Six of the best
Energy gels
£1.40 – £2.33| Sickly gloop or packets of power? Let’s find out
01 Torq Performance
£29.25 for 15
Serving size 591ml Carbohydrate 28g
THIS NEW GEL hits the textural sweetspot: not so loose that it flows like fluid, not so thick that it resembles tar. Its consistency is apt for its delicious caramel taste. Carbs make up 28g (112kcals) per 45g serving from both maltodextrin and fructose sources. This sugary blend has been shown to absorb into the bloodstream via different intestinal pathways, helping to prevent gastro issues while raising the potential to consume greater quantities of carbs. There’s an 89mg caffeine hit from guarana, too.
02 High5 Electrolyte
£6.99 for 5
Serving size 60g Carbohydrate 23g
THIS GEL IS a delightful-enough raspberry flavour that glides down smoothly, but its consistency is very loose, meaning you don’t enjoy that perceptual hit of consuming a more solid dose of performance-boosting sugar. That’s probably because there’s just 23g carbs in the 60g sachet. Dropping that to 50g would crank up the viscosity and tick more of our gel boxes. These do contain some electrolytes to replace those lost in sweat though. Use the prepaid envelope to return your empty wrappers.
03 Precision Fuel 30
£29.99 for 15
Serving size 51g Carbohydrate 30g
IF PRECISION HYDRATION’S electrolyte products are anything to go by, we’re in for a nutritional treat with its debut gel. First up, texture, which is thicker than your normal gel but pleasingly (thin) jelly-like rather than cloyingly toothpaste-like. Flavour is neutral, which is appreciated. Each 51g sachet – compact packaging means you can store many in your jersey – contains 30g carbs from a classic 2:1 glucose-tofructose ratio. The clear ‘30g carb’ stamp helps you keep track of your intake.
04 Mountain Fuel Sports Jelly
£30 for 20
Serving size 60g Carbohydrate 20g
MOUNTAIN FUEL’S SPORTS Jelly uses hydrogel technology. The idea is that pectin encapsulates the maltodextrin and glucose, helping to transport it seamlessly through your inners to reduce the chances of gut distress. Sceptics question this idea, but we’ve never had stomach issues. Although the Sports Jelly contains just 20g (80kcals) of carbs, there’s a Jelly+ option that contains 30g. The orange taste is strong and the jelly’s refreshing enough to ensure that washing down with water isn’t essential.
05 Vala Energy Gel
£23.65 for 10
Serving size 35g Carbohydrate 23.8g
VALA’S ‘NATURAL’ ETHOS is reflected in the ingredients list, which comprises maple syrup, date paste, lemon juice, lime juice, chia seeds, matcha tea powder and sea salt. There are no hidden preservatives in a 35g sachet that delivers 102kcals from 23.8g of carbs and a near-negligible amount of good fat. Great on paper, but what about texture and taste? Fantastic. The texture resembles paste while the taste leans heavily on the date side. Yet it flows smoothly and, though a water chaser helps, it’s not essential.
06 Nutrition X Energel + Caffeine
£34.99 for 24
Serving size 50g Carbohydrate 24g
NUTRITION X’S 50G gel serving sends 24g (96kcals) of carbs your way via maltodextrin and dextrose. They’re sent to your bloodstream via the same intestinal transporter, though, so unlike partnering with fructose, theoretically it allows you to consume fewer of these per hour than a gel like Precision Fuel’s. You also wouldn’t want to overload on these thanks to the 80mg caffeine content. Added electrolytes come in the form of a modicum of sodium, magnesium and potassium. Flavour-wise, we’d like more of a cola kick.