About Jon Klipstein
Profile last reviewed and updated: June 1, 2026 · Maintained by the Die Tryin Co. editorial team
Founder & Formulator, Die Tryin Co.
U.S. Army Combat Veteran | 13B Field Artillery | Two Afghanistan Deployments | 10+ Years in the Supplement Industry
10+ Years Building Supplements for the People Who Train Hardest
Jon Klipstein has been formulating dietary supplements since 2015 — first under UXO Supplements, then evolving the company into what is now Die Tryin Co. Across a decade in the industry, the philosophy hasn't changed: real doses, real ingredients, third-party tested, built for the people who actually train.
The Founder's Story
Jon Klipstein founded Die Tryin Co. with one mission: bring military values and mindset to the world of supplements.
Jon served in the United States Army as a 13B Cannon Crewmember in Field Artillery — combat arms, working the front lines on M777 howitzers across two deployments to Afghanistan. The discipline, the precision, the brotherhood, the standard of "ALWAYS FORWARD" wasn't a slogan. It was the job. He left the Army in 2013 as an E6 promotable.
After service, Jon found solace in gym life — the discipline, the consistency, the relentless commitment to showing up. The same grit that defined his time in uniform translated directly to the iron, the pavement, and the pursuit of becoming better every single day.
What he didn't see in the supplement industry? That same standard.
Too many brands selling hype over substance. Too many flashy labels hiding under-dosed formulas. Too many marketing promises that fall apart the second you actually train.
So in 2015 he founded UXO Supplements with $10,000 and a mission — the brand he wished existed during his service. One that doesn't oversell, doesn't underdose, and doesn't treat its customers like marks. UXO evolved into Die Tryin Co., but the standard never changed. Every formula is built around one question:
Would I take this before training?
If the answer isn't yes, it doesn't make the cut.
Why Combat Veterans Build Better Supplements
As a combat soldier living with PTSD and anxiety, Jon was prescribed countless medications to ease the internal demons. The gym worked better than any of them. That experience drives Die Tryin Co.'s mission today — helping others find their solace in fitness while ensuring the supplements supporting that work are clean, transparent, and effective. Every product is third-party tested for microbials, heavy metals, and banned substances, ensuring it's safe for military, first responders, and drug-tested athletes alike.
How Every Formula Is Built
Process beats credentials. Every product in the line is built around the same four-step rule:
- Start with the research. Effective doses come from peer-reviewed sources — ISSN Position Stands, ACSM consensus documents, Examine.com's published research summaries. If the dose isn't supported in the literature, it doesn't anchor the formula.
- Use research-backed ingredients only. Patented, dose-disclosed ingredients with published evidence. The line uses VasoDrive-AP, CognatiQ Coffee Fruit Extract, AstraGin, zumXR Extended Release Caffeine, PeakATP, ElevATP, Mitoburn, GlucoVantage, KSM-66 Ashwagandha, Aquamin S, and Alfalbn Rauwolscine — all dose-disclosed on every label.
- Dose at clinical levels. 5-9g L-citrulline (above clinical threshold). 3.2g beta-alanine (clinical floor). 2.5g betaine anhydrous (often skipped by competitors — included by us). 3-3.5g L-tyrosine. Real numbers, no proprietary blends.
- Third-party test every batch. Microbials, heavy metals, and banned substances — verified before any product ships.
What gets rejected: proprietary blends, "novel" creatine forms (HCl, ethyl ester, buffered — all marketing over science), BCAAs (outdated when total protein is sufficient), fairy-dust dosing, and stim stacks pushing 500mg+ caffeine with multiple secondary stimulants.
Editorial & Scientific Review
Supplement content makes health-related claims. That's a category Google flags as YMYL — Your Money or Your Life — and it demands stricter editorial standards than typical blog content.
To meet that standard, Die Tryin Co. content with supplement, dose, or health-claim material is reviewed for scientific accuracy by Onur Oncer, a collaborator on the brand's science-review, SEO, and content work. Onur is the founder and formulator of Shroombiosis (a functional-mushroom supplement line), holds a BS in Physiology from the University of Arizona (Phi Beta Kappa Society), completed four years of medical school coursework in the DPM program at NYCPM, has 1,000+ clinical shadowing hours, and is a peer-reviewed published researcher with four papers across clinical nutrition (Podiatric Medical Review) and molecular spectroscopy (Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy).
Jon and Onur served together in U.S. Army Field Artillery — same unit, same MOS (13B Cannon Crewmember). That history is the foundation of the editorial trust. The collaboration on the brand came years later.
Our Flagship, Our Heritage
Project M777 — our max-stim pre-workout — is named for the M777 howitzer Jon crewed in Field Artillery. The same lightweight, high-impact, mission-critical performance the M777 delivered downrange is the same standard every formula is held to.
What Jon Believes
- Discipline beats motivation
- Consistency beats intensity
- Basics beat hype
- Train. Recover. Eat properly. Repeat.
Supplements assist with improving performance, but they will never replace motivation, consistency, and determination. They're tools, not crutches. The job is yours. We just make sure you have the right gear.
What This Page Doesn't Claim
Jon is a combat veteran and a 10+ year supplement formulator. He is not a registered dietitian, a licensed physician, or a PhD scientist. Health and supplement claims on this site are not medical advice. Consult your physician before starting any supplementation program, especially if you have a medical condition, take prescription medications, or are pregnant or nursing. The FDA has not evaluated statements regarding dietary supplements on this site; products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Industry Experience
- 2015–Present: Founder & Formulator, UXO Supplements / Die Tryin Co. — 10+ years across pre-workouts (max-stim, daily driver, endurance, stim-free), protein, creatine, EAAs, glutamine, intra-workout fuel, hydration, multivitamin, greens, omega-3, testosterone support, and fat-loss formulas.
- Specialization: Multi-ingredient pre-workout and supplement formulation, ingredient transparency, clinical-dose-only labeling, military-grade supplement standards.
- Ingredient depth: Patented ingredients regularly formulated with — VasoDrive-AP, CognatiQ, AstraGin, zumXR, PeakATP, ElevATP, Mitoburn, GlucoVantage, KSM-66, Aquamin S, Alfalbn Rauwolscine.
- Military Service: U.S. Army Field Artillery (13B Cannon Crewmember), two deployments to Afghanistan, left service in 2013 as E6 promotable.
- Quality standards: Third-party testing for microbials, heavy metals, and banned substances on every formula. cGMP-certified manufacturing.
- Mission focus: Veteran mental health awareness, post-military entrepreneurship, supporting Mission 22.
- Community work: Organizer of the 100-mile Memorial Day ruck challenge and annual Ruck24 fundraiser for veteran suicide prevention.
Featured In
National and regional coverage of Jon's mission and the brand:
- Stars and Stripes — "He lost five military teammates in a week to suicide. Now this veteran is trying to prevent more" (May 2021). Coverage of Jon's veteran suicide-prevention work via the Ruck24 fundraiser.
- We Are The Mighty — "This Army vet started a supplement company dedicated to education" (October 2020). Profile on Jon's brand-building approach centered on consumer education.
- Idaho Statesman — "Veteran Boise resident plans 100-mile ruck for Memorial Day to raise awareness for veteran suicide" (May 2021). Local coverage of the Memorial Day ruck.
- PricePlow — Product review and industry coverage of the original SEND IT pre-workout. Third-party industry validation of formulation choices.
Read Jon's Work
Jon writes regularly on supplement science, training philosophy, and ingredient transparency at the Die Tryin Co. Knowledge Blog, including The Complete Guide to Pre-Workout Supplements.
Connect With Jon
- LinkedIn: Jon Klipstein
- Instagram: @jon_klipstein
- YouTube: @jonklipstein
- TikTok: @jon_klipstein
- Facebook: Jon Klipstein
More From Die Tryin Co.
- About The Brand
- Meet The Science Reviewer (Onur Oncer)
- Watch The Founder's Story
- Read The Knowledge Blog
- Shop Supplements
- Take The Quiz
ALWAYS FORWARD.