Best running gels I’ve tried for fueling endurance sessions

Professional running gear tester Kieran Alger has spent months gulping down the latest batch of the best running gels. So, if you’re looking for something to help fuel your endurance training, look no further.

If you want to train and perform at your best, you need to fuel your sessions and races right. For high intensity or long endurance efforts that means getting enough carbohydrates on board to fuel your muscles. That’s where the best running gels come in.  

When you need a quick, portable energy hit, they’re a great option. But with so many to choose from, it can be hard to work out what’s best for you. With 53 marathons under my belt and a handful of ultras, I’ve tested dozens of gels from all kinds of brands. These are the ones that came out on top:

These are the best running gels

Though there are a number of gels that run them close, the PF30 Gel gets my vote for the best running gel. With one of the best energy-to-weight ratios around, as well as excellent consistency and energy delivery, it’d be my choice for any kind of endurance training. Plus it’s compact form factor is ideal for running belts.

Other running gel options

Best for natural ingredients	While Veloforte and 33Fuel are contenders here, I’d pick Vala Energy Gels because they’re a little easier and more pleasant to consume over long endurance efforts. You do have to like dates though.
Best for steady energy release	You shouldn’t get the rush and crash of some gels with UnTapped Athletic Fuel. That’s because the low glycemic index of maple syrup gives a more steady, even energy release. Consider the options from Vala and 33Fuel too.
Best for boosting mental alertness	If you’re flagging long into an endurance event, your decision making can often go out the window. I’d keep mentally alert with the help of SiS Beta Fuel with its added nootropics and caffeine.

1. PF30 Gel

In my tests the Precision Fuel PF30 Gel really hit the spot. With a 30g dose of carbs per 51g sachet, it has one of the best energy-to-weight ratios around. It gets delivery and consistency just right too, with an even energy boost that avoids the rush and crash of some gels. It has a pleasant, fairly neutral flavor, too, so it won’t give you taste fatigue if you consume a marathon’s worth.  

• Read our full PF30 Gel review

2. Maurten Gel 100

I found the Maurten Gel 100 offered one of the more pleasant energy-ingesting experiences, with a neutral flavor that’s easy on the stomach. A blend of fructose and glucose (with a ratio of 0.8:1) gives you a smooth and relatively crash-free power-up in a jelly that slips down well, even without water.

• Read our full Maurtens Gel 100 review

3. Vala Energy Gel

Vala Energy Gels are well worth considering if you’d prefer a natural alternative to the plethora of fake flavor energy gels that are available. Made primarily from date paste, they’re thicker than most gels too, so I found they’re easier to consume during longer endurance efforts rather than high intensity ones. But if you want to pack one of your five a day into your mid-workout energy boost, you can’t really go wrong with Vala.

• Read our full Vala Energy Gel review

4. Veloforte Energy Gel

Veloforte is another option for those seeking a gel made from natural ingredients. Its liquid-like consistency means you can add it to water to make a carb drink. Even on its own, however, I found it’s easy to swallow, fresh on the palette and light on the gut. I actually looked forward to consuming the date, lime and ginger flavor mid-session.

• Read our full Veloforte Energy Gel review

5. UnTapped Athletic Fuel

Maple syrup is the key ingredient in UnTapped’s Athletic Fuel gels. It’s naturally high in carbs from sucrose and contains complex sugars which have a much lower glycemic index than regular sugar and maltodextrin. In theory they should burn slower and I did feel that the even energy release negated the rush and dreaded crash of some gels.

• Read our full UnTapped Athletic Fuel review

6. 33Fuel Chia Energy Gel

Energy gel ingredients don’t get much simpler that the four natural ones used in 33Fuel’s Chia Energy Gels. As well as the titular chia, there’s just coconut palm sugar, organic vanilla and Himalayan pink salt. You have to hydrate this dried ‘gel’ yourself (you can use milk, fruit juices or coconut water) but with a resealable top you don’t have to use it all in one go.

• Read our full 33Fuel Chia Energy Gel review

7. SiS Beta Fuel + Nootropics

The nootropics in this gel from Science in Sport are good for boosting mental alertness and decision-making, ideal if you’re at the end of a big endurance effort. There’s a whopping 40g carbs in each sachet, and two different transit systems allows you to get more carbs into the body than usual. I found they may be too sweet for consuming throughout a marathon, but are ideal for leaving until you really need a caffeine boost.

• Read our full SiS Beta Fuel + Nootropics review

How we tested the best running gels

When it comes to running gear, Kieran Alger is one of the best product reviewers in the business. An experienced runner, Kieran regularly covers many miles, across all sorts of running disciplines – from natural trails to ultramarathons. Along the way, he’s picked up the knack for assessing the fine details which matter the most when you’re out there putting the hard work in. Here are the main factors and features which he kept in mind while evaluating the best running gels on the market:

1. Energy-to-weight ratio: When running, you don’t want to be encumbered by heavy pockets. So, a sign of a good running gel is one which packs in as much energy as possible, while keeping the size of its packaging to a minimum.
2. Energy delivery: In the context of endurance training, you’re likely to want the energy hit to come at a steady pace over longer periods of time, rather than arriving in short, spiky bursts.
3. Ingredients: Some running gels will undoubtedly be more effective than others, simply due to having different ratios of ingredients, or indeed different ingredients altogether. Extra bonus points if they’re natural.
4. Taste: The most hardcore runners might champion outright performance over taste, but for the majority of us, it’s important not to be adversely put off by the taste of running gel.
5. Price: Everyone has a different budget to work with. If any of the running gels tested here are likely to hurt your bank balance, Kieran will make that clear.
6. Form factor: If the running gel’s packing isn’t very pocket-friendly, where can you stash it?