Energy Gels vs Chews

Energy gels are a popular way for athletes and mountaineers to keep energy levels up on days of high exertion. However, the texture of the average energy gel can be best described as drinking thick syrup. After a few gels, one begins to long for something that requires chewing. This is where energy chews come in. They claim to have roughly the same energy content but allow you to chew your food.

We here at Daily Hiker thought we’d check out what all the fuss was about with energy chews. So, we took a trip down to our local outdoor store and promptly bought samples of all the chews and gels that were in stock. We decided to rate each sample for taste and for texture. Any additional thoughts regarding the product would be noted. To offset a single person’s preferences, both of us at Daily Hiker would test each sample. We would rate each product on a scale of 1 (Horrid) to 5 (Awesome) and then combine the results for a final range of 2-10.

Energy Gel

We were able to locate five energy gels from four different companies for this test. Four of the gels based on maltodextrin and the Clif Shot is based on brown rice syrup. So, the performance from the gels should be exactly the same save for the Clif Shot assuming that the amount of maltodextrin in each gel is the same. Below is the rating for each of the gels we tested:

Clif Shot

The Clif Shot was the odd ball out in the energy gels in that it is based on brown rice syrup instead of the much more common maltodextrin. While we like Clif Bars, we hated the Clif Shot gel. Both testers agreed that the gel was far too thick to eat on the run and left a strange aftertaste in the mouth. While the gel was labeled as the strawberry flavor, it didn’t actually taste like any fruit we could identify. As you can see, the Clif Shot came in dead last in our rankings with the lowest possible score.

Gu

Gu was one of the first manufacturers to enter the market with an energy food in gel form. Ever since, the competition has tried to replicate their success. We found the tri-berry flavor to be a little too sweet, but there wasn’t an aftertaste that was associated with competing products. The gel was a smooth consistency and had what we considered to be the perfect texture.

Gu Roctane

In the summer of 2008, Gu released Roctane. The company claims that this is a reformulated version of Gu with more added to make you perform better for longer periods of time. Near as we can tell though, it’s all marketing and was an excuse to raise the price. We found Roctane to be a bit sweeter than the Tri-berry Gu, but the texture was exactly the same as the regular Gu. While the Roctane wasn’t bad, we’d never buy it again as it was twice the price of the regular Gu.

Hammer Gel

Hammer Gel is a bit hard to find in stores, but we had some on hand so decided to include it in our test. Hammer Gel boasts that their gel is made mostly of natural ingredients. Their flavorings are based on fruit juices and the sweetener is from fruit derived sugars. Our taste test found that the consistency of the gel was right. One tester commented that it was slightly grainy. The tropical flavor was a bit too sour for our tastes, but other flavors may be different. The main downside to the Hammer Gel is that it contains 10% less energy than the other gels in a slightly larger volume of food. The competing gels contained 100 calories of energy in roughly 1.1oz. The Hammer Gel contains 90 calories in 1.25oz.

PowerBar Gel

We were a bit apprehensive to test the PowerBar gel as the package seemed to be filled with water. When we opened the packaging, we weren’t surprised. The raspberry cream flavor is incredibly sweet and very runny. Simply put, there is no way we could eat it on the run. Additionally, the amount of PowerBar Gel one has to eat is significantly larger than the competition.

Chews

The chews were different than the gels in that most of them used brown rice syrup instead of maltodextrin for the energy content. Look out for a future article detailing maltodextrin and brown rice syrup.

Clif Shot Bloks

Unlike the Clif Shot Gel, we loved the Bloks. While a bit hard to get open, little space is wasted in the packaging unlike the rest of the competition. We didn’t notice any smell to the Bloks, and the taste was pleasing, much like fruit leather. With a serving size of 3 Bloks, we could eat them while on the run. The chews did stick to the teeth a bit, but it was less than most of the competition. The texture was appropriate and a nice change of pace from the gels we had previously been eating.

Honey Stinger

The Honey Stinger chews had a pleasing cherry smell, and didn’t taste too sweet. They have a nice simple gumdrop shape and didn’t stick to the teeth. Much like the Powerbar Gel, the serving size was huge. A single serving is 10 Honey Stinger chews. So, I doubt I could eat enough of these to keep my energy up. My lasting impression was that these were more expensive versions of the fruit snacks I used to eat as a kid.

PowerBar Gel Blasts

The Gel Blasts are made of three parts; a standard chew exterior, a slightly rough white bottom section, and a gel interior. The gel blasts are so bad that neither of us could actually finish an entire piece. The sensation of eating a PowerBar Gel Blast is much like eating an insect. Simply put, it’s disgusting. The chew tasted less like the cola flavor claimed on the packaging, and more like cough syrup.

Sharkies

I’m fairly certain that Sharkies are actually fruit snacks re-branded for another market. Sharkies smell and taste exactly like the fruit snacks I had as a kid. To complete the trip down memory land, they’re actually shaped like sharks. For added fun, these stuck to my teeth so much that I had to brush my teeth afterwords. If I wanted to buy fruit snacks, I’d stop by a grocery store and get them for less than half the price of Sharkies.

Results

So, what gel or chew is worth spending your hard earned money on? Our favorite is still the original Gu. While we wouldn’t buy Roctane again, the original still has the correct flavor and taste. Honey Stinger rated highly on the taste and texture scales, but the serving size is simply far too much. So, our second favorite is Clif Shot Bloks. The price is right and with a serving size of 3 Bloks, they’re easily eaten quickly. Hammer Gel gets an honorable mention as they are very close in the taste and texture department. Next time we’ll have to try a different flavor and see if the results change.

Related articles:

• Performance Nutrition: what to eat during hard exercise
• Energy Gels and Chews: Wrapping Up