As a backpacker with a wicked sweet tooth, I am interested in what folks take for LW candy on the trail. What are some of your favorites?

Hmmmm...I gotta admit that for me when it comes to candy I prefer chocolate based ones :-) But not much better than a peppermint patty or chocolate enrobed coconut treats!!

Okay, this is going to sound crazy, but I am a fan of the nicotine lozenges available at a pharmacy near you. They're pricy and addictive (literally), but nothing gives quite the boost of the 4 mg ones after about 20 miles on the trail.

I also carry the chocolate-covered espresso beans on short forays. As my old man used to say, "Suck on them. They'll last longer." Then chew the bean. They tend to melt in the hot sun, but they also provide the sugar/ chocolate/ caffeine lift that you might be craving.

An alternative (not candy) is simple coffee beans. You chew 5 or 6 of them up a bit, load them under your upper lip, and them feed a few crumbs to your front teeth every once in a while. This is not as gross as it sounds. ;-)

Stargazer

Red Vines- calorically dense, light, cheap

Jolly Ranchers- long lasting

Dried Cranberries- not exactly candy, but definitely achieve the same end

Lindt 90% cocoa bar. Tastes great. 150 calories per ounce...

Most candy is sugar based. Not very calorie dense. For example, 2oz of plain old Life Savers or gum drops has about 210 calories. About 1.1oz of olive oil has about the same calories. Even chocolate candy has greater density (my preferred snack)at about 1.6oz. Generally, starches have more calories than sugar, but not always. Often they are listed as the same...

I'm not much of a candy eater (my sweet tooth tends towards baked goods), but occasionally I'll get a craving. When that happens, I reach for Rittersport milk chocolate with hazelnuts and peanut butter m&ms. If I'm feeling nostalgic, maybe Mounds, Almond Joy, or Mallo-Cups. If I'm feeling REALLY nostalgic, Chik-O-Stiks or BitO' Honeys. And sometimes, if I'm very, very lucky, it's sugaring season and I'm in a locale where I can buy straight up maple sugar in the shape of pretty little leaves. |=)

Red Vines have about 140 cal. per serving (4-vines) or 40g. which comes out to 1.4oz., that's pretty good.

36g carbs per serving
16g sugar per serving

I think they're called Dove Rasberry Meltaways. These individualy foil wrapped chocolates are realy good if you just savor them. I take one per day to enjoy during that contemplative time just before hitting the sack. They provide a lot of enjoyment for the weight (my version of the old british mint).

I also like those 2 for $1 salted nut rolls that used to be at every gas station but now seem to be getting rare. I scored two boxes of 24 at a gas station yesterday. When I paid I noticed the attendent's eyes narrowing like he was looking at some sort of crack head.

With the salted nut rolls sometimes they sit around and get really stale. I've been burned a few times when the inner nougat/fluff/whatever has been like styrofoam. But I agree and can't believe I forgot those!

Red Vines do well because they are wheat based ;-)

Mmmm...lets not forget Payday bars!!!!

Some great suggestions!

I love Dots, Gumdrops and Jujyfruits but they are heavy.

The small York Peppermint Patties are a good idea Sarah.

Circus peanuts are light and I can only eat a few at a time so they will last!

Peanut M&Ms are dynamite + you get some protein but are not super light.

If I can discipline myself to not eat by the hanful, Red Hots might be good choice.

Tic Tacs are light but not very satisfying

Thomas you are hard-core!

Red vines (and Black Vines) are tasty but a bit heavy in the quantity I’d like eat!

Jolly Ranchers, Yes!

It is not possible for me to eat just one of any Dove product!

One trip I was trying to get out of the house and Kirk kept screwing around, I was getting annoyed. What I didn't know is he was trying to tuck in a big bag of See's chocolates in my pack pocket (I was going on a weekend trip without him, it was Valentines Day that weekend). I got to camp and was unloading and this 1/2 lb or so of candy falls out.

Ignorance was bliss ;-) It was sooooooo good tasting! :-D I avoid See's normally because I will hoover it down. I have no will power whatsoever.

haha... I like to add bite sized snickers to my gorp bag, in the summer they will melt a bit however, then you get a cluster o' gorp and snickers :)

Bite sized 'Snicks' are trail food gold, my only issue with them was futzing with the metallic wrapper bits.

Yummy!

I have a couple things I like... jelly beans (because I am diabetic I have big drops in blood sugar so can't really have these at home) and the other is chocolate - dark chocolate (Lindt Blackcurrant or Lindt Chili Pepper or Lindt Intense Orange or Lindt Blueberry - all are amazing). I'm taking off to camp on Monday for 6 nights (working trip) and I have the Lindt Blackcurrant and the Intense Orange packed already - lol.

Big fan of jelly bellies and skittles