# I BOUGHT EVERY ENERGY GEL TO FIND THE BEST ONE! (Perfect To Fuel Marathons & Long Runs!) **Channel:** Ben Parkes **Source:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDVYXO8FQKk **Transcript page:** https://www.withtranscript.ai/video/xDVYXO8FQKk ## Chapters - 0:00 — Why Fueling Long Runs Matters - 1:41 — Top Gel Brands and First Impressions - 10:08 — More Brands, Caffeine, and Carrying Tips - 20:49 — Natural Options and Ultra Fueling - 31:44 — Final Gels and Top Five Rankings ## Transcript **[0:00] Speaker A:** If you're training for a half marathon or marathon, you need to be fueling your longer runs as well as your race day, of course. The most common and convenient way to do this is with energy gels. And the good news is, there's hundreds out there to choose from. But where on earth do you begin that monstrous search? There's so many different flavors, different textures, different carb quantities, and price points, as well. Caffeinated gels, electrolyte gels, it can be completely overwhelming. Well, today I'm going to go through the most popular ones out there from the biggest brands in the world, and also some small ones, as well. I'm going to see how all their stats stack up against each other, plus showing what they actually look like. I'll give my opinion on each. And of course, with gels and anything nutrition, it really is quite subjective. **[0:46] Speaker A:** Everyone will be slightly different, but my goal for today's video is to give you lots of different choices you can experiment with and find the best option for you. Plus, I'll be dropping in loads of tips and tricks throughout the video to help you with your fueling and your nutrition and your races and training. Right, guys, just before we get stuck in the video chatting about all of these gels, of course, I bought everything here 100% with my own money. So, you got a completely honest, unsponsored, ungifted, and everything review, as we will always continue to do here on the channel. If you like these type of videos and want to help out the channel, that would be amazing. Just like this video, leave us a comment down below about your favorite gels are, and potentially share it with a friend, as well. And please check out my website. **[1:24] Speaker A:** We've got amazing technical tees, our awesome new running socks, our two-in-one shorts, perfect for carrying all of these gels with you when you're out on your run. You can use code YouTube10 for 10% off your order. It helps keep the lights on and allows us to keep bringing these videos to you. Thank you so much for all the support you guys give us. **[1:41] Speaker A:** Right, let's start out with probably the most famous gel in the world, and that is from Morton. So, Morton kind of burst on the scene around about 2017, all around Kipchoge trying to break the two-hour marathon. It's really quite nice flavor. Well, it doesn't really taste of much. But as Sarah will show you now, it's this sort of jelly-like substance called hydrogel, which I think is really easy to get down. You can kind of chew on it a bit. Maurten work with some of the biggest athletes in the world, Kilian Jornet, Alex Yee, Lucy Charles-Barclay. It just really works well for me. I really don't get sick of the flavor because it's just not that strong. The main downside of this one, obviously, it's on the expensive side. You've only got one flavor, but it is in form of sport. They also do have a caffeinated version as well with 100 mg of caffeine. **[2:27] Speaker A:** And they've got the gel 160, which has 40 g of carbs. For me and my training, I can only really give Maurten an all-out 10. But, it's not the gel I use the most now. So, we'll have a chat about that later on in the video. Right, moving on. Let's have a chat about Science in Sport. So, Science in Sport, one of the real old-school gel companies, been around for years and years, since about 1992. So many different flavors of this one. And when I started to take my running really seriously, SiS was my go-to brand. So, this is their orange flavor. I've had this so many times over the years. Have a look what it looks like on the plate. A lot runnier compared to the hydrogel from Maurten, but still very easy to get down. Let's squish that around a little bit. You can get an idea of what that looks like. **[3:14] Speaker A:** Really good cuz you can get this in pretty much every supermarket around. You certainly can in the UK. Trusted by the masses, a really good first recommendation. So many different flavors as well. They do make caffeinated versions. They've got an electrolyte version. And they also have this, which is the beta fuel version, which is just really quite potent. Double the amount of carbs and calories in this one. So, let's have a quick taste of this. This is strawberry and lime. Yeah, it's just a little bit thicker, a little bit harder to get down. Let's have a look what this is like on the other side of the plate. So, a bit more of a white substance there. It looks fairly similar, but just a little bit more viscosity, basically. The lime flavor, really quite nice. The strawberry and lime, that's one I'm definitely going to be using a little bit in the future. **[4:00] Speaker A:** And I can really only give it a nine out of 10 for this one cuz I don't use it anymore, but I really like the availability. It's a pretty good price point as well. So, one of the most common questions that we get asked is how many gels should you have in your training and during your race day as well. Well, most gel packets will have usually anywhere between 20 and 30 g of carbs per gel. And I really recommend for some most people they should be aiming around about 45 to 60 g of carbohydrates per hour. Now, professional athletes will be trying to get more than that in, but this is something you can train over time. You can train your gut to have to absorb more and fuel your runs better. Right, third on the list. I'm now realizing I'm going to be full of these gels very soon. **[4:40] Speaker A:** I'm going to have an immense run when I go out this afternoon. But this is a gel from a company called Enervit. Really popular in sort of continental Europe. Don't see it as too much in the UK, but those of you guys have asked me to get this one in. They're an Italian brand, been around since the '70s they've been making sports nutrition. The main gel sponsor at Valencia Marathon as well, probably one of my absolute favorite races out there. They make a few different gel products. Anyway, let's get this one down. And this has got the anti-litter pull anti-litter anti-litter pull tab, which I really love. I I just think it's so much better to have that on there and you're not going to drop that little tab when you're out and about. This is their standard one. They've also got their pro range with up to 40 g of carbs in as well. **[5:23] Speaker A:** Really nice neutral flavor. It's not too strong. I really quite like orange flavored things anyway. Yeah, let's have a look at the texture of this one on the plate. Yeah, really quite runny as you can see there. They have six different flavors. So, anyway, the orange has got the good score from me. In terms of taste and texture, yes, it's definitely a little bit on the stronger side compared to some, but not too overwhelming. Not a big amount of carbs in this one, but the packet is quite small. It's also a little bit on the cheaper side as well. So, I'm going to give this one an eight out of 10. Next up on the list, we've got TORQ, a British brand about 25 years old now. A real fan favorite. I don't think I'm going to like this one. I've been using this in my training, but not this flavor, rhubarb and custard. **[6:04] Speaker A:** A lot of bad childhood school memories of having rhubarb crumbles. But yeah, known for their interesting flavors based on sort of classic British desserts. So, they do a caffeinated one as well. They are quite hard to get open. I found this when I was out testing these. They're small and compact. They do technically have this little thing to keep the tab attached there. Let's see what this tastes like. **[6:29] Speaker A:** I like the custard, but I don't like the rhubarb. Oh, dear. I'm looking I'll try the apple crumble in a minute. 28 g of carbs in this one. And I'll say, as long as you like the as long as you like the flavors, you're going to be all good. Let's give the apple crumble Well, I go There you go. **[6:46] Speaker B:** Always falls off with these ones. Yeah, that's not too bad. Oh, love an apple crumble. You're going to have to like the flavors. They're a little bit quirky, but if you do, these are going to be really quite nice to get down. But just a bit let down by the packaging just really isn't that great. So, I'm going to give this a seven. Next up on the list is another British brand, Pure Sports, started by two rugby players around about 2018. But they first produced the CBD balm. I'm sure you've seen me use that a few times here on the channel. They've taken that sort of run club seen by Storm. And yeah, this is their first gel. I think they've got two different flavors. Yeah, this isn't easiest one to get in, which is probably why the and the the pull tabs come off there, which is always quite frustrating. **[7:29] Speaker B:** 30 g of carbs in these ones. Let's see what it tastes like. Fairly standard, uneventful, but quite nice flavor. Pretty actually on the strong side there as it's kind of settling in. Let's see what this looks like on a plate. So, uh yeah, not too viscousy. This will flow. It will flow quite nicely down the plate like I'm sort of glazing glazing a plate. Yeah, actually not too bad. Good amount of carbs, bit of a middling price point, not too exciting. So, yeah, I'm going to give that an eight. Um really quite nice, good quality packaging as well. It's just a shame these pull tabs, they just drive me up the wall. You see, after a race has gone through or something, the head rows and everything littered with these little things because they're quite hard to pick up. So, a few little tips, if you are having some GI issues when you're out on your run, ideally take some water when you are having your gel. **[8:22] Speaker B:** Take a gel over the course of a few minutes. Don't feel like you have to get it all down in one. Have a look at the carb quantities. Some gels have a so many carbs in them, twice as much. So, you might well be having more carbohydrates than you think. So, just double-check the packaging. And if you do keep having some issues, then try a different brand. Experiment with different textures, different fuel types, glucose, fructose, or even some natural options out there as well. Right, next up, Kendal Mint Company. Kendal famously a village or town in the Lake District, a beautiful part of the UK. But, yeah, anyway, let me know down in the comments. Do you tear these gels off with your hands or you get them in your mouth and you rip them open? I tend to put them in my mouth all the time, but they're a lot easier to open with your hands. **[9:03] Speaker B:** But, we'll do this one with mouth. So, yeah, quite a good price point with the Kendal ones. And loads of you guys and girls seem to love this one. It's inspired by a very famous cake here in the UK called Kendal Mint Cake. Right, this is mint, just standard mint, caffeine and energy gel. Mhm. No. No. No. Tastes like toothpaste. But, you know what? If you're at the back of a race and you're not getting much down and you're really looking for something that's completely different, that could be a real winner for you. So, I don't want to knock that. I'm just not a big mint flavored person. But, let's have a look at the Let's have a look at the texture. Does it roll down? It rolls down the plate. Yeah, it's just It's got a very strong minty flavor. But, if you're the kind of person you love your chewing gum, you love your mint, that could well work really quite nicely for you. **[9:58] Speaker B:** 27 g of carbs, so really good amount there. So, I'm going to give that an eight out of 10. It's actually quite a good product at a really good price point. As I say, mint that's just a personal thing for me. It's not something I'll be using anymore. **[10:08] Speaker B:** Anyway, let's have see what Sarah thinks. I'm going to grab her little camera. And now, Sarah's going to give this one a taste test. **[10:17] Speaker B:** Sarah says Oh. Come on. Oh, that is absolutely I don't know how anyone can get that The texture's okay. It's just the taste. It all work. You've just got to like mint. You've got to You've got to like your mint. So, if you like mint, then definitely give some Kendal Mint Cake a go. Next up, a company called Huma, which was founded by a US veteran in Tennessee, the southern states of America, in 2012. A gel that I've really quite liked using over the years in some longer events because it's very natural. A lot of natural things going in here. The standard things they're using in Huma gels things like fruit purees, brown rice syrup, and chia seeds. That's where the energy is coming from. So, let's give it this one a go. Apples and cinnamon. I really love apples and cinnamon. I really should start using my mouth a little bit more. **[11:11] Speaker B:** There we go. Let's see what this looks like on the plate, and then I'll have a good taste. And yeah, no say, it's just you feel like you're just having Well, it is a lot more natural. It's doesn't have all those sort of chemically flavors that some of the other gels can have. **[11:26] Speaker A:** That's why these are so popular in very long distance events. It's going to be quite hard to get down if you're giving it absolute balls to the wall in a marathon or a half marathon. It's just not going to go down quite as easily, but over the course of a longer event, that's really going to be quite nice. And they also do this plus version which has double the amount of electrolytes, more sodium in it. This is lemon and lime flavor. Another good one for me. Oh, I'm not sure about that one. No, I think I'll be **[11:54] Speaker B:** sticking to the apple and let's see what that one looks like. It's just It's a quite a bit thicker. It's just It's just You've just got to know what flavors you like, basically. Good good for a nice hot day if you want to get some electrolytes. I love these type of gels. I think they've got a really good place in the market. If you are struggling with your gels, that's going to be a good option to try some of these more natural options. I'm going to give this a nine out of 10. Next up on the list a company called Naak. Any ultra runners been anywhere near UTMB will know all about this brand. They've been the main headline sponsor of all the UTMB races over the last few years. Really they've sort of taken the by storm. Canadian brand founded by two triathletes turned ultra runners. **[12:34] Speaker B:** Definitely more trail runner targeted with this one. Courtney, maybe the most famous female ultra runner in the world has just signed with them. And unfortunately on our list here in the UK, the second most expensive gels here. They've got two different types that we've been testing out. This one first which is their boost gel and then an ultra gel which is just got double the amount of calories. They've both got very similar amounts of carbohydrates in. Anyway, let's give their regular boost gel a go. Good to see they have that even though that hasn't really worked out. Let's see what this looks like on the plate here. So yeah, it's sort of a jelly-like substance. A bit like the Morton or like a hydrogel type substance. It's got a texture of rice pudding. It's got these little bits and they feel like little bits of rice. **[13:20] Speaker B:** But that is actually really quite pleasant. It's not strong at all. I like having that texture. Anyway, let's have a look at this one. Chocolate flavor. Oh, very different. So, wildly different products here. Oh, we're mixing them together to make one big nak cake here. Yeah, I've got no chance with that. That's uh **[13:43] Speaker A:** Absolutely lovely to something that's really not going to work for me. I've got so much PTSD of trying to have this stuff at UTMB. And that just tastes like some of the nak bars that we've had over the years. So, that That's a solid 10 for me. That tastes really quite nice. But, that on the flip side is really not working. That can have a four or a five, really. But, yeah, interesting brand. If you are spending some time on the trails and you are going to be doing some UTMB races, get stocked up on some of this stuff because you can get access to it when you're out on the course and you might need to have it a bit of a pinch. So, you're going to need to know that it's going to work for you. Now, some people ask us all about caffeine gels. **[14:20] Speaker A:** How often can you have these? And you definitely don't want all of your gels for a training run or your race day to be caffeinated. But, a lot of people like to have a caffeinated gel with about 1 hour to go during their marathon. It can really help to increase that focus just when it's starting to get tough at the back of the marathon and just give you a real boost to get you over the line. There's different quantities in different gels, anything ranging from around 20 mg up to round about a 150 mg. So, make sure you check the label. And of course, with everything at Nutrition Base, practice with these in training and make sure they're going to work for you. Right, next up, another British brand, a small company based in Yorkshire, OTE, sponsors of British Triathlon. I'm pretty sure the Brownlee brothers used to use this stuff, but they have actually I think I've they've started their own nutrition company. **[15:08] Speaker A:** I haven't been able to get any of their stuff in, but I will in the future. Got two different gels from them today, their standard 20 g of carbs and then like this super potent 40 g version, their super gel. All in form sport, made in the UK. I'd say three different types of gels. This is their regular one. They also have the super one and the super plus, which is double carbs and caffeine. See, this is really runny. Really, really runny. A little bit like High 5 if you've had the High 5 before. All over the plate there. Not far off a water. What's that like? Yeah, again, very mild orange flavor there. If you're doing like something where you've got a shorter race and you're really going out threshold efforts, that is going to slip down really quite easily. So, let's have a look what the super one like is going to mix in all together, really. **[15:56] Speaker A:** But, yeah, just those berries there creating a big OG mega gel mess. Anyway, let's see what it tastes like. Yeah, it's a it's a little bit thicker, but again, not an overpowering flavor. It's not going to be as easy to get down as that. It's just a little bit thicker. But, yeah, you've got to test some things like that out in your training. 40 g of carbs is a hell of a lot to take in, but if your stomach can absorb that, you're going to be running really well at the back end of a race. Interesting brand, really quite like it. Easy flavors to get down. I'm going to give them a 9 out of 10. All right, next up, let's have a chat about Precision, which has been my go-to nutrition brand for quite a long time. Really good quality premium packaging. Started around about 2011 by Andy Blow, triathlete and sports scientist. **[16:40] Speaker A:** Guy that is just so dedicated to making the best nutrition products out there. They just kind of really sponsor really interesting people. They really pick who they work with, which what I really quite like as well. Informed Sport, they do this massive pack here, which is really good for those long distance races or runs. It's three gels worth that you're taking out with this one. So, you can just sort of whack the top off, get some down, and put it back on. And as I say, it's my go-to gel. Right, let's get this to I've tasted this so many times. For me, it I can only really describe it tastes like a peach yogurt. Quite a low-key, not too overpowering peachy yogurt. It's just a perfect texture. It just goes down quite nicely. It's weird when it comes out of the packet like that cuz you think it's going to be all creamy, but it's not at all. **[17:24] Speaker A:** They don't do an electrolyte version in the gel form, but you can get an electrolyte drink, which is what I tend to have before my races providing out that carbon electrolyte drink mix. And they do have a caffeinated version as well. And I've just felt really good when I have these in my races and things. I just like how compact it is. So, yeah, it's going to be hard for anything to top this for me at the moment. I can only really give them an 11 out of 10. Love the ethos behind the company, who they sponsor. They just get into all the right sort of places. Next up, we have a brand from Spain called 226ers. 226ers. They're a really up-and-coming brand. We got this from Xmarx that have started stocking this. We do see this quite a lot when we're training out in Spain. **[18:04] Speaker A:** They sponsor things like the Mallorca 312, a cycle race I've done a few times. They make a few different types of gels. I've actually bought their pretty potent gel to test out here. But they have got a regular isotonic gel, but unfortunately I didn't get that one in. So, anyway, let's have a taste test what this one is like. This is the orange one. A little bit on the expensive side by the time it gets to the UK, but they have got 11 different flavors. So, you're going to be able to find something that works for you. Really quite a thick gel here. Let's see what this looks like on the plate. It's a quite different from everything I've seen before. Sort of a paste. That is really not going to move down. So, that's not going to be for everybody. But you can sort of get some idea. **[18:47] Speaker A:** Really thick. It's maybe a little bit grainy. This is definitely the kind of thing you're going to want to take with some liquids as well. Let's have a little taste of this one. Strawberry flavor, another big favorite of mine. This is their electrolyte version as well. Good for those salty sweaters. Let's see what that looks like. Oh, that is really That's I think that's even thicker. Like you You uh You could uh put a picture up on the wall with that. Really quite thick. So, as I say, you're going to want to combine this with some drinks. You're going to struggle to get that down. I really think, yeah, this would be a good cycling product. But, you're going to have water with you all the time. If I was in a marathon race, I'm going to really struggle to get that kind of thing down. **[19:29] Speaker A:** But, it tastes really nice. Good flavor. I don't think I'm going to be using this in any of my training. But, as I say, when I get back to Mallorca 312, maybe it's something we could try cuz you you usually see this out on the course. And that's always the top tip. If the race is giving nutrition out on the course and you think you might be needing to call on it as you go around, make sure you practice with it in training, which is why we're coming to the Lucozade gel up next. But, yeah, interesting product. Leave that a 7 out of 10. Next up, for any London Marathon runners, you may well be interested. They usually give out Lucozade on the course. It's the UK version of Gatorade, basically. This is a really, really hard gel to get in. So, if you are going to take this around London, you're going to have to use your hands to get in this one. **[20:09] Speaker A:** But, yeah, really quite cheap. £1.60 for a gel here. And it's just like the most standard gel. Just my standard flavor. If you like a bit of Lucozade sport in your life, this tastes exactly the same. Let's see what it looks like down there. Yeah. Very sticky, this one. Really quite sticky. Texture's nice. Flavor's nice, as long as you like orange things. And yeah, just one flavor that they do with this one. Probably not the kind of thing many people are using in their training. It's just the type of thing you want to practice. If you are running London, then if you go out there, you're going to grab these as you go around, you're going to know what it's going to be like. But, yeah, sort of 6 out of 10. Not really doing much for me. And it's incredibly sticky, as well. So, just something, as I say, just for those London runners, really. **[20:49] Speaker A:** So, how should you carry your gels on your training runs and when you're going out there on race day? Well, our all new 2-in-1 shorts are fantastic for that sort of thing. They've got loads of pockets on the back and on the side for stuffing loads of gels in and carry them safely and securely around your run or your race. You could also look to get a waistband, which will obviously go around your waist and you can stuff some gels in there. A lot of people nowadays like to carry a pack. Traditionally, we'd see these out on the trails, but so many people are using these for now their long runs and also race day experiences. They look great, you've got everything on you, and it really helps with that confidence that you're not going to run out of anything. Next on the list, a company called Cadence, founded in LA, the beautiful LA, in 2024. **[21:31] Speaker A:** So, really quite a recent company. Really known more for their electrolyte like products that we tested in our influencer video last year. Now, they've started making these gels as well. Core 24. So, it's like the key of their business, the key message is water is not enough. And they currently just make one type of gel. Just a light citrusy, orangey, lemony, lime flavor. Very easy to get down. Unfortunately, quite expensive by the time it gets here to the UK, about 265 a go. It's quite nice. It's really quite nice, that one. So, look at on the plate. Kind of jellyish as well. And I'm guessing there's got to be a lot of electrolytes in there, isn't there? If that's their whole whole thing. Yes, 200 mg of sodium. So, that's pretty punchy. That's pretty punchy. Going to be good option for those warmer days out there. **[22:21] Speaker A:** If you're going to be doing some like longer races in the summer, then that could be a really good option. So, I'm going to give that an eight out of 10. Next up, we have another one of the OGs. I'm getting even more hyper than normal with the amount of sugar and everything we're having here. This is Gu, and they do their rock chain gel and their standard energy gel. California based. So many flavors. 15 different flavors of the standard Gu gel. Birthday cake has always been a bit of a favorite amongst us around the house. Very small packets, really easy to carry. They also do a liquidy gel. We'll put that up on the screen now. I didn't get that in this test. We tested it last time. This is a lot thinner, because as you're about to see, this is some very thick gel. **[23:01] Speaker A:** Right, let's put this out on the plate first. I think you'll be quite surprised just how sort of thick and gloopy this stuff is. Again, you feel like that could uh that is not going to move. So, very thick. This is without doubt going to be the thickest gel on the list. And then with a Rocktane version, they're all slightly different numbers. You need to look at the packet, but basically they've got more sodium, more BCAAs, branched-chain amino acids, just help reduce that fatigue. So, lots of ultra runners do quite like to use these as part of their training. Again, very thick, very very sticky. This is going to be out out of the packet. And uh **[23:38] Speaker B:** let's spread that around a little bit. Really really quite thick there. But, yeah, really quite nice. Again, a real good old-school gel. Been around for years. They just know their product and they do it really well. It's not going to be for everybody. That's why we want to do these sort of things on the plate so you can see what stuff looks like. But, yeah, really popular in the ultra scene. Sarah has used this a lot in her training for her ultras because again, with so many different flavors, you're not going to get stuck with that flavor fatigue, which can happen with so many people when they're racing for 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 24 hours, 36 hours. You just want something different every time you're reaching in your bag to get a gel. So, yeah, really good quality product. I'll give that 9 out of 10. **[24:16] Speaker B:** Right, next up Sarah has just handed me her go-to gel for her marathon when she's running on the road, which is a company called High5. And I think this is the cheapest gel on the list as well. Fantastic value you get from this UK company started by two British triathletes in 1994. As I say, exceptional value. You can buy these big bumper packs on Amazon as well, and they're even cheaper. They make a few different gels, but what I've got today is pretty much their standard one. But, they've got really good packaging at the top here, so you're not going to have the tabs fall off the top. Anyway, let's taste the orange. So easy to get down. Just tastes like having some orange squash, orange diluting juice, or orange cordial, sort of thing. Very, very runny. If you're running at the back of a race and you're trying to get something down, this will slide down really quite nicely. **[25:04] Speaker B:** Do they use real fruit juice in their gels? Yes, maybe a slight sort of chemically flavor to them, but really not too bad. I think the value they offer, so many people either go Science in Sport, or they go High 5s when they get into their running. Anyway, really good product, really like it. It's going to be a 9 out of 10 for me. So, where should you buy your gels? Well, of course, there's loads of different websites. Xmarx is what we use here in the UK, where you can buy individual gels, rather than having to commit to a whole packet. That's what I've done for this video, buy loads of single servings of gels, so I can test lots of different options out, and I can find the best options for me. The Feed is also a pretty good option in America, but also running outdoor stores, at race expos, potentially, but don't get anything at the expo that you haven't tried with your own training. **[25:52] Speaker B:** If you are coming to the London Marathon Expo, then come and say hello to us. We will be there all four days, and we'll have all of our gear, if you want to check that out. It's really a lovely time of year catching up with all the runners coming to London from all around the world. You can also look in some bigger supermarkets. They regularly sell a lot of the main brands. Next up, we have this gel here, simply called Carbs, which are a company based out of Colorado. This is a very potent gel. This is their like super gel, 50 g of carbs. Is that the I think that's the most on this list. And Carbs, as a company, good at delivering very cheap gels, but really focusing on good quality product out there. I couldn't actually get their regular gel here in the UK, it was just sold out everywhere. **[26:34] Speaker B:** I really would like to get it, but this is their caffeinated gel. As I 50 g of carbohydrates, and they also make an electrolyte one, with 450 g of sodium in it. That is absolutely crazy. So, you're going to want to again, test these things out in your training. Yeah, again, a pretty neutral flavor that's not going to annoy many people. Very easy to get down. These packets are absolutely huge. 200 calories per serving as well. But really, probably the best carb to cost ratio on this list that we've done. If you're buying in the states, that's $2. But it goes up to around about £2 by the time it gets here in the UK. So, fantastic value. Yeah, I'm really loving what this company is doing. I love their branding as well. So, for me, as I said, for this product, I'm not going to be using it cuz I don't really want to use too many caffeine things in my training, so probably an 8 out of 10. **[27:24] Speaker B:** But I will try and get their regular product in as soon as I can. Right, moving on to UCAN. I think this used to be called Generation UCAN. I used to listen to a podcast years and years ago called MTA Marathon Training Academy, and they always seemed to be sponsored by Generation UCAN, and that's how I first heard about this product. This is right about 2014-2015. But yeah, and UCAN now, as I guess they've been rebranded, started after the founder's child had a metabolic disorder where they couldn't process glycogen. And that's why UCAN was formed to help manufacture the specific form of carbohydrate called LivSteady. So, it's been designed to not spike your blood sugar, really slow energy release and low GI stress. Unfortunately, it is the most expensive gel here in the UK. By the time it gets to the UK, it is very expensive. **[28:08] Speaker B:** It's the most expensive gel on the list. And you do get a big variation of matter carbs across all the different flavors. So, they currently just make one different type of gel, which is this one that I've been testing here, strawberry and banana banana flavor. Let's rip this one open. Let's see what it looks like on the plate. Oh. Not expecting that. Sort of, yeah, yogurty. See how that gets down. Yeah, I had Oh, I remember, I was running by the airport when I was having this the other day. It's really, really not for me. I tend to prefer more of the sort of sickly sweet things. There is no sweetness in this whatsoever. But if you're the type of person that can really benefit from this sort of thing, then obviously it's going to be a really potentially life-changing product for you. It's got a bit of a sort of a chalky taste to it. **[28:56] Speaker B:** Great that this product exists. It's really not for me cuz I like something a little bit sweeter. But again, if you're out on the trails all day long, you just want something a little bit different, something that's going to be a really nice slow energy release, maybe combined with a bit more of a natural gel from a Huma or something like that, then it could work well. But for me, it's going to be a six out of 10. Right, moving on. I wanted to have a chat about Mountain Fuel, another UK-based company based out of Carlisle, and really quite good value. This is their sports jelly. I remember when I was out testing with these, they're really quite hard to get in to the packets. They do an ultra chia gel as well, which is made from the ground-up chia seeds, a little bit more of a natural option. **[29:35] Speaker B:** Let's see what this looks like on the plate. They call it sports jelly, which is you kind of think it's going to be then really thick, and it's not like that at all. It's really quite sort of liquidy as well. Very easy to get down. Really quite nice neutral flavors, not too overpowering there. Then they do the ultra chia gel, which is this one here. Let's have a taste of this one. This is apple and cinnamon. Yeah, a lot thicker. Let's see what that looks like. Let's put Put a little space around this side. It's a really, yeah, quite a different sort of thing. So, both the gels are round about 20 g of carbs in here, but the ultra gel has just got more calories in there just cuz of a bit more dense with those natural products in there. So, it's just going to last a little bit longer for those longer efforts. **[30:20] Speaker B:** Really interesting products. I'm going to give those both a seven out of 10. As I say, it's more of a traily sort of market that they're going in for. But if you're the type of person that doesn't like gels, well, you might want to have a look at some gel alternatives. You can get chews. You can, of course, get lots of carbohydrates through drinks as well and bars. And while some of these can be a little bit easier on your stomach, you do have to think about practicality. If you're running an all out marathon, are you going to be able to chew on something and swallow that easily? Probably not. But, if you're running say a 100-mile ultra, then some of these things can be really good to get in your pack. Right, next up we've got Active Root. Ginger Root is their USP here. **[30:58] Speaker B:** So, ginger really good for its anti-inflammatory properties. Really good to settle a stomach. If you're having some digestive issues, some really bad stomach aches, it can really help settle that down. That's where these gels come in. Made with those natural syrups, so your brown rice, your agave. Very clear on the front of the packet. Really good branding on the front of the packet. 30 g of carbs, 124 calories. Let's see what it looks like on the plate. Sort of has that sort of like honey type texture. Sort of that sort of runny honey type texture. Let's see what this tastes like. This is their original flavor. Very gingery. Tastes like I have some Jamaican ginger cake. But, it goes down really quite nicely. Good interesting product. Not too bad on the price. I'm going to give that somebody that could be a really life-changing product. **[31:42] Speaker B:** If you're a fan of ginger, that's going to be a good nine out of 10. **[31:44] Speaker B:** Right, three gels to go and I'm just about to take off here in my seat. Next up on the list we've got Veloforte. Set up by a husband and wife team of Italian heritage. Big cycling background as well. Very clean, all natural ingredients, plant-based syrups and fruit juices as well. Absolutely tiny packets with this one. Very lightweight and Informed Sport tested as well. One type of gel, but they also have a caffeinated version as well. It's ah really quite hard to get into this packet. My fingers are so sticky now. Dates, lemon, and ginger. Oh, no. I spilled it all over my hands. Let's see what that looks like on the plate. **[32:26] Speaker B:** Rolling around. That's really quite nice. I don't think it's going to be for everybody. But, yeah, going to give that a seven out of 10. Next up on the list we're off to Australia, a company called Bix. Australian brand set up by an elite trail runner, started with that recovery and hydration drink, and now they've expanded further into the gel market. Make a 30 g carb gel, and also a 40 g carb gel. This is the 30. Let's see what this is like. Again, quite good on the price here. Under £2 for a gel really is not too bad these days. Let's see what it looks like on the plate. Again, really you can see it dripping. Now, that is going to absolutely slide down really quite easily. Really simple way of getting 30 g of carbs into the mixer. Very pleasant thing to have. **[33:15] Speaker B:** I'm going to give that a I don't know, a 8.5. Really quite nice. And finally, the last on the list, company called Ride Nutrition, formed in COVID, I guess, 2021 by three friends. I'm pretty sure they're a UK-based company, heavily marketed towards cycling. All of their athletes are mountain bike riders, motocross, superbike riders. No reason why runners can't use this as part of their training. They do make some other sports nutrition as well, hydration bars, shakes, drink mixes, but currently just make this one gel, cherry bakewell flavor. So, straight away, I love a cherry bakewell. And I haven't got to open it properly, so nothing's coming out. Some of these gels are surprisingly hard to open. But really quite a thick one there. But ooh, that is really cherry bakewell. Mr. Kipling would be proud of this one. So yeah, really quite nice. I think that's probably a little bit too thick for me to be getting down during a really sort of hardcore road race. **[34:14] Speaker B:** But I'd say, spending time on a bike, really where they're marketing this product, that kind of viscosity is going to work really well with that. So, I'm going to give that a seven. Really like the flavor of that one. But yeah, it's not really going to work in the running team for me, but really good for ultras, long distance stuff. That's going to be quite nice. All right, guys, just out on my run, and getting ready for London Marathon. Just running past the expo venue just here. But I quickly remembered I didn't go through my top five gels at the end we just finished recording. So quickly now, I've made a little note here. Number five was Hi-Five. I've put Hi-Five and SIS sort of together. They're two absolutely really good stakes. Was really easy to get a hold of. Really good value. And they just slipped down loads of different flavors as well. **[34:54] Speaker B:** So they're at number five, really good quality. Number four is the Huma gels. Yeah, just really going to use those a bit. I've got some really quite long ultras in the summer. They're really sort of natural, really easy on the stomach. Again, lots of different flavors. Number three, I was so surprised at that Nakd gel. It just caught me just out of nowhere. And yeah, I'm going to get me some more of that. And just the texture of it, and the little like bits in it was just really quite nice. So yeah, just a really pleasant surprise in there. Number two, Maurten, just an absolute classic. Yeah, you I would use that a little bit more, but it is unfortunately quite expensive. But it has always worked for me so much over the years. And number one, unsurprisingly, I just can't find anything to beat it. **[35:33] Speaker B:** It's still Precision. Just really good quality. I just love the ethos of the company, everything behind it, the stuff they're doing in the sport. And the product just really quite works for me. Love the flavor, love the texture, love the taste. They're the gels. Hope you enjoyed the video, guys. Let me know your favorites. Are you going to try some new stuff in your training? Right, I'm going to carry on with the rest of my run. Keep working hard. Going down. I'll see you very soon in the next one.