Rip It energy drink is made in America and is a type of carbonated energy drink that typically comes in 16 fl. oz cans. Each can contain 160mg of caffeine, 100 calories and 25g of carbohydrates.
For some of the flavors, you have the option to have it in a can, or a shot.
The difference in size is quite big, but the essential ingredients are more or less the same.
The shot is marketed as a ‘dietary supplement’, which suggests that it isn’t just an energy boost but also functions as a vitamin.
Let’s learn more about the Rip It Energy Drink in this post!
Where is Rip It Energy Drink made?
Rip It Energy is made in Florida and distributed by the National Beverage Corporation.
The National Beverage Corporation is also known for making popular drinks such as La Croix, a high-end sparkling flavored water. It also sponsors athletes such as the Olympic skier Julia Mancuso and race-car driver Joey Coulter.
Rip It is surprisingly, very popular amongst U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, and is sponsored by the US military itself. These are handed out to their troops for free and available for purchase in barracks.
Rip It Energy Drink Ingredients
The ingredients found in Rip It Energy are:
- 100 calories
- 80mg of caffeine
- 0g fat
- 75mg sodium
- 26g carbohydrates
- 26g sugars
- Vitamin C (120% of the recommended daily intake)
- Vitamin B6 (100% of the recommended daily intake)
- Vitamin B12 (170% of the recommended daily intake)
There are 2 servings per can, so double the above numbers for the total amount per can.
It also contains trace amounts of:
- Carbonated Water
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Taurine
- Citric Acid
- Natural Flavour
- Sodium Citrate
- Inositol
- Sodium Benzoate (preservative)
- Potassium Sorbate (preservative)
- Guarana Seed Extract
- Ester Gum
- Yellow 5
- Folic Acid
- Yellow 6
Moreover, these are the ingredients in the shot drink:
- 30mg Niacin
- 40mg Vitamin B6
- 400mcg Folic Acid
- 500mcg Vitamin B12
- 100mg Taurine
- 100mg Caffeine
- 20mg L-Glutamine
- 20mg d-Glucuronolactone
How much caffeine is in a Rip It?
There is an average of 160mg of caffeine in a single, 16 fl. oz can of Rip It while the shot version has 100mg of the stimulant.
The caffeine content is quite significant but also not excessive, putting it in the mid-range of caffeinated energy drinks out there.
Still, there are plenty of other energy drinks that contain more caffeine than Rip It.
Looking at the shot version, it is definitely under the daily recommended intake of caffeine at a sensible 100mg.
What this means is that you should be wary when looking to consume more than a single can of Rip It at a time. Too much in one go could lead to a caffeine overdose, and consistent use may lead to more long-term damage to your health.
According to FDA, the recommended level of caffeine intake is 400 mg per day for healthy adults.
Rip It Energy Drink Flavors
These are the flavors that come in both the can and shot versions:
- Tribute (comes in active mandarin & wild lime, orange creme, and cherry lime)
- Citrus (can version also comes in sugar-free)
- G-force (grape)
- Red-Zone (strawberry)
- Stinger Mo (tropical fruit)
In addition, these are the flavors that come in can-only drinks:
- Power (berry flavour)
- Power Sugarfree
- Lemoan’r (raspberry lemonade)
- Limewrecker (lime)
- 3 Way (berry mix)
- Atomic Pom (pomegranate)
- F-Bomb (mixed berry, has a sugar-free version as well)
- Shot Poo! Tin Power (coconut and mango)
These are the flavors of the shot-only drinks:
- Freek (blood orange)
- Code Blue (mixed berry)
Such a diverse range of flavors and tastes means that you’ll never run out of choices with Rip It.
The US Military and Rip It Energy Drink
Rip It Energy has a solid connection to the military, and in turn, the military is essential to the drink’s brand image.
If you open up any one of Rip It’s social media feeds, you’ll see the posts littered with camo uniforms and soldiers. They also draw heavily upon support from and of the military as a core aspect of the drink.
The Rip It website also has a whole page dedicated to the different ways the drink is connected to military support. They also highlight events such as Veterans Day and foundations like the American Valor Foundation and Green Beret Foundation.
What is the price of Rip It Energy Drink?
A single can of Rip It energy drink costs around $2, excluding shipping.
Rip It energy drink is marketed as ‘energy fuel at a price you can swallow’, and this is definitely true, looking at this cost. $2 puts it around the middle of the range and given that it’s the same size as something like Monster, which costs around $3 per can, it’s significantly better value for money.
Personally, given the size of the drink and the cost, this is definitely well worth your money if you’re a regular drinker of energy drinks, and want to save that extra dollar on other, more expensive brands.
Although there were many different flavours, they all still cost the same price, so that was a point in Rip It’s favor, unlike some other brands out there.
If you want to explore some other options, you can check out REIZE Energy Drink- an upcoming and newer energy drink that comes in a powder form costs only about $1, and ships directly to your door.
Where to buy Rip It energy drink?
You can buy Rip It from their website’s online store, or on Amazon.
Rip It is also available in stores like Walmart and Dollar Tree. Apparently, Dollar Tree sometimes has Rip It for sale at $1 per can, so keep an eye out if you’re in there.
One thing that I didn’t like about the buying process was that the official Rip It website only seems to sell these drinks in packs of 24. This kind of bulk buy seems great if you’re a regular consumer of Rip It, but what about newer customers just looking to give a few cans a try without committing to a larger purchase?
Putting myself in the shoes of a new, potential buyer of Rip It, the huge packs really put me off, because what will I do if I don’t like the flavour or just don’t like the drink in general?
I just think that packs of 24 are way too much for a first-time buyer, and I suspect that a subtler kind of multi-level marketing is at work here. If you don’t like the cans or don’t plan on drinking all of them, it’s up to you to sell and get rid of them in any way possible.
This way, Rip It doesn’t lose money, since you have already bought and paid for the drink directly, but you’re saddled with the resulting problems- sticking with a drink you don’t like, or trying to sell it off.
Is Rip It Energy Drink good for you?
Yes, it can help with focus and concentration to a certain extent.
However, ‘good’ and ‘healthy’ are not the same things. If you need that extra energy boost in order to get a job done or to help stay awake during a test, then go for it!
Just make sure that this doesn’t become a habit, and you feel that you need to rely on the drink to go about your day as normal.
In a study conducted by Wofford College, they found that Rip It could prolong stamina, but it did not in fact increase physical strength.
If you’re looking for something to keep you awake, this is definitely a good option!
Is Rip It Energy Drink bad for you?
If consumed in excess or unmoderated amounts, then yes, Rip It is bad for you.
One can contain about 160mg of caffeine, which means that consuming more than two cans a day will put you way over your caffeine limit. This is no different from any other energy drink– as long as you drink them within reason, you should be fine.
The side effects of the drink also vary between individuals, seeing as some may be more caffeine sensitive than others. It is not recommended that pregnant women or children drink them frequently or at all, as there might be negative side effects.
As with any caffeinated product, always consume energy drinks in moderation.
Rip It Energy Drink Review
*all opinions expressed in this review are mine*
Visuals
The outside of the can didn’t seem very different from other discount energy drink brands. It was a typical, very aggressive and ‘tough’ sort of design.
The pattern also reminded me of a camo outfit, which was fitting, since this is part of the ‘Tribute’ series, which is supposedly dedicated to American soldiers, although it doesn’t quite explain why on either the can or the website.
Overall, if I saw this in a retail store, I don’t think there would be anything on the outside that would make me choose this drink over any other, but I would definitely find the word ‘Tribute’ on the can intriguing- a tribute to what? That would definitely make me look it up and find out more about the drink.
Taste
The flavor I tried was ‘Active Mandarin and Live Wild Lime’, which is quite a mouthful to say out loud. I feel like just calling it ‘Mandarin and Lime’ would have been enough, but I guess they really wanted to stress the ‘active’ and ‘wild’ lifestyle associated with this drink.
When I opened it, the can have a really satisfying snap to it, and a small cloud of greenish carbon dioxide escaped.
It had a really strong smell which really reminded me of Mountain Dew. Even the colour was a very similar light yellow-green, so nothing too violent or hard on the eyes.
On my first sip, I was convinced that this was just basically a thicker version of Mountain Dew. It was very fizzy, so I had to drink it extremely slowly, and there was a lot of burping involved.
The taste was a very sharp, citrusy one, and had that bitter aftertaste that you usually associate with orange, lemon or lime-flavoured drinks.
I would say that the taste was definitely quite an artificial one, despite the claims of ‘natural flavoring’, but no soda to date has actually managed to make a citrus drink with no bitter aftertaste.
About halfway through the can, I stopped noticing the bitterness and the drink became more pleasant.
I have to admit, the sweetness is a bit excessive, and near the end of the can, I was just finding it a chore to finish.
Effect
The first thing I felt was a sour feeling in my stomach as the drink entered, but the more I drank, the quicker it went away.
I wouldn’t say that the effect was instantaneous, but over the course of about half an hour, I found myself getting more and more alert, shaking off the residual morning sleepiness.
The eventual sugar high was not bad, it kept me awake and focused, but the crash a couple of hours later was really not worth the general drinking experience. Time for a nap.
Overall, I think the effect was satisfying for my money’s worth- it will keep you awake when you need it, but beware of the typical crash that comes after!
Watch the Rip It Energy review below!
Final Roundup
When considering the visuals, taste, effect and price altogether, I would give Rip It a 5/10.
It looked like a pretty average energy drink, with nothing to really make it stand out except the camo pattern, which is admittedly quite different from many other energy drink brands already.
Tastewise, I think it was incredibly sweet and tasted like a rip-off of Mountain Dew. The effect was also average, making this drink all around quite standard.
I think that for its price, the Rip It energy drink is worth it if you’re buying single cans. However, the bulk buy deals are just too much.
However, I wouldn’t say that this would be the best drink for someone wanting to order it just to try it.
You might be more interested in the alternatives below if you’re looking for the best energy drink to match your preferences.
Alternatives to Rip It Energy Drink
If you’re looking for some great alternatives to Rip It, you could try:
- Rockstar
- Celsius
- XS
- Monster Import (it’s a bit different to the original Monster)
- Xyience
- Guru
- Bang
- Red Bull
- Bing
If you’re thinking of branching out into powder-based energy drinks, take a look at these:
- Gfuel
- Zipfizz
- Advocare Spark
- REIZE
Or you could also consider Mio energy water enhancer (made by Kraft) or caffeine pills if you’re looking for something easy to carry around and consume on the go.
Energy drink powders are overall cheaper, easy to make, and give you the exact same energy boost that many liquid-based energy drinks do!
REIZE (10 out of 10)
Check out REIZE for an energy powder drink that puts you in the optimal zone without any unwanted side effects like shakiness or an unpleasant crash.
REIZE ships right to your door for around $1 per drink, which is a lot cheaper than Rip It and many other energy drinks.
Give it a try today and you might just find that you prefer REIZE to Rip It!