Bought Crack purple original formula in 2021 from suppscentral using an FDN discount code after seeing the hype it was getting from reviewers. I used the whole tub over about two years and absolutely loved it.

I'm not sure if there was 'real DMAA', since this is my only experience with a preworkout that even CLAIMS DMAA. But whatever is in here, it makes for an amazing preworkout and seems much stronger than just the usual DMHA.

I had Very Dark Berry flavour and it was quite good.

On a full serve (2 scoops), it takes about ~15 minutes to first kick in, and from there the focus, good mood, and driving energy builds progressively for another hour or so. Adrenaline is pumping and you feel powerful: you can do higher weight and more reps without getting fatigued. You don’t get much euphoric mood elevation per se. You're just dialled in and feeling positive about the workout.

The peak of the effects last from about ~40 minutes to ~2 hours after ingestion. You can still feel it floating around your system for a fair few hours after, so it may disturb sleep if you take it after 5pm.

The pump formula is obviously exceptionally good for a high-stim preworkout like this. And it delivers. Great muscle contractions and a surprisingly big pump for something with so many vasoconstricting stimulants.

Side effects are minimal and basically limited to what can be expected from a preworkout like this: e.g increased heart rate, shaky hands, maybe a bit of a crash, queasy feeling, headaches, I possibly threw up one time, and increased sweating (which might be a positive for some).

Overall, this is a top-tier preworkout which delivers in all areas. This review has been mainly based on the 2 scoop (full serve) experience. However I also used 1 scoop and 1.5 scoops on different occasions, with the effects being basically the same but just a bit attenuated. This preworkout is clearly ‘hardcore’, so start with 1 scoop to assess tolerance. I even think that some people will find 1 or 1.5 scoops to be more than enough.

It’s a shame that Dark Labs is pivoting away from DMAA stuff (though again who knows if it was in here) due to legal and manufacturing issues, and that the original Crack purple that I had is probably never coming back. I’m glad I got to try this one while it was in its prime.

TLDR: Hardcore preworkout specialising in strong adrenergic energy that makes you feel powerful while lifting, with intense focus and positive mood. If you can find the original formula anywhere I would say get some now because it’s going to be all gone very soon if it isn’t already.

I bought Excelsior (06/24) and used it sporadically both as a study aid and a preworkout up until early 2024.

As a nootropic, I used 0.5-1 scoop. At this dose, Excelsior is hands-down the best tunnel-vision focus and sit-in-one-place type energy I’ve got from a supplement. In the same league as prescription stimulants like ritalin, vyvanse, etc. No significant side effects at this dose.

As a preworkout, I mostly used 1.5 scoops (2 on special occasions). The caffeine energy (I estimate ~350-400mg on full 2 scoops) kicks in ~10-15 minutes after taking. The initial physical caffeine energy is quite strong and increases your heart rate. ~30 minutes in you get a wave of next-level focus, euphoria, and mental motivation. This builds for another half hour then plateaus until after your workout. The euphoria and energetic drive is insane. I was locked in, lifting like a machine, feeling like I was flying, and music sounded great. The focus, mental energy and head high is far more intense than anything you'd get from a DMHA/DMAA based pre.

Strong thermogenic effect and long-lasting appetite suppression.

Minimal extra pumps. But no one cares in this context. You get pumped because of how hard you're working, not because of any citrulline or whatever that may or may not actually be in the tub (as someone else here said, this label is a work of fiction).

There’s a crash after ~3-4 hours, reminiscent of a ritalin comedown but probably worse. When you’re up, the feeling is quite ‘clean’; the comedown is pretty ‘dirty’ and uncomfortable: you don’t feel good. I think I threw up once. Sometimes I would fall asleep and wake up in a pool of sweat; other times I managed to use the focus to do some work. DO NOT TAKE IN LATE AFTERNOON OR EVENING: it will keep you awake at night. The actual effects last about 3 hours, but it's still in your system for at least 8+.

These effects make sense given that it almost definitely contains some illicit research chemical not on label. People on Reddit rumour that earlier batches had 3-FMA and that later ones (around my 06/24) had Ethylphenidate. But nothing is proven for certain so take that with a grain of salt, and I've no idea what might be in the even newer batches. Not sure where to buy retail now, though I've seen tubs on ebay going for >$200.

TLDR: 0.5-1 scoops is the best non-prescription nootropic I've used for focus. 1.5-2 scoops is a strong energy preworkout with next-level illicit focus and euphoria.

Best pre-workout I've had. Will surely go down in the annals of pre-workout history with the likes of Craze and Dark Energy as one of the greats. However, we do not know what is in there so please be responsible and check with your doctor if you plan to use.