I tested these in the fucking wild. I took Kiva’s Camino Sours Tropical Burst “Energy” Gummies at the Santa Monica beach with my family, which meant I had to stay present, functional, and at least moderately responsible. Beach days sound chill until you remember they involve parking, heat, bags, snacks, sunscreen, sand, and people needing things from you every three minutes.Each Camino Sour has 10mg THC + 5mg THCV, or a 2:1 THC to THCV ratio, which is the part that made me interested. I’d consider this a total of 15mg THC-family cannabinoids.THC on its own can go a lot of directions. Fun, sleepy, silly, anxious, snacky, suddenly very stuck in a chair. THCV is the cannabinoid people usually talk about as more energizing, clear-headed, and appetite-suppressing. After testing these, I’m pretty convinced it is doing something here alongside the sativa-forward terpene mix of pinene, caryophyllene, limonene, and valencene.The effect felt bright and locked in instead of couch-locked. I had energy I desperately needed, but I didn’t feel chaotic, cracked out, or weird. The Tropical Burst flavor also fit the setting perfectly: hot beach day, ocean air, sour tropical gummy, trying not to lose anyone’s shoes in the sand.Kiva truly does know how to develop an accurate formula. “Energy” could have easily been a gimmick. But this felt like one of the rare edibles that actually matched the label.Photo Credit: Maha HaqMy Sweet and Sour VerdictKiva’s Camino Sours Tropical Burst gummies are one of the better functional edibles I’ve tried because they deliver energy without making the high feel like I’m tweaking.The 10mg THC + 5mg THCV dose gave me a bright, active, present high that worked shockingly well for a family beach day. I felt more awake, more engaged, and more able to enjoy being outside without feeling too high to function.Buy it if: you want a THC gummy that feels energetic, focused, and actually useful for doing things.Skip it if: you want a sleepy edible, couch-lock, or a beginner-friendly microdose gummy.Best part: the THCV really seems to keep the high energy in check.Biggest drawback: it can sneak up around the 45-minute mark, so don’t take another one too soon.(opens in a new window)KivaCamino Sours Tropical Burst 'Energy' – 10mg THC : 5mg THCv Gummies(opens in a new window)$35 at KivaBuy Now(opens in a new window)Photo Credit: Maha HaqHow I Tested Camino Sours Tropical Burst GummiesI took this gummy at Santa Monica beach with my family, which is basically a stress test for an “Energy” edible.A beach day sounds relaxing until you remember the logistics: parking, heat, bags, snacks, sunscreen, sand, a kid needing something every three minutes, and the general requirement to remain on track. I did not want to be melted or too lit, I wanted to feel lifted and awake without losing my ability to be useful.I took one gummy, which is 10mg THC + 5mg THCV, and paid attention to whether it actually helped with energy or just made me feel high, but outside. Those are not the same thing. I waited around three hours to take another one, and I paired it with some chai, which usually has some caffeine in it. I wanted to see if a little caffeine would work synergistically with THC and THCV during the second round.The other thing I (accidentally) tested was heat. I left these in the car when we got home, and it has been hot as fuck in LA. My car definitely got over 100 degrees, so I fully expected to come back to one tragic tropical gummy puddle. They did not melt. That’s because Camino Sours are made with a vegan-based pectin, instead of gelatin, which helps them hold up better in heat. I still would not recommend storing edibles in a hot car because that is objectively chaotic, but I respect a gummy that survived my negligence.What It’s Like to Actually Eat Tropical Burst ENergy SoursThe Tropical Burst flavor was exactly what I wanted on a hot summer beach day.It tastes bright, fruity, sweet, and sour like a good tropical lemonade. Camino Sours are usually good at making fruit flavors feel specific instead of generic, and this one hits that sweet spot where it tastes fun but not childish. Once you bite into it, you immediately get that juicy, tart, and refreshing mouthfeel. The vibes were sure fitting for the ocean air and a hot car full of beach stuff.Besides the sour sugar coating making this flavorful, the terpenes do a lot more work than expected here. The citrusy terps like limonene and valencene wakes up the tropical fruit lemonade flavor. The sugar level also feels controlled. Each gummy has 2g of sugar and 10 calories, so it tastes like a real sour gummy without feeling like a sugary candy bomb.Like the other Camino Sours, these have that little indent in the gummy that makes it easier to cut one in half. I appreciate that here because a full gummy is 10mg THC + 5mg THCV, or 15mg total cannabinoids, which is not nothing. Half would give you 5mg THC + 2.5mg THCV, which is a much smarter starting point if you’re curious about the “Energy” effect but don’t want to commit to the full ride.Next time I take these, I wanna go out dancing or go to a show. I might even try these out before a workout. Photo Credit: Maha HaqEffects & OnsetThis is one of the few “energy” edibles where I actually felt the energy.The effect came on bright and functional. I still felt the 10mg THC, but the high didn’t pull me away from what was happening around me. I stayed present overall, which matters when you’re at the beach with family. But I did forget at one point that I took a gummy until it kicked in at around 45 minutes.I felt noticeably more energized, but not in a jittery caffeine way, even when I had some chai with the second-round gummy three hours later. It didn’t feel like coffee anxiety or a forced stimulant push. It felt more like the gummy helped me stay checked in: I could talk, help, pay attention, make group decisions, and enjoy the beach without feeling like the high was dragging me somewhere else.That is where the sativa-forward terpene blend and THCV piece felt real to me. I still got the THC high, but it stayed in a more functional lane than a regular 10mg edible. I felt less lazy, less sleepy, and more motivated to actually participate in the day instead of just being high at the beach. There’s nothing wrong with just getting high with an ocean view, but with all I needed to do during the beach day, I needed that damn energy. It also fit well with the caffeine pairing. Important to note, there’s no caffeine in this gummy. But because the lift felt more cannabinoid-driven than stimulant-driven, I could see pairing it with lower-caffeine drinks like tea when you want energy without another coffee. The chai worked well for me because it added a little extra push without turning the whole thing into an espresso situation. Once again, the onset had that Camino edible fake-out. Around the 45-minute mark, it can sneak up on you, so don’t let edible impatience convince you that you need more before the first gummy has fully settled in.Wait… What Is THCV Doing Here?THCV is the cannabinoid that makes this formula make sense.A regular 10mg THC gummy can be fun, but it can also make you sleepy, snacky, or foggy. THCV is usually associated with a more alert, clear-headed, energizing effect than standard THC, which is exactly what I want from something called Energy. It’s also got that anti-munchie thing going on, so I wasn’t fiending for all the expensive ass ocean-front restaurant food.That does not mean this gummy feels like caffeine. It does not. There’s no caffeine in it, and it didn’t feel like a stimulant. It felt more like the THCV helped keep the THC from drifting into lazy edible territory.The dose is also worth paying attention to. Yes, the main THC dose is 10mg, but there’s also 5mg THCV, so you’re getting 15mg total THC-family cannabinoids in one gummy. I wouldn’t describe it like a straight 15mg THC edible, because THCV has a different vibe, but this is still not some baby microdose just because it feels functional.Camino Sours Tropical Burst Gummies at a GlanceDose per gummy: 10mg THC + 5mg THCVTerpenes: alpha-pinene, beta-caryophyllene, limonene, and valencene (sativa-forward blend)Dietary notes: 2g sugar and 10 calories, vegan, gluten-freeFlavor: Tropical Burst, tropical fruit lemonade vibesBest for:Daytime activities like beach days, hiking, working out, errands, chores Nighttime activities like dinners, dancing, concerts, partying, night outStaying present while still feeling liftedLow-caffeine pairings like teaPeople who want energy without a caffeine gummyExperienced edible users who like functional highsPros:Actually feels energeticThe indent makes it easier to cut in half into a 5mg THC + 2.5mg THCV increment Held up surprisingly well in LA car heat (didn’t melt)Flavorful and juicy burst in your mouth Balanced sweet and sour tasteComes from one of the most trusted edible brandsCons:10mg THC with 5mg THCV may be too much for beginnersNot the gummy for sleep or couch-lockOnset is not as fast, and can sneak up around 45 minutesOnly 10 gummies per tinNot a whole-plant, full-spectrum formula (no CBD in this)Photo Credit: Maha Haq(opens in a new window)KivaCamino Sours Tropical Burst 'Energy' – 10mg THC : 5mg THCv Gummies(opens in a new window)$35 at KivaBuy Now(opens in a new window)Things to Consider Before Buying Camino SoursThe first thing to know is that Energy does not mean “light.”Each gummy has 10mg THC + 5mg THCV, which is 15mg total THC-family cannabinoids in one piece. That does not feel the same as taking a straight 15mg THC gummy, because THCV has its own personality, but it also means this is not some tiny functional microdose. If you’re new to edibles, I would not start with a full gummy.The indent in the gummy helps, though. Like other Camino Sours, Tropical Burst has a little center groove that makes it easier to cut one in half. Half would give you 5mg THC + 2.5mg THCV, which is a much smarter starting point if you want to test the “Energy” effect without committing to the full 10mg THC experience.This is also not a sleep gummy, pain gummy, or couch-lock edible. It’s more of an active edible for moments where you want THC involved but still need to remain a person. Beach days, errands, creative work, cleaning, long hikes, social plans, parties, the club, or anything where you want a litty lift without becoming useless.Just give it time. These can sneak up around the 45-minute mark, so don’t let edible impatience convince you that you need more before the first gummy has fully arrived. I’d also think about what you pair it with. There’s no caffeine in the gummy, which I like, but it played well with chai for me. I could see this working with iced tea, green tea, or another lower-caffeine drink when coffee feels like too much but you still need help taking on the day (or night).Pricing and AvailabilityAlways check availability with cannabis and hemp products.Depending on where you live, you may be looking at the hemp-derived version online or a state-compliant cannabis version in a dispensary. The good news is that Kiva is good at keeping the Camino experience consistent, but the exact version you can buy depends on your market.Kiva ships hemp-derived Camino Sours to: Alabama, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.State-licensed cannabis Camino Sours are available in: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma.Kiva’s hemp shop lists the full-size Tropical Burst tin at $35 for 10 gummies, which breaks down to $3.50 per gummy or $3.50 per 10mg THC dose. That is not cheap, but Camino gummies are not really bargain edibles. You’re paying for consistency, flavor, precise dosing, and an effect profile that actually does what it says.The Sour Bottom LineKiva’s Camino Tropical Burst “Energy” gummies actually understood the assignment.I took one at the beach with my family, where I had to stay present, helpful, and somewhat responsible, and it delivered the exact kind of high I wanted for that scenario. I still felt the 10mg THC, but the 5mg THCV kept the experience brighter, more active, and more functional than a regular 10mg edible. Basically, I was able to do shit.The flavor fits the whole vibe too. Tropical Burst tastes bright, sour, and beach-day appropriate without getting too sweet, and the pectin gummy even survived my hot-car mistake without melting into one tragic blob.This is not the gummy I’d take to sleep or disappear into the couch. It’s the gummy I’d take when I want to be out, feel lifted, stay checked in, and maybe pair it with a little tea instead of another coffee.If you already know how you handle 10mg THC and want an edible that feels more energetic than lazy, Camino Sours Tropical Burst is one of the better functional gummies out there. Just start with half if you’re unsure, and don’t let the 45-minute edible fake-out talk you into doing too much.(opens in a new window)KivaCamino Sours Tropical Burst 'Energy' – 10mg THC : 5mg THCv Gummies(opens in a new window)$35 at KivaBuy Now(opens in a new window)The post Are Kiva’s Camino Sours Energy THC + THCV Gummies the Perfect Beach Day Edible? appeared first on VICE.