Equip
Mixed Berry
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A grass-fed beef protein isolate and collagen blend sweetened with dates and honey—no sugar alcohols or high‑intensity sweeteners—in a short, familiar ingredient list with a dessert-like chew.
When to choose Equip Mixed Berry
Omnivores who avoid zero-calorie sweeteners and want quick, real-sugar energy with 20 grams of protein—great before a workout, on hikes, or as a dessert-leaning snack.
What's in the Equip bar?
Equip’s Prime Bar Mixed Berry builds its 20 grams of protein around a grass-fed, meat-derived blend—beef protein isolate and collagen peptides—with a small splash of bovine colostrum (that’s your milk allergen).
The Mixed Berry flavor comes from real dehydrated raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries, while dates and honey supply most of the sweetness. Cocoa butter and grass-fed beef tallow round out the texture and bring old-school, solid fats.
The macro story is balanced but bold: calories sit on the higher side, protein is upper tier for bars, and sugar is unusually high for the category—more of a quick-energy, fruit-and-honey bar than a low-sugar bite.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Sugar
- 19 g
- Calories
- 240
Protein
2015HIGHThe 20 grams of protein come from a grass-fed beef protein isolate and collagen peptide blend, plus a touch of bovine colostrum. Collagen is easy to digest but not a complete protein, and many “beef isolates” on the market are collagen-derived—so this leans collagen-forward rather than whey-like in amino-acid quality. The colostrum adds dairy (and the milk allergen) but not enough to change that profile, so pair this bar with complete proteins elsewhere if muscle building is your main goal.
Fat
99MIDNine grams of fat are driven by cocoa butter and grass-fed beef tallow—solid, stable fats that are mostly saturated with some oleic acid. They deliver a firm, chocolate-like bite and shelf stability but provide little in the way of essential omega-3/omega-6. If you prefer fats from nuts or olive oil, note that this skews toward more saturated sources.
Carbs
2120MIDMost of the 21 grams of carbs come from dates and honey, with real berry pieces riding along for flavor and color. These are recognizable, minimally fiddled-with ingredients, but they act like quick sugars—great for fast energy rather than a slow, sustained burn. The protein and fats will soften the rise somewhat, yet the overall feel is a brisk fruit-and-honey lift.
Sugar
194HIGHSugar clocks in at 19 grams—among the highest in protein bars—and it’s primarily from dates, honey, and the berry pieces. You get real-fruit flavor without artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols, but it’s still largely free sugar once blended into a bar. Ideal as pre-workout fuel or a dessert-leaning snack; not for low-sugar seekers.
Calories
240210HIGHAt 240 calories, this sits above the category average and eats like a small meal. Calories are split fairly evenly among protein, carbs, and fat, though most of the carb share is sugar. Expect decent staying power from protein and fat alongside a distinctly sweet finish.
Vitamins & Minerals
No vitamins or minerals exceed 10% DV here. A trace of vitamin D likely comes from colostrum, and modest potassium comes from dates and berries; you’ll also get berry polyphenols (like anthocyanins) that don’t show on the label. Think protein-and-energy first, micronutrients as a bonus.
Additives
The ingredient list is short and familiar: a protein blend, dates, honey, berry pieces, and simple fats. The most refined elements are the beef protein isolate and collagen peptides—enzymatically processed proteins used to boost grams and improve texture. Notably absent are sugar alcohols, high-intensity sweeteners, emulsifiers, or synthetic fibers.
Ingredient List
Cattle hides, bones, or meat
Animal skins and bones; fermentation
Date palm fruit
Honey bees collect floral nectar
Cocoa beans
Raspberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Beef
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I don't like any zero calorie sweeteners so most are nasty to me. But there's a new one I just got from equip that doesn't have any!”
Main Praise
Taste and simplicity lead the love notes. The Mixed Berry flavor gets real fruit character from actual berries, and the chew lands in that fudgy-meets-fruit-leather zone that industry write-ups praised as “dessert-inspired.
” Fans who can’t stand the aftertaste of stevia or sucralose will appreciate that sweetness comes from dates and honey, not zero-calorie sweeteners—a point Redditor slyest_fox celebrated. The ingredient list is short and recognizable, which makes the bar feel less like a chemistry project and more like a pantry snack with a protein upgrade.
You still get a serious 20 grams of protein, and the absence of sugar alcohols can be gentler on sensitive stomachs. The use of cocoa butter and beef tallow gives it a stable texture without emulsifiers, which some clean-label shoppers view as a plus.
Main Criticism
The sugar is undeniably high at 19 grams, and it behaves like quick energy rather than slow-burn fuel; low-sugar seekers will have to look elsewhere.
The protein skews collagen-forward, which means it’s not as rich in the muscle-building amino acids you’d get from whey or a quality dairy/egg blend; a few skeptics, like Reddit’s Hot_Cantaloupe_3330, argue that many “beef isolates” are essentially collagen by another name, which won’t thrill lifters chasing a high-leucine spike.
Price chatter pops up, too—Equip products have a reputation for being on the spendy side, as Still-Cable744 noted. Finally, it contains dairy via colostrum and leans on more saturated fats, which won’t match everyone’s preferences.
The Middle Ground
So where does that leave us? If you avoid sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, this bar is a breath of fresh air: real fruit flavor, real sweetness, and a short label.
If you need low sugar, it’s a mismatch; the 19 grams are a feature, not a bug, designed for fast energy. The beef protein conversation is nuanced—yes, many “beef isolates” are collagen-derived, and Equip is transparent about including collagen peptides.
That doesn’t make it a bad protein source; it just isn’t a whey-equivalent for maximizing muscle protein synthesis. Use it smartly: as pre-workout fuel, during long days on your feet, or as a sweet snack with staying power from protein and fat.
Then, if muscle-building is your top priority, pair it with a more complete protein elsewhere—no one bar needs to do everything. Expect a bar that tastes good, sits well for many, and chooses real sugar over sugar alcohols; just don’t expect filet mignon in bar form.
What's the bottom line?
Equip Prime Bar Mixed Berry is a clean, dessert-leaning protein bar that trades sugar alcohols for dates and honey, wraps it in a short ingredient list, and still delivers 20 grams of beef-derived protein. It’s built for people who want real-food sweetness, a chewy bite, and simple ingredients, even if that means a higher sugar count. Treat it like what it is: a quick-energy, fruit-and-honey bar with a collagen-leaning protein blend.
It shines before workouts and on active days; it’s less ideal for low-sugar diets or anyone seeking a whey-like amino profile. If the taste and simplicity speak to you, it’s a satisfying, clearly labeled option—just pair it with a complete protein at another meal if muscle-building is your main goal.