with your over all diet. I would rather use carbs more so when I am bulking so I don’t have to worry as much about any bloating I might bet since I would trying to put on some extra weight.
—-Value—-
The cheapest I could find this was on muscleandstrength.com for $24.99 and you get 30 servings. This I think is a pretty good price considering a lot of the place I am find this they want $39.99 which is way to much for me.
—-Side Effects—-
Nothing really. Maybe just a little bit of bloating I got from this.
—-Conclusion—-
For a carb product that is using something that is fairly new and not know a real lot about HCBD and is being really hyped up like it is I get a little skeptical on weather or not this will work. Well after using this I am a firm believer that this new HCBD they use does work and works really well. I feel this very much did everything I look for in a carb product. This gave me some really good energy, some decent recovery and helped increase any pumps I would get. If your someone that tends to workout for a long time and need that extra pick me up to help keep you going this is a product very much worth giving a try. Do I think carbs products are a must have no but can really help at times. For me I would rather use them more so if I am bulking rather than cutting just for the fact of the little extra bloating I got. This would for sure be a carb product I would be more than happy to use again at some point. Again I want to thank Redcon1 for making this product and letting me have the chance to give it a try.
smashley23 –
This Cluster is Bomb!
—-Quick Summary—-
Cluster Bomb is a tasty and effective carb supplement. The science on HBCD is a bit iffy, but if that’s what you want, this is a solid option.
—-Introduction—-
I’m a powerlifter and I’ve recently cut from the 84kg class down to the 72s. I decided to cycle my carbs as that makes it easier for me to keep with my deficit. When I saw Cluster Bomb was available, I had to grab it. I’ve tried a number of products from Redcon1 and they’d all be good, so I was looking forward to using it on my refeed days and it was my main carb source for my competition this past weekend.
—-Ingredient Profile—-
Pretty straightforward formula here. 1 scoop gives you 25g of highly branched cyclic dextrin and is 100 calories. HBCD is a specially processed form of dextrose intended to have low osmolality. This means it will pass through the stomach quickly and get to your muscles faster. People use HBCD over cheaper carb sources to try and avoid the bloating they may get when using a cheaper carb source and to try and get faster muscle recovery. Honestly, I think this is pretty much bro-science. There’s not really any evidence that HBCD will treat your muscles better than other carbs. It could be true, but the only “proof” we have of it is marketing. The literature I’ve read is unpersuasive.
—-Taste/Mixability/Dosing—-
I got the strawberry kiwi, and it’s pretty good, 8.5. It’s sweet without being overly sweet (I used a 22oz shaker bottle to mix 1 scoop with) and it tastes like a “strawberry-kiwi” drink normally tastes. In other words, it doesn’t taste like a real strawberry or a real kiwi. The mixability was okay, 7.5. I didn’t have much clumping, but it left a chalky texture on my tongue. I didn’t like that very much. In terms of dosing, I would use 1 scoop intra workout and one scoop post workout on my refeed days. For my meet, I had two scoops (one in each shaker bottle), one shaker I drank immediately after weigh in and one I sipped on for the next hour.
—-Effectiveness—-
I found Cluster Bomb to be effective for three different reasons. (1) Using it, I had more energy for my workouts. I typically train 1.5-2 hours, and I usually train fasted. The first hour goes pretty fast, but usually in the second hour, I can feel the fatigue setting in. When I had Cluster Bomb, I didn’t feel tired at all, so I was able to put more in the last part of my workout. My meet this past weekend was a bit rough. Squats and bench were not going my way at all, but I was able to come alive during the deadlifts, and I think the Cluster Bomb helped me keep my energy levels up in the latter part of my meet. For those of you who don’t compete, there can be an hour (or more) between events, so it’s easy to start off hot and have fatigue catch up to you through out the day. With Cluster Bomb, I was able to pull with fury! (2) I found that I recovered faster between workouts when I used Cluster Bomb. So I usually take a week off after my meet, but I went in today. Wasn’t 100% of course, but my post meet soreness was much better than it usually is. (3) I had bigger pumps and increased vascularity on days I used Cluster Bomb.
—-Value—-
Cluster Bomb typically retails for $35-38, which is a little high to me, considering there are no extra here. I found competing brands that were cheaper, and the one that I found that was over $30/tub had electrolytes added to it. It would be nice to see Cluster Bomb have electrolytes added to it (or to have the price come down a bit)
—-Side Effects—-
None
—-Conclusion—-
This is a pretty good carb supplement. If Redcon1 can fix the chalky mouth feel and add some extras to it (or bring down the price a bit), they could make the product great!
htevans –
Cluster Bombing Your Taste Buds With 100 Calories of Deliciousness
—-Quick Summary—-
Cluster Bomb is a solid fast-digesting carbohydrate supplement that is both perfect intra-workout or during any other part of the day.
—-Introduction—-
I claimed Cluster Bomb from TROOPS because 1) I’ve been wanting to try Redcon1’s line 2) After trying Nutrabio’s Supercarb, I’ve been wanting to try out competing products to compare experiences.
—-Ingredient Profile—-
9.0/10 1 scoop/serving contains 25 grams (100 calories) of Cluster Dextrin, a trademarked form of Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin. HBCD is a high molecular weight, low osmolaity carbohydrate source that is absorbed quicker than other sources of carbohydrates and is claimed to “pull nutrients” like protein through the stomach quicker. Additionally, this quick pass through the stomach equates to minimal gastrointestinal distress and bloating, which is always a plus. It is also broken down slowly in the bloodstream so it does not crash blood sugar levels. Finally, it is reported to lower cortisol levels post-workout. I’m not sure if I really buy into the whole “nutrient pulling” thing but I do prefer carbohydrate sources that are easily digested and don’t cause a lot of bloating. No one likes to be a bloated mess in the gym. Moreover, I like that the profile is simple and straightforward. 25 grams, 100 calories of a pure and high quality carbohydrate source and nothing else. Keeping it simple is the best way to approach these products. That being said, I don’t think it would have been a bad idea to include some electrolytes or something like coconut water powder for hydration.
—-Taste/Mixability/Dosing—-
8/10 I received the Strawberry Kiwi flavor and it was light but delicious. I would use a scoop pre-workout or intra-workout with about 8-12oz on most days. Occasionally I would take a scoop post-workout if I knew it would be a while before I had my next meal. Additionally, I also took this in the morning followed or preceded by a protein shake as a quick on-the-go breakfast substitute. I found it extremely versatile and equally effective in each role. The mixability was decent but I noticed that on many occasions there would be a little clumping that had trouble dissolving. This happened more times than not, and while it wasn’t a huge deal, it did make for an unpleasant experience when I would get a wet clump of power in my mouth mid-workout.
—-Effectiveness—-
9/10 I found Cluster Bomb to be amazingly effective, regardless of how I used it. When taking a scoop/serving pre-workout or intra-workout, my goal was to provide myself with energy for my workout and hold myself over until I was able to finish my workout and get a meal in. In other words, it filled the gap between lunch and dinner. No matter how fast I drank it and no matter how much water I used, I never once had gastrointestinal distress nor bloating problems. Instead, I felt energized and focused on my workout. On days that I didn’t use Cluster Bomb, I noticed clear differences in my strength and endurance and the onset of inevitable lightheartedness. Whenever I took this post-workout I noticed that I felt perfectly content and satiated for hours. Sometimes I would go another 2-3 hours before eating dinner and felt fine. Without this I know from past experiences that I would have gotten some bad hunger pangs. Similarly, when I would have this with a protein shake for an on-the-go breakfast, I felt satiated until lunch about 4 hours later. That’s really impressive for just 100 calories and 25 grams of carbs. I also never experienced bloating or gastrointestinal distress in these situations either. Despite the lack of electrolytes, I always felt hydrated when using Super Carb, however that is likely due to my high volumes of fluid intake rather than the Super Carb itself. In short, Cluster Bomb provided me with satiety, energy, and endurance in a multiple different scenarios. I felt that energy was always “clean” and never got a crash, bloating, cramping, nor gas. I really couldn’t have asked for much more in a carbohydrate supplement.
—-Value—-
7.5/10 I found this in both grape and strawberry kiwi flavors for $39.99 for 30 servings at most places but Amazon had an odd listing of $31.90 for 30 servings. I don’t think that is a regular price though. The cheapest price I could find that was a regular price was $38.99 from Tiger Fitness. At $1.29-$1.333 a serving ($38.99-$39.99), this is a little pricey compared to competitors. For comparison, Nutrabio’s Super Carb runs $59.99 for 60 servings and $32.99 for 30 servings; that is $0.99-$1.09 a serving. Plus, Nutrabio includes electrolytes for hydration. Still, Super Carb is not a terrible deal if you’re a fan of the company or the product, but if you’re on a budget and in the market for a high-quality carb supplement then perhaps it would be best to look elsewhere to help your dollar stretch further in the long run.
—-Side Effects—-
10/10 I experienced no side effects while taking Super Carb.
—-Conclusion—-
8.3/10 I got to an 8.3/10 rating by averaging the Ingredient Profile, Effectiveness, and Value sections which gave a 8.5/10. I then deducted .2 for the problems with mixability. I felt that this was fair as including the Mixability section into the average would have only resulted in a .1 reduction which I feel both understates the problem and the value of supplements that mix well. Ultimately, I really enjoyed Cluster Bomb and would definitely recommend giving it a try if you are looking for a carbohydrate supplement. However, I would caution that the powder may not completely dissolve and that cheaper deals can be had.
Sparticide –
When you can’t lift, lift.
—-Quick Summary—-
Cluster Bomb from Redcon1 is a carbohydrate supplement that uses HBCD (Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin) to supply quick energy so you can keep going and/or for recovery.
—-Introduction—-
Sometimes I just don’t have the energy to do my whole workout as planned. I used to think that this was the sign of an “off day” and would just wrap up early. Since those days I’ve learned that there is a “cure” for this feeling and that it
—-Ingredient Profile—-
30 servings of 25g of HBCD (as Cluster Dextrin). That’s it. This is a carbohydrate produced from a waxy corn starch via cyclization reaction from a branched enzyme. This results in a very fast GET (gastric emptying time), which means it can be used for energy much more quickly compared to other popular carbs like maltodextrin and dextrose. This GET also means it won’t give you that “carb bloat” and it can also [I]theoretically[/I] pull other nutrients like protein along with it. I haven’t found any studies confirming that “pulling” claim but I’ll happily link it in a future update if I come across any. As much as I enjoy the flexibility of a single ingredient product, I feel like this could have benefitted greatly from some sort of electrolyte/hydration blend.
—-Taste/Mixability/Dosing—-
I’ve only tried the Grape flavor so far; its strong enough to be convincingly grape but weak enough that I never got tired of it. I don’t plan on trying the other flavor because I enjoy Grape so much, though now that they have Unflavored that could be useful for creating more interesting combinations. The mixability is pretty good considering its a carbohydrate supplement. A shaker is definitely the easiest way but stirring has been all right for me. I tried a number of dosing schemes and landed on the following: 1 scoop pre and 1 scoop post for endurance training. 1-2 scoops intra for high intensity training, generally after my warmup sets. The number of scoops is determined by the quality of my pre workout meal and/or how I feel that day.
—-Effectiveness—-
The product works. I got the energy and lack of carb bloat that I paid for. When taken pre workout it helped me start strong and maintain my energy throughout. This is harder to gauge when I took this while already feeling good, so I tested it with a session on the rowing machine. If I go at a leisurely pace I can row for quite some time, but at an aggressive pace I generally need a break after 1500 meters. When I started off with this I was able to get an extra 1000 meters before hitting that point. As this was my first test of the product I was ecstatic to use it again. When I took this as an intra it functioned as a second wind in a bottle; on lifting days this means an extra set or two. I naturally feel a need to hydrate after my first two or three sets so I would just pound down 1 or 2 scoops of this and my muscles would feel fresh by the time I hit the next set. As a post workout this is a perfect companion to whey protein for recovery as this restores muscle glycogen without delay.
—-Value—-
MSRP on this is $39.99, though Redcon1 has discounts available ALL the time. It’s also available on Amazon for $32. HBCD is known to be a fairly expensive ingredient, though this is one of the more reasonably priced offerings. One thing I’d really like to see RC1 do is offer a larger tub size for this (as they have done for Grunt, their EAA) as this would likely allow them to offer a more competitive price per serving.
—-Side Effects—-
No adverse side effects.
—-Conclusion—-
This product makes good on its claims and it never felt like a waste. A hydration blend and a larger tub size could push this to be the best carb supplement in the game, but in the mean time its still a top competitor. If you have yet to try HBCD then grabbing this with a discount code is a great place to start.