The Best Shoes at the Olympic Marathon Trials. RW Exclusive: Tracksmith Is Releasing a Super Shoe. Lululemon Beyondfeel Review. sign in. Cross-Training Challenge Best Running Backpacks Types of Running Shoes Marathon Calendar Master the Half!

What Are Energy Gels? Ready, Set, Fuel: The Best Energy Bars for Runners How to Fuel a Race The Right Way to Carb-Load Before a Big Race Certain gels also provide caffeine, which can help make those later miles feel a little easier.

How We Evaluated When searching for the perfect running gear or nutrition, it can be hard to know where to start. Best Variety of Flavors. Pros Affordable Lots of tasty flavors. Cons Some people might prefer more caffeine. RELATED VIDEO: What is the Best GU Flavor?

Steady-Release Energy. Pros Low-sugar, high-carb formula provides lasting energy Good for people with sensitive stomachs. Cons Only one flavor made with caffeine. Key Specs Flavor: Apple Cinnamon Calories: Caffeine: 0 mg Boom Nutrition designs its gels to release energy steadily, compared with other gels that deliver a hit of sugar quickly.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. A Gel Inspired by a Chew. Pros Eight flavors with caffeinated and non-caffeinated recipes. Cons Slightly thinner consistency. Key Specs Flavors: Chocolate, Chocolate Cherry, Citrus, Double Expresso, Mocha, Razz, Strawberry, and Vanilla Calories: for Chocolate and Chocolate Cherry; for other flavors Caffeine: mg for Double Expresso and Chocolate Cherry; 50 mg for Mocha; 25 mg for Citrus and Strawberry; 0 mg for Chocolate, Vanilla, and Razz Clif Bloks are one of the more popular energy chews —juicy gummy squares that come in sometimes questionable, yet delicious flavors, such as Ginger Ale and Margarita salt is an electrolyte!

Extra Electrolytes. Pros All-natural ingredients High in electrolytes for sweatfests. Cons Pricey. Highly Caffeinated Gel. Pros Great value Litter-reducing package design. Cons Might be too much caffeine for some people. Key Specs Flavor: Double Expresso Calories: Caffeine: mg For a double dose of energy, slip a Double Expresso Clif Shot gel into your pocket or running belt.

Organic, Gluten-Free Ingredients. Pros Affordable Certified organic. Cons Not vegan-friendly. Best for Ultramarathoners. Pros Made with real food for longer energy release. Cons Very expensive. Key Specs Flavor: Canaberry Calories: Caffeine: 0 mg Yes, Spring Energy is incredibly expensive—more than double the cost of other brands.

Sustained Energy. Pros Made with extra electrolytes and fatigue-reducing ingredients. Key Specs Flavor: Sea Salt Chocolate Calories: Caffeine: 35 mg This is basically a regular Gu gel on steroids. Best Syrup. Pros Fast-acting. Cons Not best for ultramarathons. Key Specs Flavor: Maple syrup Calories: Caffeine: 0 mg Yes, syrup.

The Original Performance Energy. Pros Quick energy absorption. Cons Not a ton of flavors. An Environmentally Friendly Gel. Pros Made from real food. Cons Expensive. Heather Mayer Irvine Freelance Writer. Running Gear.

These gels have very positive reviews for both effectiveness and taste. They are available both with and without caffeine, but there are only three caffeine-free flavors. GU energy gels might be the most well-known among all running gels.

GU was the first running nutrition brand I was introduced to, and for a while, I only used GU products during all my training runs and races.

I like GU Roctane for my long training days, whether on the bike or on foot. Compared to the original GU gels , Roctane gels contain double the electrolytes. They also contain triple the BCAAs, but the implications of BCAA intake on endurance exercise performance are unclear.

Some research 5 shows that consuming BCAAs during endurance exercise might reduce muscle damage; other research has shown that they might reduce perception of fatigue 6. What I really love about GU Roctane other than the extra electrolytes and fast-digesting maltodextrin is the inclusion of beta-alanine.

Beta-alanine is a common pre-workout ingredient for its proven ability to fight fatigue during exercise 7. This amino acid plays a role in the production of carnosine, a different amino acid, which acts as a buffer to lactic acid 8.

This means you can exercise at higher intensities for longer periods of time. GU Energy Labs Liquid Energy Gels provide similar energy and fuel to their original energy gels but in liquid form. There is a mix of simple and complex carbohydrates for quick and long-lasting energy during all your workouts.

These are available in fewer flavors than the original GU energy gels, but like the gels, there are both caffeinated and caffeine-free flavors.

These have very positive customer reviews. GU Liquid Energy Packets are a good option for beginners who still need some practice getting gels down out on the course. They are by far the easiest to get down mid-run. I tried the Cola and Lemonade flavors and loved both. I recommend refrigerating them for an even better taste.

You can also freeze them for a slushy texture. They contain sea salt for flavor and hydration, boosting the sodium content to a very respectable milligrams per serving. The downside is that the packet itself is quite large compared to other gels.

On the bike, I can stuff one into my cycling jersey pocket but it takes more effort to get out while in motion than a smaller package. Honey Stinger Energy Gels feature organic honey and electrolytes to provide energy throughout your workout.

According to Honey Stinger, these gels are easy to digest and help to delay muscle fatigue. They recommend consuming it during or before activity; you can eat it right out of the packet, mix it in tea, or spread it on toast.

Honey Stinger Original Organic Energy Gel is the same as the Honey Stinger Caffeinated Energy Gel described above. The only difference is the lack of caffeine. The first two ingredients are organic tapioca syrup and organic honey, which serve dual purposes as the carb sources and for taste.

Potassium citrate and salt provide electrolytes, and citric acid, water, and organic natural flavorings make up the rest of the gel. These organic gels are available in a few flavors, including Fruit Smoothie, Gold honey flavored , and Acai Pomegranate.

The Strawberry Kiwi flavor is only available in the caffeinated version. I personally favor the Fruit Smoothie flavor, which has notes of strawberry, cherry, and orange. The texture is liquidy enough to be refrigerated without getting too thick or syrupy, and these taste great cold. RELATED: Best Long-Distance Running Shoes.

UnTapped provides pure Vermont maple syrup—based energy gels. These gels use minimal ingredients and are available in 5 maple syrup based flavors. UnTapped shares that provide all-natural energy during your workouts.

There are limited customer reviews, but they are mostly positive. Untapped Athletic Fuel gels are made entirely of natural ingredients—er, a single natural ingredient, actually. This is straight maple syrup in a tear-to-open packet.

Heads up: You will NOT like these if you do not like maple syrup. You can use them for your long runs and then pour one on your toaster waffles when you get back. Bomb, 4 out of 5 stars. Maple syrup contains more naturally occurring nutrients than lab-created gels, which is not necessarily a performance factor, but is a nice touch.

Each gram packet contains magnesium, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, and manganese in addition to the normal inclusions of sodium, calcium, and potassium.

If you plan to use maple syrup as your only gel during training or racing, please also have a sports drink with sodium or salt tablets handy. In some of the other flavors—Salted Raspberry, Salted Cocoa, Salted Citrus—there is 60 to milligrams of sodium, which is much better. RELATED: Best Running Shoes.

Boom Nutrition Carb Boom Energy Gels use real fruit purees and concentrates without any artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners to provide a steady source of energy during your longer workouts.

Boom Nutrition shares that their ratio of complex carbs to simple sugars helps to provide energy throughout your workout. There are very limited reviews, but they are extremely positive. There are only 6 flavors available and no caffeinated flavors. The gist here is similar to that of the maple syrup gels: If you like applesauce, add to cart.

I do like applesauce so I am pleased with Carb Boom! Apple Cinnamon Energy Gels. The texture is smooth and a little sticky, but in a good way, like apple pie filling.

These contain an interesting 9-to-1 ratio of maltodextrin to fructose with 26 total grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of sugar. This could be really beneficial for people who tend to struggle digestively—such as with nausea or gut rumbling—when they consume too much sugar.

Carb Boom! Apple Cinnamon gels are made with real apple puree and apple concentrate, which is what makes the apple flavor come through so well. There are no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners, and all of the flavor options are gluten-free.

RELATED: How to Choose Running Shoes. Huma Chia Energy Gels provide energy for your workouts by using real food. Huma combines fruit puree, powdered chia seeds, and brown rice syrup to make an all-natural energy gel. Huma shares that since their gels are real food, they are easy on the stomach and use a ratio or short -and long-chain glucose and fructose to maximize carbohydrate uptake.

Customer reviews for this product are mostly positive, but there are some mixed reviews on taste. All Huma gels are vegan, gluten-free, and made with real fruit purees. They do contain a nice milligrams of sodium, which is more than some lab-created gels.

Recreational athletes who are just trying not to bonk during a long session should do just fine with Huma gels. Those trying to smash personal records or training to be competitive athletes might want to go with something more dialed-in for performance benefits, like Maurten Gel or GU Roctane.

My friend and teammate Laura said the taste is too sweet for her, but really liked the puree-style consistency and that these felt easy on her stomach. Plus, the fruit flavors are sure to be refreshing on a hot trail day. Science in Sport SIS provides a combination of carbohydrates and electrolytes to fuel your longer workouts.

SIS states that these gels help you maintain hydration during long or hot exercise sessions. There are limited reviews for this product, but they are mostly positive. Science In Sport gels are isotonic gels. An isotonic solution is one that has the same osmotic pressure as another solution. Osmotic pressure 10 has a complex definition, but in simple terms, it can be described as the minimum pressure needed to stop the flow of water through a membrane—or osmosis , if you remember that from high school biology.

In this case, the gels are the isotonic solution and your body cells are the other solution. So Science In Sport gels are designed to have the same osmotic pressure as the cells in your body.

This means that they should not alter the fluid balance of your cells, thus maintaining ideal fluid balance—and thus hydration—during exercise. What this means practically is that you should be able to consume Science in Sport gels without the usual need for simultaneous water consumption.

See our full guide to hydration for runners for more information. In addition to the isotonic formula that helps with hydration, these gels contain an electrolyte blend that is milligrams in total and contains sodium chloride, sodium citrate, potassium chloride, and magnesium citrate. In total, there are milligrams of sodium, 9.

I like the Salted Strawberry flavor best of the three available. The texture is thin and runny, so these are quite easy to consume. Unfortunately, CLIF discontinued them as of May 1, You can still get them while supplies last. They taste OK and might be good for hikers.

I personally chose all of the running gels on this list after buying them and using them during various training sessions and races, including a sprint triathlon and an Olympic triathlon.

I took various gels with me on long runs, training rides, and even on a couple of hikes when I briefly escaped my ultra-flat home terrain of Florida.

To determine the best running gels, I noted factors like taste, texture, ease of consumption, packaging i. I also took note of how I felt during the training sessions, keeping in mind that performance is dictated by so many factors, including hydration, sleep, stress, weather, and more.

I enlisted some friends to help, too. One member of my triathlon team tried several of the gels during training; another friend used them to fuel during an mile ruck competition. Running gels support endurance exercise by maintaining blood glucose levels and sparing glycogen stores.

This is primarily because the muscular stores of fatty acids and glucose begin to run low over time. Or, in this case, sugar. In this regard, it has been proposed that the brain is able to sense the diminished availability of glucose and brings about the termination of exercise as a protective mechanism.

In short, running gels keep you going when your body is in need of fuel in the near-immediate future. Some gels are sold as foods with a nutrition facts label and are still third-party tested, which is the best-case scenario.

Athletes who are subject to drug testing should always choose supplements that are screened for banned substances. The most important thing to understand about running gels and how they work is that the human body is only capable of processing a finite amount of carbohydrate per hour.

According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine 3 , the body can process 60 grams of glucose and 30 grams of fructose per hour, so 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour in total. People with sensitive stomachs may find that energy gels cause gastrointestinal problems, specifically nausea.

Remember, your body can digest and process a maximum of 60 grams of glucose and 30 grams of fructose per hour 3. Both energy gels and bars have their place. Many endurance athletes prefer gels because they come in very small packages and are easy to consume.

Energy bars are more beneficial when taken at least an hour before training or racing, and they can be good replenishment afterward. The standard energy drink does not compare to energy gels in terms of endurance nutrition. However, a sports drink that contains glucose, fructose, electrolytes, and, if desired, caffeine and amino acids, can work in place of gels.

See the best sports drinks and best electrolyte drinks. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases. Our Bowflex SelectTech review looks at the latest SelectTech product, and whether it belongs in your home gym.

Read more.

Love the taste and no gut issues. Tastes like real applesauce and is refreshing. Dropped my other gel sources after the results I had with the go gel!

Tops ripped easily. Great sleek shape and feel so it fit in the back middle pocket of my running shorts. Tasted great and they weren't as thick as other gels so it was easier to swallow without gulping for air during faster paces.

Totally recommend, and I'm not buying any other gel moving forward. BPN makes the best products you can use to train for endurance. Flavor is perfect and the consistency is better than the other endurance gels.

Packaging could be slightly less wider so that it can fit perfectly in my mouth. Currently in prep and was super excited when these came out. Going to need a reup very soon, consistency is perfect easy to take down.

Best comparison on the market in my opinion is spring energy but this is my new favorite. Will buy again. Shortly after consuming, I feel a good bump of energy. This gel is a game changer. I've always had a sensitive stomach when it comes to intra training fuel.

My go to has been baby food pouches but they don't have the starchy carbs that last a bit longer and give you more energy.

This gel does it! And it taste so dang good. Not only that, the texture is spot on. It's like a slightly thicker version of applesauce. No water needed. I have been trying different brands of endurance gels during my marathon training and this is definitely the best one.

Skip to content. Supplements Endurance Go Gel 4. Supplements Endurance Go Gel. Flavor: Apple Cinnamon Apple Cinnamon. One-time purchase Purchase this time only. Add Subscription to Cart. ADD TO CART. WHOLE FOOD Ingredients sourced from Whole foods to help fuel endurance training.

THIRD-PARTY TESTED Informed Sport certified products are tested every batch for prohibited substances. Nutrition Facts. Serving size: 1 gel Servings per box: Ingredients Apple Juice Concentrate, Brown Rice Syrup, Apple Puree, Purified Water, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sea Salt, Ground Cinnamon.

How to use Consume 1 Go Gel 15 minutes prior to exercise. During exercise we recommend 1 Go Gel every minutes. WHOLE FOOD APPROACH TO FUELING The Go Gel is our whole-food approach to satisfying your training and race-day nutrition needs. Informed Sport Tested All BPN supplements are third party tested for banned substances and quality standards.

The Bare Standard Built on quality and proven by results, without compromise. Frequently Asked Questions What are the benefits of the Go Gel? The primary benefits include: calories and 24g of fast-digesting carbohydrates mg of sodium Sourced from whole-food ingredients.

What makes the Go Gel different from other endurance gels? Is the Go Gel just for running? Is the Go Gel gluten-free? Are there any additives, flavors, colorants, or preservatives? The Go Gel is everything you need and nothing that you don't. I see the Go Gels are made with apple.

Do they need to be refrigerated? How do you ensure the Go Gel doesn't spoil? Are the products only for elite athletes? Is Go Gel third-party tested for banned substances? Yes, our Go Gel is tested and certified by Informed Sport. Product Warnings You should consult a licensed healthcare practitioner before use, especially if you are taking medication or have a medical condition.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS 4. Flavor Rated 4. Poor Amazing. Write a Review Opens in a new window. Items per page: 16 33 48 View All. Sort By Most Viewed Biggest Saving Price: low to high Price: high to low Most Popular.

Subscription Option. Yes Product Category. Hydration 3 Energy Apple 3 Berry 2 Blackcurrant 2 Cherry 1 Lemon and Lime 2 Lemon and Mint 2 Mixed 6 Orange 3 Raspberry 2 Tropical 2. Caffeine Free 15 Contains Caffeine 2. Go Isotonic Energy Gels. Quick Buy.

Go Isotonic Energy Gels - Variety Packs. GO Isotonic Energy Gel Variety - 7 Pack. GO Isotonic Energy Gel - 15 Pack — Mixed. Mixed GO Isotonic Energy Gels - 20 Pack.

GO Isotonic Energy Gel - 15 Pack Apple. GO Isotonic Energy Gel - 30 Pack - Apple. Mixed GO Isotonic Energy Gels - 35 Pack. GO Isotonic Energy Gel - 30 Pack - Blackcurrant.

GO Isotonic Energy Gel - 15 Pack - Orange. Energy Gels SiS gels are highly beneficial as part of your fuelling strategy without the liquid volume that can leave you feeling bloated and sluggish. Experience the benefits of our energy gels GO Energy Isotonic Gel is a world-renowned, convenient isotonic fuelling supplement used by athletes worldwide to maintain optimum carbohydrate levels for increased performance.

Find your favourite flavour in our popular 15 pack of GO Isotonic Energy Gel Our Mixed GO Isotonic Energy Gels come in a 35 pack and are a go-to energy source for elite athletes worldwide. How do SiS gels fit into your overall fuelling plan?

How can we help? Login and Registration Form. Login Register Sign In. If you have an account, sign in with your email address. Email Address. Sign In. Forgot Your Password? Create an account on our site now and earn loyalty points. Learn more.