GU Energy Gels | Endurance Sports Nutrition | Aid Station Jet Blackberry (with caffeine) / Pack of 6

As a whole I love GU energy gels. As a distance runner, they've been a reliable source of readily available energy on my longer runs. I appreciate that all of their gels are the same texture where some other companies need to be mixed or shaken otherwise they're a bit off. The vanilla specifically is a tasty go-to. It isn't my favorite flavor, but I'm never disappointed by it. I appreciate the small caffeine boost in this one as well.

Always in the jersey

First gel I tried and I was sold. Makes a huge difference while out riding, especially on long rides. No stomach upsets, no digestion issues. Just the right amount of thickness, sweetness and flavour.Been using them for a few months now, I recommend mixing the caffeinated and non-caffeinated options on a ride if you're a bit caffeine sensitive. Also, experiment a bit with the amount you need, their "every 45min" is just a starting point, each person is different and I even approach each ride differently depending on how demanding it's going to be.Favourite flavours, chocolate outrage, espresso love and lemon sublime

Anti-Bonk Perfection

Yes you can make your own bike food. But why? I slurp one GU every 30 minutes and I never bonk. That's 3 GUs for a 2 hr ride at intensity. They stuff easily into the jersey pocket, as do the empties. I wish they sold mixed packages of 24 because it's easy to tire of one flavor, no matter how tasty, and all flavors provide the same instant energy. It's really amazing how fast they work. So go ahead , make your own food and save money. I don't want to wait 20 minutes for my calories to kick in, and then lose speed unraveling my homemade wrappers and then dealing with the garbage. I'd rather pay the money, slurp my GU, get and get virtually instant energy on the fly.

Awesome!

I like that you can get these as singles for under $2 so you can try out many flavors and see which you like. I also like that some have caffeine and some don't. I would describe the texture of the gel as similar pudding. It took me a bit to get used to. Don't try to eat it all at once and I found that putting it in the fridge helped me too. I definitely noticed a difference with my runs when I used an energy gel beforehand and when I didn't. These helped me stay hydrated for sure!

Dessert-type flavors are better

Fueling: I can't speak to how well this actually fuels me. I'm sure it's helping, I just can't quantify how much it's doing.Form factor: These are very small and convenient to open and consume while riding, even for me, a newb. These were my first gels and it was such a weird texture experience.Flavor: I originally purchased the strawberry kiwi, raspberry lemonade, and vanilla bean. I immediately disliked the fruit-based flavors because they do not mesh with the texture at ALL. The consistency is something you'd expect more for a soft-set custard (think creme brulee, not the frozen ice-cream type). Vanilla bean was good. I've since had the birthday cake and salted caramel, and I'd recommend those too. Any type of dessert flavor works with this texture.

Great for long runs or bike rides!

I am a new cyclist but I adore cycling. I've been a lifelong runner but cycling is a new found joy! Last year I cycled 42 miles as my longest ride. I mix my training with running and hiking mostly in northern Michigan which has a lot of hills. Where are live there are some of the highest hills in the state. With Gu energy gels I can go the extra mile. As a novice cyclist, I've experienced the bonks as it is similar to hitting the wall. With proper planning, nutrition, water, and Gu energy gels I don't hit walls or bonk. I've been able to go on shorter rides from 20-30 miles and feel great! My favorite is Chocolate Outrage! Seriously tasty As someone who is lactose intolerant as well as having a wheat allergy I appreciate these being vegan and gluten free!

Love ‘em!

I am a very active type one diabetic and have always used glucose tabs or gels for lows (among other things). I have found that they treat the low but I feel worse after because my blood sugars spike then I crash back down.I started using Gu when I was going through the fire academy this winter, what a game changer! I would take one before a training evolution and not worry about my numbers dropping. In fact, my numbers stay almost perfectly straight, I have learned not to enter the carbs into my pump and it balances out.Now I keep 6-8 Gu in my turnout gear and just got back from 2 calls, my numbers were 135 when I got back to the station and I felt refreshed and ready to go back out! The electrolytes are an added bonus.At first I almost gagged when I tried it, ... MoreI am a very active type one diabetic and have always used glucose tabs or gels for lows (among other things). I have found that they treat the low but I feel worse after because my blood sugars spike then I crash back down.I started using Gu when I was going through the fire academy this winter, what a game changer! I would take one before a training evolution and not worry about my numbers dropping. In fact, my numbers stay almost perfectly straight, I have learned not to enter the carbs into my pump and it balances out.Now I keep 6-8 Gu in my turnout gear and just got back from 2 calls, my numbers were 135 when I got back to the station and I felt refreshed and ready to go back out! The electrolytes are an added bonus.At first I almost gagged when I tried it, but now I’m used to it and am a die hard fan! Raspberry lemonade isAwesome and blackberry is too, but 40mg of caffeine is a bit too much. Salted watermelon is my go to.

Perfection in a little pouch!

If you run/bike/swim/workout you need fuel to keep you going. GU energy gels will meet your needs perfectly and they have so many flavors to choose from. On a long run I can go from some salted caramel to caramel macchiato to chocolate outrage without missing a step - and smiling from the flavorful treats along the way. Like Thin Mint Cookies - if so, check out their Chocolate Mint gels. S'mores fan - GU has that, too! Keep on moving right along with GU!

Some flavors are good, some are REALLY bad

Ok, so overall I'd say most flavors are quite decent and don't taste awful. But there is one that brings the whole thing down, and that's the Raspberry Lemonade. I figured I'd love it since I like the fruity gels, and I love lemonade. So imagine my surprise when I take one out for some quick fuel 13 miles into an 18 mile hike and about to start on a 3800' elevation gain, and it tastes like neither raspberry or lemonade. The best way to describe the taste would be like how Clorox wipes with Febreze smells. That's what this one tastes like. Or some kind of artificially fruit scented floor cleaner. It is BAD. Like, want to immediately barf bad, gotta drink my entire bladder of water to get this out of my mouth bad. I know taste is subjective, and I'm sure someone out ... MoreOk, so overall I'd say most flavors are quite decent and don't taste awful. But there is one that brings the whole thing down, and that's the Raspberry Lemonade. I figured I'd love it since I like the fruity gels, and I love lemonade. So imagine my surprise when I take one out for some quick fuel 13 miles into an 18 mile hike and about to start on a 3800' elevation gain, and it tastes like neither raspberry or lemonade. The best way to describe the taste would be like how Clorox wipes with Febreze smells. That's what this one tastes like. Or some kind of artificially fruit scented floor cleaner. It is BAD. Like, want to immediately barf bad, gotta drink my entire bladder of water to get this out of my mouth bad. I know taste is subjective, and I'm sure someone out there thinks this flavor is the best of the best, but oooof. No.

Tried and true, we love GU!

GU has been key in my marathon training. During this training block, I've tried nearly every flavor. My favorites that I usually take on all my long runs are: Orange Vanilla (roctane), Vanilla (caffeine), and Birthday Cake (caffeine-free). I like that they all taste similar, but there is enough nuance between them that I have something to look forward to every 30 mins ;)All the decadent / coffee flavored gus are pretty solid: salted caramel, caramel macchiato, espresso, chocolate outrage – can't go wrong.I also love Tri Berry, which surprisingly does NOT taste like cough syrup. Berry flavors usually taste like medicine.If you're looking for some cough syrup though, try the Blueberry Pomegranate Roctane flavor. Yuck.Cola is just alright, and I'm a diet coke ... MoreGU has been key in my marathon training. During this training block, I've tried nearly every flavor. My favorites that I usually take on all my long runs are: Orange Vanilla (roctane), Vanilla (caffeine), and Birthday Cake (caffeine-free). I like that they all taste similar, but there is enough nuance between them that I have something to look forward to every 30 mins ;)All the decadent / coffee flavored gus are pretty solid: salted caramel, caramel macchiato, espresso, chocolate outrage – can't go wrong.I also love Tri Berry, which surprisingly does NOT taste like cough syrup. Berry flavors usually taste like medicine.If you're looking for some cough syrup though, try the Blueberry Pomegranate Roctane flavor. Yuck.Cola is just alright, and I'm a diet coke girly. Mandarin Orange slaps. Raspberry Lemonade is yummy, but it gives me heartburn. Strawberry Banana is nasty.I just got the Pumpkin Spice flavor and I am excited to try it out!