# Loved and hated energy gels **URL:** \ **Category:** Nutrition\ **Created:** [March 9, 2023, 12:44pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819 "2023-03-09T12:44:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jbhkhc](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jbhkhc/32/121991_2.png) [@Jbhkhc](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jbhkhc)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 12:44pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/1 "2023-03-09T12:44:02Z")
What’s your favourite and why, what’s disagreed with you, and what have you hated the most? I recently got some tailwind gels from my trail running group, almost vomited the 2 times I’ve used them. Will be sticking with Sis ---
**Author:** ![Cory.Rood](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/cory.rood/32/77597_2.png) [@Cory.Rood](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Cory.Rood)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 1:17pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/2 "2023-03-09T13:17:51Z")
The SIS gels are terrible. Tastes like chemical/medicine. Hands down, the worst I’ve had. Neversecond, while expensive, are fantastic. The flavor is good, and the consistency is great. Biggest complaint I have, they are hard to tear open. ---
**Author:** ![jiffylush](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jiffylush/32/128861_2.png) [@jiffylush](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/jiffylush)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 1:23pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/3 "2023-03-09T13:23:40Z")
I don’t mind SiS gels but they are impossible to open, when I was a runner I would cut them ahead of time to help because I couldn’t open them with sweaty hands or my teeth otherwise. I liked that they were watery so I could take them without water. I’ve never had stomach problems that I could trace back to a gel, pretty fortunate I guess, for taste I really like Spring Energy’s Canaberry. They remind me of strawberry fruit roll-ups. ---
**Author:** ![Brennus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/brennus/32/1318_2.png) [@Brennus](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Brennus)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 1:27pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/4 "2023-03-09T13:27:33Z")
> [@Cory.Rood](#): > > The SIS gels are terrible. 🤣 Oops. They are my favorite. Easy on my gut and my palate just prefers a little less favorite. My least favorite gel? Probably any gel with caffeine in it. The taste of caffeine is probably way more bitter to me than it is to a normal human palate. (I can’t stomach coffee or cola very well, either). But the worst thing about a caffeinated gel…if I’m a little fatigued as soon as the gel touches my tongue I’ll get cramps. Maybe a mental thing? I don’ tknow. But I’ve never heard of Neversecond! I’m going to look them up and give them a try. ---
**Author:** ![Jbhkhc](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jbhkhc/32/121991_2.png) [@Jbhkhc](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jbhkhc)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 1:28pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/5 "2023-03-09T13:28:51Z")
That’s why I like SIS,I have a thing for medicinal and artificial tasting sweet stuff. Cheap gummy candies, certail KOOL aids etc…dunno why but I love that taste! ---
**Author:** ![Cory.Rood](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/cory.rood/32/77597_2.png) [@Cory.Rood](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Cory.Rood)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 1:31pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/6 "2023-03-09T13:31:26Z")
They’re pricy though. ---
**Author:** ![Brennus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/brennus/32/1318_2.png) [@Brennus](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Brennus)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 1:38pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/7 "2023-03-09T13:38:51Z")
“They’re pricy though.” maybe a little. ---
**Author:** ![HLaB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/hlab/32/60448_2.png) [@HLaB](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/HLaB)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 1:43pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/8 "2023-03-09T13:43:19Z")
I prefer the SiS gels mainly as their consistency suits me (they’re not to runny or sticky) and they seem pretty consistent with teeth opening. I’ve not really come across a gel I didn’t like in taste just ones that are too runny and sticky but I tend not to overdose on Gels and anything tastes ok when your body is craving something. ---
**Author:** ![Brennus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/brennus/32/1318_2.png) [@Brennus](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Brennus)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 1:55pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/9 "2023-03-09T13:55:39Z")
@Cory.Rood, where do NeverSecond gels fall on the ‘gooey’ scale? You know…SiS gels are pretty runny but Maurten gels are like jelly…Hammer is closer to Maurten than SiS…where does NeverSecond fall? ---
**Author:** ![jn92](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jn92/32/135122_2.png) [@jn92](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/jn92)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/10 "2023-03-09T13:58:48Z")
Winforce Salty Peanut for me. Can’t stand the oversweet tasting stuff. They are a local (to me) brand too. Expensive tough. ---
**Author:** ![Sulliesbrew](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/sulliesbrew/32/97452_2.png) [@Sulliesbrew](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Sulliesbrew)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 2:18pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/11 "2023-03-09T14:18:38Z")
NeverSecond is pretty thin, they are my go to on the gel front in Berry flavor. Maurten is growing on me. I’ve done some SiS but their gels just don’t do it for me. Not a fan of gu anymore, the liquids are okay, but short on carbs in my mind. Also love some Untapped syrup. ---
**Author:** ![Jbhkhc](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jbhkhc/32/121991_2.png) [@Jbhkhc](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jbhkhc)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 2:20pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/12 "2023-03-09T14:20:00Z")
I bought a box of caffeinated ones before by mistake and couldn’t do them. My body could tolerate the caffeine well (I teach so I have caffeine for blood), but the taste was rancid. ---
**Author:** ![TrekCentury](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/trekcentury/32/123801_2.png) [@TrekCentury](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/TrekCentury)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 2:29pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/13 "2023-03-09T14:29:30Z")
I’m not a fruity or chocolate person while out on the road. I’m old and Gu was the go to years ago. I’m still hooked on the vanilla flavor ones. ---
**Author:** ![Cory.Rood](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/cory.rood/32/77597_2.png) [@Cory.Rood](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Cory.Rood)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 2:33pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/14 "2023-03-09T14:33:11Z")
pretty thin, just a bit thicker than a carb drink. ---
**Author:** ![thyroxine](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/thyroxine/32/75184_2.png) [@thyroxine](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/thyroxine)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 2:35pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/15 "2023-03-09T14:35:24Z")
gu gels are absolutely horrid. +1 for sis gels. so yummy. ---
**Author:** ![toribath](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/toribath/32/34696_2.png) [@toribath](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/toribath)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 2:39pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/16 "2023-03-09T14:39:22Z")
I think the GU ‘liquid energy’ in the lemonade flavour were the only gels I’ve genuinely liked. Back when I lived in Canada they used to go on clearance for 50c-$1 each and I’d buy a whole box. (guess nobody else liked them?) I’m a caffeine fiend, but I find anything cocktail or beer-flavoured to be a deeply saddening experience. The chia ones piss me off too, but mainly because I have to spend the rest of my ride being painfully aware that there’s one stuck in my teeth. ---
**Author:** ![TooManyDogs](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/toomanydogs/32/98121_2.png) [@TooManyDogs](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/TooManyDogs)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 3:04pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/17 "2023-03-09T15:04:50Z")
Untapped Salted Cocoa maple syrup gels. Since it’s just syrup consistency is thin so super quick to consume. I’m not 100% sure I could consume like 10 if I had a long race though. Besides those I like Maurten gels as they don’t taste like much, the package is easy to open, and easy to consume. I like the taste of cranksports e-gels but the gel is hard to get out of the package. ---
**Author:** ![dirt\_cruzer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/dirt_cruzer/32/137886_2.png) [@dirt\_cruzer](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/dirt_cruzer)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/18 "2023-03-09T15:27:10Z")
I don’t do gels anymore. But they never disagreed with me in taste or digestion, not even Gu. I just had too much difficulty with the packaging. They require too much tearing open per calorie, and then having to put the outside of the packet in your mouth to scrape out the contents can be icky. Instead, I go with a high carb drink mix (usually Skratch) with separate plain water and / or Clif Bloks or similar. ---
**Author:** ![dirt\_cruzer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/dirt_cruzer/32/137886_2.png) [@dirt\_cruzer](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/dirt_cruzer)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 3:33pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/19 "2023-03-09T15:33:10Z")
> [@TooManyDogs](#): > > Untapped Salted Cocoa maple syrup gels. Since it’s just syrup consistency is thin so super quick to consume. Ooh that does sound good. I really like untapped syrups! Solves my issues with thick gels/packaging. ---
**Author:** ![Flamingo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/flamingo/32/142969_2.png) [@Flamingo](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Flamingo)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819/20 "2023-03-09T15:51:16Z")
Passionfruit NeverSecond Normally cant stand caffeineted gels but beta fuel Nootropic APPLE is delicious. The Lemon Lime Flavor is disgusting [Next page](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/loved-and-hated-energy-gels/81819.md?page=2)