Introduction

Let’s start at the beginning. Nowadays, a growing number of brands are competing in the market to sell us supplements to improve our performance during effort. We increasingly hear about the amount of carbohydrates to consume per hour of effort, with sometimes enormous quantities that are hard to reach for the average person. Add to this a touch of marketing and communication, and in the end, we no longer really know why one gel would be better than another. And when I say better, I’m not talking about taste, but rather about what provides us with what we need.

However, we must keep in mind that all of this is personal and depends on our needs at a given moment. Everyone is different and will not react the same way to the various “cocktails” contained in the gels. It might also be necessary to mix different gel brands based on your needs and preferences.

So, we will focus on what these gels contain so that you can then choose the one that suits you best. Spoiler alert!!! There is no gel better than another or worse than another. They are, and it’s a good thing, all different. It’s up to each person to compare them and choose the one that works best for them!!!

Before we start and for the sake of transparency, I am currently an ambassador for Neversecond. You can get a 15% discount with the code AMBASSADOR15 on the entire site. However, this article is not meant to say that Neversecond gels are the best at all costs…

Gels under the microscope

C30+ from Neversecond

Neversecond is a brand that claims to be “DRIVEN BY SCIENCE.” That means it relies exclusively on scientific research and studies to develop its product line. On paper, this is a great point. Additionally, the brand takes a very minimalist approach and doesn’t add unnecessary ingredients to its products. This, in my opinion, is excellent—we focus on the essentials. The chosen ratio is 2:1 maltodextrin:fructose.

Regarding taste, I tried the passion fruit and coffee flavors. I really like these gels because they are easy to consume. They are relatively liquid, but not too much (Näak gels are, for example, more liquid) and not overly sweet, thanks to the maltodextrin.

On the downside, the gels might be a bit bulky, and the plastic is quite rigid. They take up space in your pockets or vest and are less “compressible” than other gels.

Ultra Energy Gel from Näak

Näak is also a brand driven by science and focused on quality ingredients. But here, unlike Neversecond, the approach is less minimalist, and the gel contains many more elements. These gels are, on paper, aimed at ultra-endurance athletes and are developed with this in mind, with notably much more salt compared to other brands, as well as BCAAs and electrolytes.
The chosen ratio is 3:1 glucose:fructose. We can already see here that the choice is entirely different from the previous gel!

Regarding taste, I tried the chocolate flavor. As mentioned earlier, I find these gels a bit more liquid with a pleasant taste. But personally, I struggle to take them repeatedly because the taste is a bit stronger, though still quite natural.

Gel 100 from Maurten

Here, we’re entering another category with a brand that sparks debate. Marketing plays a big role. Sometimes I feel like I’m holding an Apple product in my hands. It’s sleek, well-designed, and especially expensive. But it’s mostly the texture of the gels that is peculiar and very hard to describe. It’s a cross between fruit paste and water. It’s both solid and liquid. While writing this article, I tried to find something similar, but I couldn’t. It’s very unique—you either like it or you don’t—it’s quite polarizing.

In terms of composition, it’s once again very minimalist, with a fructose/glucose ratio of 0.8/1.

Personally, I like them, as the gels aren’t too sweet and have no flavor. I like to alternate them with another brand, especially when it becomes difficult to swallow a gel. Another advantage is that the gels are small, so they can easily slip into almost anywhere.

Isotonic Gel from 226ERS

A brand a little less known among trail runners, but it offers quite a variety of flavors. They are made with cyclodextrin, which promises a slow-release energy supply.
In terms of composition, we’re looking at a 1:1 ratio for simple and complex carbs with glucose, sucrose, and maltodextrin. I struggle a bit to understand the composition of this gel. Sometimes they mention maltodextrin, sometimes cyclodextrin. It’s not very clear.

I tried the blackcurrant and cola flavors. The flavors are good, a bit artificial and rather sweet. Not my favorites, to be honest.

Näak Purée

So yes, this isn’t really a gel, but it’s somewhat similar and not comparable to a bar or sports drink. It could be a good compromise for people wanting a bit of variety. I personally haven’t tested these purées yet, so I can’t give personal feedback on them.

What do they contain?

Once we move past the subjective phase of taste and texture, let’s focus on the “data” and comparable, quantifiable information. What exactly do these gels contain? And this may be the most important question at this stage. Everyone can then refine their choice according to their expectations, desires, needs, and preferences.

Here, I’ve tried to gather the most information available and common to all the gels in order to compare them. As you can see, some gels are very “basic,” while others offer more complex and complete compositions. As mentioned earlier, Näak products are more complete with the addition of fiber and protein, among other things.

Once you have this information in mind, how can we say which gel is the best without saying “it depends”? Because indeed, it depends on many parameters. But to conclude, I would say that the best gel is the one you can swallow when you need it. It’s useless to have gels packed with carbs and other elements if, in the end, you don’t like the taste, find it too pasty or too liquid, and after several hours of running, you can no longer stomach it. It’s better to take a less complete gel but be able to swallow it. And do you really need everything the gel provides during your race/training at all times? Wouldn’t it be wiser to mix gels? Here, we’re not talking about the approach of a sponsored athlete who has to (officially) consume the products of a single brand. As amateurs, we have the luxury of being able to mix brands, so we might as well take advantage of it!

Conclusion

The best gel is the one that meets your needs and, above all, the one you can swallow when necessary! So, do your tests and don’t hesitate to try several brands to find the ideal gel. And most importantly, don’t hesitate to mix gels to avoid getting tired of them during your race.