Are any brand really “better”, technically? Most of the difference is taste and texture, which is personal, as the “science” is the same?
I make my own carb bottle mix as per this thread . I haven’t upped the fructose, as I’d brought the “raw” carbs in the 2:1 proportion.
I’ve moved away from gels, preferring real food. I’ve never had stomach issues, but unless it’s an actual race, or testing for racing, I’m yet to be convinced by specialist products beyond the drink mix.
I have made “GCN Energy Bars”, and when I raced I used to cut them to bite size pieces and have them in an open bag in my back pocket. More usually, I just use shop brought cereal bars (in Ireland, Nature Valley type bars).