Trident Vitality Balance

Be sure to read to the end of this one to find out how you can enter to win some free gum!

Flavor: This is a nice, mellow citrus.  While it has a bit of a tang, there's no real power behind the flavor, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.  I've never really been able to pick out a "pomegranate" flavor in anything other than a straight-up pomegranate, but the tangerine comes through really nicely here.

Texture: This is softer than a standard pellet in terms of initial crunch, and it remains soft throughout the chew.  (We've seen this in other Trident Vitality varieties.)  It's not terrible, though, and some chewers might prefer it.

Presentation: We've discussed the Vitality package design before-- it looks nice but lacks real purpose.  I still find the "box" format annoying and would prefer the standard sleeve.

Overall:  According to the Nutrition Information, one piece of this gum contains 10% of your daily Vitamin C.  That's nothing to sneeze at, especially if you're a gum-addict like me.  I could easily chew through half a pack in an afternoon, and there's half my RDV right there.  It's a nice gum, but I can't get past the softness.  I do have to give Trident credit for staying true to the formula with each new addition to the Vitality line (unlike other brands... I'm lookin' at YOU, Wrigley's 5). 

Rating: oooo (four gumballs)

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Trident Vitality Zen

Flavor: I was delightfully surprised when I bit into my first Trident Vitality Zen pellet to taste a coconut-mint-like flavor. Although I can see where the vanilla comes from (coconut and vanilla are close cousins in flavor, let's be honest), I feel it falls more under the coconut umbrella, but not in an overwhelming way as coconut flavors often are presented. It's a mellow coconut rounded out by a "smooth mint" as they skillfully call it, and it lasts a decent amount of time, twenty minutes or so. It's not a marathon chew, but it's a nice refreshing treat after a meal. I have to say I can't seem to detect the "green tea" that's advertised on the pack, and think it's just another one of those healthy-sounding gimmicks they tack onto the names of gums to make them more marketable.

Texture: As with the other Vitality flavors, it's on the softer side, but doesn't disintegrate or become unpleasantly smooshy after a long chew.

Presentation: The Vitality packs are simple and elegant, and this one follows suit. I like the choice of lavender for the font-- it complements the cream in the vanilla leaves and the silver background.

Overall: It's not too bad. I can't say that I'm on the path to achieving Nirvana with each piece of Vitality Zen that I chew, but I can say it enlightened my taste buds a little.

Rating: oooo (four gumballs)

Rev7 Spearmint

This review is sponsored by our friends at Rev7!

Flavor: This is a classic spearmint flavor, pretty much spot-on what you'd expect.  The initial crunch of candy coating gives you a pleasant rush of minty goodness, and it settles down to a nice, breath-freshening cool.  I've chewed this gum for an hour or more, and the flavor, while it slightly wanes, never diminishes entirely.  

Texture: This is where it gets a little iffy.  Rev7 is a different gum than anything out there today.  It's touted as "removable gum," and I have to say that I've never had to scrape any gum remnants off my lips.  I haven't had any experience with carpets, sofas or flooring, so smear into surfaces at your own risk.  It's also degradable -- the little asterisk on the back of the package explains, "*Our laboratory tests show that Rev7 gum removes easily from a range of surfaces and disintegrates into a fine powder within 6 months using mild agitation in water."  Now, I'm not about to sit here and agitate my used wad in water for 6 months, but I have no reason to believe this isn't true.  This could be really big in terms of the environment.  If this catches on, can you imagine a world with no gum splats on sidewalks, or annoying episodes of pulling gross gum out of the treads of your sneakers?  The caveat here is that all of these awesome benefits come at the expense of the texture.  It's a little weird.  NOT bad, just weird.  The non-stickiness of it makes it a little more waxy than other gums, and it doesn't hold its shape as well.  For example: I tend to fiddle with my gum in my mouth, and form it into a sphere with my teeth and tongue.  That's hard to do with Rev7, because it doesn't really stick to itself, if I'm making any sense.  Anyway, the first few times I chewed this gum I was a little taken aback, but I very quickly got used to it.  Now, when I chew other gum, the texture of THAT seems weird.  I've shared this gum with my co-workers and they all agree: The more you chew it, the more you love it.

Presentation: Less than stellar graphics on your standard pellet pack.  Nothing to write home about here, but Rev7 isn't about image.

Overall: A friend of Gum Alert wrote us a few months back letting us in on this little-known new gum.  As Gum Girls, you know we always have our eyes on the prize, always looking for that next Big Thing in gum.  This could be it, guys.  I'm impressed... really impressed.  When I was corresponding with my friend at the Rev7 company, I warned him that our reviews are always honest and truthful, and that we've actually contacted companies who have sent us samples to ask if they really wanted us to review the gum -- it was that bad.  He responded with, "I know you'll like it.  Everyone does."  And he's right.  Everyone likes it.  I think you will, too.  I toyed with giving this gum only four gumballs because of the strangeness of the texture, but really, that is a small, small issue for a product with such potential.  Bravo, Rev7.

Rating: ooooo (five gumballs)

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for a special giveaway from Gum Alert -- We've got lots of Rev7 and we want to share it with YOU! 

Flavor: Of all the UP2U flavors I've tried so far, this is by far the best. In fact, I would buy this one again. Most importantly, since it's two minty flavors, you don't run into the minty-tastes-a-little-fruity and fruity-tastes-a-little-minty problems you face with the other flavor combinations. The two mints they've concocted are very complementary, as well. Daylight Mint is cool and refreshing, one of those no-frills cold mints that do the job right. Mintnight Mint (oh, Mentos, you're so punny), has a nice bite to it, a hint of peppery sweetness. Both are long-lasting.

Texture: Also well done. On the soft side, but balanced and maintains a good bite for a long while.

Presentation: The package is fairly simple and doesn't go for any big gimmicks that distract from the product. Even the coloring suggests the flavor differences in each gum-- the cooler flavor a starker navy blue, the more complex flavor teal. I think it's interesting that they showcase pictures of the gum itself (which is two-toned, a nice thematic touch) and don't clutter it up with leaves and ice and all the weird things minty gums usually showcase.

Overall: Success! Mentos, you've done it. This combination truly exudes what you were going for all along-- the option to have two different quality gums for the price of one.

Rating: ooooo (five gumballs)

Extra Winterfresh

Flavor: This is a cool, refreshing chew, but doesn't proclaim to overwhelm you with any extreme elements.  It won't clear your sinuses, and if you're looking for something to kill particularly heinous garlic bread breath, you're better off with a Dentyne Artic Chill pellet.  However, if you are looking for a nice mouth refresh in the middle of the day, this'll do it.

Texture: The firmness of it is nice, it's not too soft and not too hard, somewhere in the middle, leaning towards more firm.  What I don't like about it is that it's really sticky.  It sticks to my lips when I try to blow a little bubble, and it sticks to my teeth when I crack it.  

Packaging: Marvel at its beauty.  Gaze upon its splendor.  I happened upon this Plen-T-Pak on the shelves of my local Family Dollar.  I was taken aback, since it's been a long time since I've seen a Plen-T-Pak available.  I have to assume this gum is many years old (2008 maybe?) but it tastes okay, there's no expiration date on it, and the pack is almost gone and I haven't gotten sick and died, so I assume it's okay.  I thought that maybe I had discovered one of the last vestiges of a discontinued flavor, but a Google search revealed that Extra Winterfresh is, indeed, still a thing. 

Overall: I was really surprised to see that Winterfresh is still readily available, because we've never reviewed it and I thought we pretty much ran through all the Extras.  If I didn't come across this in Family Dollar, Winterfresh would most likely have remained unreviewed until the end of time.  While it's nothing to write home about, it's good to know that it's a decent option if your old standby isn't available on your checkout line.

Rating: ooo (three gumballs)

Trident Splashing Fruit

Flavor: Imagine for a moment that you've peeled a juicy, fresh tangerine right out of the fridge, and are about to take your first bite. What do you anticipate? A burst of flavor, tangy and full, overwhelming and refreshing, right? Now pop that first piece of Splashing Fruit into your mouth. Oh... it's like... peach? It's sort of... melony? I guess? The packaging here suggests this gum would mirror the experience of that bursting citrus flavor, as portrayed in the pictures of three very strong citrus wedges on the front of the package: grapefruit, lime, and orange. I'd say it's risky to claim to represent those flavors in any gum, since they're so strong and distinct. But here, it's downright wrong. I don't detect any lime at all, maybe a hint of grapefruit (maybe) somewhere in the there, and I suppose a sort of dull, tic-tac-like orange. Mostly, though, it's a very subtle melon flavor that lasts a fair amount of time but at no point wows the tastebuds.

Texture: For the most part, the texture here is standard for Trident, a good, consistent chew. It's a little soft for a short while after chewing, but forms back up into a good bite pretty quickly.

Presentation: Bold! Black background and bright aforementioned fruits misleads the chewer and leave you feeling disappointed in your purchase.

Overall: This gum might have had a fighting chance if it were marketed appropriately, but as it stands it just doesn't cut it. I'd be surprised if this one sticks around, and it's a shame, since it's pretty decent melon flavor overall.

Rating: ooo (three gumballs)

Juicy Fruit Juicy Riddle

Flavor: Another "mystery" offering from Juicy Fruit, but I don't think that they blatantly ripped a recently discontinued gum flavor with this one, like Juicy Secret did.  I get mainly citrus here, with a distinctly "Orange Tic Tac" undertone.  There's also some passionfruit in there, but it's not overpowering or overwhelming.  It should be noted that the flavor, while good, fades really fast into a generic "artificial sweetener" taste.

Texture: Could be better.  It's a little too tough for my tastes, but those with an affinity for a firm chew will enjoy it.  It's difficult to spread on the tongue, but once it's on there, it blows decent bubbles.  The firmness contribues to an extra-loud crack, as well.

Presentation:  Not much more to say here that hasn't been said about Juicy Secret.  Standard Juicy Fruit logo with some purty rainbowy effect for the border.  I'm a sucker for blues/pinks/purples, so I'm a fan.

Overall:  It's an okay gum.  Certainly not one that'll be in my constant rotation, but I'll admit I chewed through at least one pack, and had to seek it out to re-buy it to review.  Worth a try if you're the type that like figuring out riddles.  I just think that the "mystery" ship has sailed... there's no more excitement about it when you're releasing a new mystery flavor every 6 months.  It's been done.

Rating: ooo (three gumballs)