Best energy gels for runners and endurance athletes

The first time I took a gel during a race, I ripped the packet open with my teeth, squeezed half of it onto my shirt, and nearly gagged on the flavor. It was some kind of synthetic strawberry that tasted like cough syrup mixed with corn syrup. I swore off gels entirely for about six months. Then I bonked at mile 18 of a training run and decided maybe I should give them another shot with a different brand.

Turns out the brand matters a lot. So does texture, ingredients, and what your stomach can handle under stress. I’ve tried most of the popular options over the past couple years, and the differences are bigger than you’d expect from something that looks like a ketchup packet.

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When and why you need gels

Your body stores about 90 minutes of glycogen for moderate-intensity exercise. After that, you need to take in carbohydrates or you’ll bonk. For runs under an hour, you probably don’t need anything. For runs over 90 minutes, or races at any intensity, gels are one of the simplest ways to get 20-25 grams of carbs into your system quickly.

The general rule is one gel every 30-45 minutes during long efforts, starting around the 45-minute mark. Always take gels with water. Even the isotonic ones go down easier with a sip. And never, ever try a new gel on race day. Test everything during training first. I keep mine in the front pocket of my hydration vest where I can grab them without breaking stride.

Best energy gels right now

GU Energy Gel, $1.50/packet

GU is the gel that most runners try first, and for good reason. They’ve been around since the 90s, the flavor selection is huge (Salted Caramel, Chocolate Outrage, Espresso Love), and they’re available at basically every running store and race expo. Each packet has about 100 calories and 21-25g of carbs, with added BCAAs.

The consistency is thick and sticky. You need water with these. The caffeinated versions have 20-40mg of caffeine depending on the flavor, which can give you a boost in the second half of a long race but will wreck your stomach if you overdo it. I use the non-caffeinated versions for training and save one caffeinated gel for late in a race.

SIS GO Isotonic Energy Gel, $2/packet

The biggest advantage of the SIS gel is that you don’t need water with it. The isotonic formula goes down like a slightly thick sports drink rather than a sticky paste. During races where I don’t want to mess with water cups at the same time I’m taking a gel, SIS is what I reach for.

The taste is mild and faintly fruity. Not great, not offensive. The packets are bigger than most gels because of the higher water content. Each gel gives you 22g of carbs and about 90 calories. The isotonic formula means faster absorption for most people, which you can feel during hard efforts.

Maurten Gel 100, $3.50/packet

Maurten is what you’ll see at the front of every major marathon. The hydrogel technology encapsulates the carbs in a gel matrix that breaks down in the stomach rather than the mouth, which makes it noticeably gentler on your gut than other gels. The taste is almost nothing, like slightly sweet water. That blandness is actually a feature when you’re four hours into an Ironman and every other flavor makes you nauseous.

The downside is cost. At roughly $3.50 per gel, a race supply of Maurten costs as much as some people’s entry fee. I use them for race day and long race-simulation training runs, and I use cheaper gels for regular training.

Honey Stinger Organic Energy Gel, $1.25/packet

If synthetic gels make you feel weird, Honey Stinger is worth trying. The primary ingredient is actual honey, which gives the gel a smooth, jam-like consistency that tastes natural because it is. The honey base provides a mix of fructose and glucose that absorbs well for most people.

The consistency changes with temperature. Warm weather makes them runnier, cold weather makes them thicker. I keep them in my pocket close to my body during cold races to keep them manageable. Each gel has about 100 calories and 24g carbs. Simple ingredients, nothing that reads like a chemistry experiment.

Huma Chia Energy Gel, $2/packet

Huma takes the real-food approach further than Honey Stinger. The gels are made from fruit puree with chia seeds, which help stabilize sugar release for more even energy rather than a spike-and-crash pattern. Runners with sensitive stomachs tend to do well with these because the ingredients are simple and recognizable.

The texture is different from standard gels. The chia seeds give it a slightly chunky consistency that some people love and others can’t stand. I’d recommend trying a single packet before buying a box. The flavors (Strawberry, Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry) taste like actual fruit, which is refreshing compared to the synthetic sweetness of most gels.

What I’d buy

For training runs: GU or Honey Stinger in bulk. They’re cheap enough to use every week without thinking about cost, and both sit well in my stomach at easy-to-moderate effort. I keep a box of each at home and grab whichever flavor sounds least offensive that morning.

For race day: Maurten if you can stomach the price, or SIS if you want the no-water-needed convenience. Both are gentler on the gut when you’re running hard, which is when stomach issues are most likely to show up.

For sensitive stomachs: try Huma or Maurten first. They use simpler ingredients and gentler delivery mechanisms than the mainstream gels.

The most important thing is testing during training. Buy single packets of three or four brands, try each one on a long run, and see which one your stomach actually tolerates at race pace. The one that doesn’t make you nauseous at mile 20 is the one you bring to your next race. Flavor preferences are secondary to gut tolerance when you’re running hard and your heart rate is in the 160s.