Unless you’re planning on running your next marathon or half-marathon carrying a backpack full of bananas, you’re probably going to need a few gels. From an energy-to-size perspective, they just can’t be beaten. But what are the best energy gels out there? There’s no absolute answer, of course, but MR’s David Castle, Rick Pearson and Isaac Williams decided to try half a dozen popular options over a series of 10-mile runs to give you their verdict.
Calorie kings
Name: ZipVit
Price: £1.49
Calories: 204
Stomach-ability: Thicker than most gels, but surprisingly easy to stomach.
Taste: They come in a variety of flavours, ranging from espresso to bakewell tart. Our favourite is the banana, which tastes remarkably like, well, banana.
Ease of storage: A brute of a gel, you’ll struggle to store this in your pocket, so best used pre-run or with a waist belt.
Ease of opening: Unless you carry a sharp blade on your runs, you may struggle with this one. After several attempts, the scissors were called upon.
Verdict: 7/10. Provides a noticeable boost almost immediately, but marked down on size and Fort Knox-style impenatrability.
zipvitsport.co.uk
Name: LA Muscle
Price: £1.99
Calories: 111
Stomach-ability: Once you get over the taste, the watery consistency makes these very easy to consume.
Taste: The ‘orange’ flavour is questionable, to say the least. Unless, of course, you like your fruit to contain a hint of copper and chemicals.
Ease of storage: Long but fairly thin, they squeeze into most back pockets, making them ideal for the shorter stuff.
Ease of opening: Like taking candy from a baby. Or, in this case, syrup from an easily accessible gel packet.
Verdict: 7/10. Taste aside, this is an easily digestible, traditional energy gel.
lamuscle.com
Mainstream favourites
Name: High5 Energy Gel
Price: £0.99
Calories: 91
Stomach-ability: These gels get better as they heat up: what is at room temperature quite a viscose liquid actually gets easier to stomach as they warm in your pocket.
Taste: We opted for apple, which was surprisingly authentic,
if not as dentist-friendly as a Granny Smith.
Ease of storage: They say great things come in small packages: these gels are easy to store in a pocket or gel belt (or even in a compression sock).
Ease of opening: One, two, three, tear…so goes the theory. Still, not too difficult as long as it’s not minus-three degrees.
Verdict: 8/10. Light on the stomach, surprisingly tasty and good for eating on the move.
high5.co.uk
Name: SiS Go Isotonic Gel
Price: £1.24
Calories: 87
Stomach-ability: These are pretty thick, so if you’re really struggling for breath, they take a bit of work. That said, they feel like your chowing down on something substantial.
Taste: A good range of flavours. We opted for blackcurrant, which was tarter than Ribena without being overly sharp.
Ease of storage: These are not so easy to transport, but you feel like you need fewer, so maybe there’s a balance.
Ease of opening: No complaints here – easy as you like.
Verdict: 7/10. Packs a carbo-punch while feeling surprisingly nutritious. However, use with caution if breathing heavily.
scienceinsport.com
Natural choice
Name: HoneyStinger
Price: £1.35
Calories: 80
Stomach-ability: If you struggle with traditional gels, these puppies – made almost exclusively from organic honey – are the answer.
Taste: If you like honey, these are a hit. Available in three flavours: Vanilla, Acai Pomegranate and Fruit Smoothie, they’re a subtle, syrupy joy.
Ease of storage: A little wider than traditional gels, you need slightly bigger pockets to store these. A more streamlined version would be welcome.
Ease of opening: It’s possible to rip these above the seal, requiring you to make another incision, but mostly they’re
a breeze to open.
Verdict: 8/10. A great alternative for those looking to fuel in a more natural way.
honeystinger.com
Name: 33 Shake
Price: £1.99
Calories: 90
Stomach-ability: These things are totally organic, made from chia seeds, Himalayan sea salt, coconut palm sugar and Madagascan vanilla. There’s nothing here to tie your stomach in knots.
Taste: There are some nice vanilla notes that cut through, although it’s gloopier than traditional gels.
Ease of storage: These are the widest of the lot, so you can’t store lots in a pocket. Best suited to races in which you’ll carry a waist pack.
Ease of opening: The screw top is a bit faffy when moving at top speed.
Verdict: 7/10. Some caveats aside, this is a genuinely different and welcome addition to the world of sport nutrition.
33shake.com
