Quick Review(!): Spike Shooter
Quickly, because I’m under the influence, I had a Spike Shooter this morning and I’m feeling pretty good. Not out of control good, but good enough that I’m just going to go ahead and ask you all right now to excuse any typos or grammatical errors. My fingers are a bit shaky.
As far as taste and color go, think of a slightly more carbonated Redline. It’s pretty sweet and it goes down easy, plus it’s only 8 oz. so what the hell. Make no mistake though this is no Redline. Redline is certainly a glorious, magical elixir, but it is not a toy. It’s got strange chemicals in it that make you feel all tingly and invincible.
Spike Shooter is kind of a different animal though. It’s feels like more of a normal (albeit strong as hell) energy drink while Redline is some crazy stuff for, like, athletes and superpeople. Spike is potent, but I feel really anxious right now. Usually the more engineered bodybuilder kinds of drinks give me a more subtle rush. Drinks with Yohimbine are usually kind of unique too. I’ll get a really strong shivery sensation, like having goosebumps for an hour straight or something. I also notice a big pump if I drink something with Yohimbe before a workout. Not so much with this stuff though. I forgot about the Yohimbine until I reread the can.
I guess I want to compare it to Redline because of the reputation so let me put it this way:
When I drank the Spike Shooter, I was driving and I got the urge to turn the music up really loud. Like obnoxiously loud.
When I drink Redline (which is–I’ll admit–periodically), a mischievous leprechaun suddenly appears and kidnaps my stereo then jumps around the inside of my car, taunting me with the promise of the kind of sweet relief that can only come from that fantastic note. Intense negotiations ensue until we can strike a deal, the terms of which usually involve me promising to give up at least one of my vices, and the little bastard finally relents. Also, my steering wheel turns to liquid and I have to pull over for a while so I can argue with myself over federal monetary policy, David Lynch films, and whether or not I could pull off flat-front pants.
Good times though.
With that in mind, please don’t take Spike Shoo….aww screw it. Believe the hype friends. It’s true. I just realized that I’m pretty effing cooked right now. I drank it five hours ago and I’m still cooked. In the hands of a lesser being, I could see this stuff causing trouble. If you’re an experienced traveller though, just be aware. I’m jittery as hell. I’m afraid to get up from my desk for fear that I may say something untoward and embarrass myself in front of my coworkers.
Good stuff. Be careful with it. Please.
MARGINALLY RELATED EDITORIAL NOTE: My integrity is not for sale! Not even for UFC tickets…Or rounds of golf at expensive country clubs…Or consumer electronics. Nothing. Really.
I recognize the power of The Fiend and I promise to use it for good instead of evil. We’re here to help, remember? No shilling for the man here.
That being said though, you Howling Monkey people are alright. Despite our continued skepticism over your caffeine content, we appreciate the samples–especially since you sent them after the review went up. Now just start putting the real amounts on the can and you’ll be well on your way to being good guys instead of bad guys.
We’ll consider these a gift in appreciation of the invaluable services that we provide for the good citizens of the world. It’s hard work and the Monkeys will serve us well during the long hours we spend wandering around in a caffeine induced stupor, I mean working on the site.
God, I am wired.
60 Comments
Thanks for this review as well as the site in general. Now if I can just find some of this localy I’d be happy.
Ps
Check out your local biglots store for cheap energy drinks. I got a case of Von Dutch for 6 bucks and last night I got some Jokers and Bookoos for 60 cents a can!
You can also get Spike Shooters at t-nation.com. Damn, I love this stuff!!
I concur, i took it with a thermogenic, bad idea hehe but i handled at work
I just had it for the first time at work yesterday, and half a can got me pretty pumped up.. i finished the whole thing by 930pm, and then couldn’t fall asleep ’till 6:45 am. i didn’t feel any more wired than sobe no fear or full throtle, but it lasted 3 times longer or so. overall it did its job, but i got slight amphetamine paranoia when it wore away, i guess i can’t have 300mg of caffeine in that short a period of time
The first paragraph described EXACTLY the way I feel after drinking Spike . . . it’s sooooooo good!
I like spike because it has a fair amount of caffeine in it, but I really can’t stand the taste of fake sugar. I hate diet sodas with a passion, and it’s hard to get past that with spike.
I agree. While ingesting a large amount of caffeine really is quite fun, I’d rather just drink a whole crapload of wired or nos.
Spike Shooter is all HYPE. all the warnings labels, the crazy signs they put up behind the glass door at 7-11, all that ‘hardcore’ marketing they put out, it is all just hype. after all the stories i heard, i expected to be bouncing off the walls, however, i was just fairly more alert than i was before drinking it (the whole can). it really isn’t significantly more energizing than a can of Redbull. if you are used to drinking Redbull, you will be let down.
I agree, its not necessary to have all the warnings. It is a tasty drink and it does the job of waking me up without all the sugar.
Hey just got out of the hospital after drinking 3 spike’s in 6 hours. My was beating 150 times per minute for 2 hours starting one hour after I finished the last can. I know I shouldn’s have drank that many but I could drink a dozen redbull. There are diet supplements in there that are exteremly dangerous. I basiclly overdosed on diet pills and they had to counteract with sedatives at the Hospital. Just be careful people this can and will happen to you. They told me at the hospital someone came in two days earlier who had only drank two cans and had the same symptoms. A resting heart beat of 150 is about the scariest thing that can happen to a 23 year old. I kept wondering which would be my last. And again YES I DRANK TOO MANY.
Actually the main ingredient in Spike Shooter is something called Sulbutiamine and is part of the proprietary ingredient. That’s what makes it different from Red Bull, Rockstar etc.
I love Spike. It’s basically what keeps me running especially since I have finals right now. I’ll drink around 5-6 cans in a 12-24 hr time period when I need to, and I’m pretty used to caffeine, energy drinks, etc. Spike just really gives me a rush though. I usually order 4 cases at a time from T-Nation because that’s the cheapest way to buy them.
As far as taste, I LOVE the way Spike tastes. It’s like a magical elixir.
I knew nothing about Spike until i got it at the store, i never read the warnings on the can but after drinking one can at work (i bought 2), i started shaking and could’nt speak without stuttering, my heart was going nuts and i was sweating like a fat guy in vegas, im just glad i got rid of the other can, i gave it to a friend and he was ok, maybe im just a wuss, so if you can take it right on, im sticking with my monster.
WellIm 25% into my first SPIKE. I bought this the same time I got 2 redbulls and a Rockstar. I prefer Redbulls hands down for taste. Ill buy the rockstar only because they are also larger sponcers for most of the Freestyle Motocross dudes. I gotta support my peeps yo..
well I figured Id try this SPIKE shit. havent heard anything about it. When I saw the can at 7-11 i figured what the hell, ill give it a go.
This little can about 25% into it now has me amped up. Seriously. This sh!t takes hold faster then redbull. I had a staff meeting the other day on a redbull (the larger one) and my director gave me crap about talking to fast! haha I wonder what they will say after one of these? hahah
Anyway, I think the fake sugar taste sucks! It reminds me of a strawberry drink from back int he days when I was a kid but a diet version? It has the after taste of a spoon full of Splinda. Good news is that is is small so take little sips or down it.
Ok, ill finish up this hog and see how I feel after that. I dont want to be too amped up and not be able to concentrate ya know.
later
-jes
I’m so glad I found this site. I’ve been reviewing Energy Drinks and trying new ones (you’re missing a few 
) for years, and no I can rely on someone else for info!
I can relate to the feeling you got from this, though. It was “wired wednesday” 3 years ago at the local coffee shop. It ended with light trails and wishing I could get sick.
I ordered a case of SPIKE. After drinking my first one I felt a normal energy buzz, increased focus, and a strong desire to complete projects and clean various things. Ya know I couldn’t sit still. After drinking SPIKE Shooter every morning for a week, I woke up w/ headaches, had eerie euphoria a half hour after drinking spike. after it wore off, shakes and paranoia / anxiety. Just take in moderation even the caffeine tolerant like myself can become weak when exposed to the other ingredients for a long period of time.
This is definitely strong stuff, the taste isn’t bad though appearance wise it reminds me of a mad scientist’s test tube concoction. I am highly caffeine tolerant, and this stuff really gave me a kick in the ass. I think it’s because of the concentration in a small 8.4 oz can rather than the actual amount of active ingredient. Sort of like the espresso of energy drinks.
I really like the taste of this. I only need 1/2 a can tops and I feel great. I definitely wouldn’t drink a full can my first time and would not combine with other caff products. I still don’t think I’ve had a full one in a 24 hr. period. This stuff is serious and has a lot of stims in it so don’t treat it like an ordinary energy drink.
I tried a Spike Shooter for the first time today. It definitely did more for me than the other energy drinks I’ve tried (Redbull, Rockstar, Sobe, NOS).
Cautious because of the warnings and horror stories, I drank just a little over half the can at first. That took, at most, 15 minutes. Then, I sipped the rest occasionally to finish the whole can in about 3 hours. I was a little jittery, but I was certainly able to function. I probably could have been pretty lively, but I kept it under control because I was at work. My heart rate was in an acceptable range, but I did seem to have to pee a lot
For comparison purposes, I weigh about 190 pounds, and I don’t really drink my caffeine. I never drink coffee and don’t even drink much soda. The only time I use energy drinks is when I expect to be tired. This morning when I drank the Spike Shooter, I had had about 6 hours of sleep.
I got started on energy drinks at lock-ins for the youth group at my church, and I mostly only buy them when we’re going to have one of those. However, what I have left over, I’ll drink on some mornings if I didn’t get much sleep. That was the case this morning.
I love my flat-front pants so much, it makes me hyper.