Stride Eternal Melon

Flavor: I'd have to say that with all the hubbub about the new fun Stride flavors (Stride Mega Mystery, Stride Shift Citrus + Mint, Stride Shift Berry + Mint), this tastes the most kid-friendly to me. It's not super sweet, but compared to other melon gums out there, it lends itself much more to the watermelon flavor we're used to tasting, a mellowed-out Bubblicious, if you will. But I'm not sure it's not something exclusively kids would like, per say, and not necessarily adults, either. It's a tweener melon, the Justin Bieber of the gum world, appealing to both middle aged women and six-year-old girls. But is he...excuse me, it... enough for either?

Texture: Bieber Melon, like most Stride gums, offers a pleasant, consistent chew. The flavor lasts and lasts, and the texture never gets mushy or stiff. Unfortunately for me, as all of my Stride reviews have indicated, it gives me sores in my mouth, so this will be my last stick in the pack.

Presentation: The color of the package itself screams "lime" to me, it's about as lime green as lime can be. I suppose this works, seeing as the "Nickelodeon green" seems to be working for Stride in the Shift realm. It catches your eye, and it's simple-- once again appealing to a wide variety of audiences. It's an obnoxious enough color that kids will be begging for it, but not quite as shameful for a grown adult to pull out of her purse as, say, Bubbletape (but it's worth it, every time).

Overall: This gum is named "Eternal Melon." Is it ageless, timeless, beyond the boundaries of our concept of the space-time continuum? Much like our lauded Mr. Bieber, I think it's all right, but it's going to get old sooner or later.

Rating: ooo (three gumballs)