It's probably about 70/30 haters/believers in general on supplement use. I'm someone that doesn't feel like I NEED supplements, I have enough willpower to grind through about anything physically challenging on a hunting trip, I have and I will. That being said, why not use a supplement if it makes that grind a little easier to deal with? They won't give you wings but they sure as hell will up your energy level for a rough pack out or getting back to camp after a 20 mile death hike trying to find brown. Even just to the point that during a hard miserable day something to flavor your water gives you a little relief, and I realize that can be done with anything from Chrystal Light to Gatorade but I like to flavor with something that has some kick too. I would try out several, you'll hear they're all the same and for the most part that's true. In that case I purchase based on company philosophy, I like companies that give back 2% or more to conservation so I tend to gravitate toward them.
As far as bars go, I like to pack all kinds of stuff, protein and calories are important but so are natural ingredients, in my opinion. I carry a diverse variety of stuff. From jerky off the shelf, lot of preservatives, to jerky I've made. From break the bank Perfect Bars to Justin's nut butter. Off Grid trail mix is something really satisfying but so is Great Value trail mix.
In the end, experiment a lot in the offseason, you'll figure it out.
