The Best Running Gels to Fuel Your Workouts

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Fueling up while running is tricky. You need calories and nutrients to sustain your effort, but your food has to be highly portable and easy to eat on the move. You can’t exactly tote a bagel and schmear with you on your run. Running gels —single-serving packets filled with a nutrient-dense flavored gel — make it much easier to carry the calories you need during long runs and marathons. Determining the best running gels for you is a highly personal process, but there are tons of options available. No matter what flavors you crave while jogging (caramel macchiato or salted watermelon?) or what your dietary needs are, we found the best running gels that’ll work for you.

Best Overall: Gu Original Energy Gel
Long-lasting Energy: Fastfood Galacto-Gel
Neutral Flavor: Maurten
No Need for Water: SIS Go Isotonic Energy Gels
Simple Ingredients: Muir Energy Gels
Best Caffeinated Gels: SIS Go Energy + Caffeine Gels
Sugar-Free: UCAN Edge
Best Electrolyte Boost: Hüma Energy Gels Plus
Most Versatile: Honey Stinger Gold Energy Gel

Things to Consider

Running gels, also called energy gels, deliver a concentrated dose of carbohydrates, usually in the form of simple sugars that are easily absorbed by the body. Fructose and glucose are two common sugars used in running gels. The gels are formulated to maintain your levels of glycogen, which is your body’s main form of stored energy. (It’s created when you digest carbohydrates from food.) Here are some key factors to consider when choosing which running gels to buy.

Nutrition Facts: Always read the Nutrition Facts label to compare specific running gels, as this label will tell you which nutrients, and how much of them, a gel contains. Since most gels are mainly carbohydrates, focus on the carbohydrates figure, which is listed in grams. The more carbs a gel has, the more energy it will provide you.

Electrolytes and Caffeine: In addition to carbs, many running gels offer other additives to help boost your performance. Some include electrolytes to help replace the minerals (like sodium and potassium) you release while sweating — these gels can be helpful if you won’t have access to an electrolyte-filled sports drink while running. Other gels include caffeine (anywhere from 20 milligrams to 100 milligrams or more) for an extra jolt of energy and improved mental alertness.

When to Use Running Gels: It’s important to note that not every runner needs running gels. They’re only necessary when running for over an hour. If you’re just jogging around the neighborhood, you don’t need to worry about bringing gels, as your body will have enough stored glycogen to sustain you. On long runs, most people need to consume about 50 grams of carbs per hour (that equates to about two gel packets).

Finding the best running gel for you will require trial and error — you won’t know if you like the taste, or if the gel causes an upset stomach until you try it while running. If you’re training for a race, make sure to test out some gels and find one that works for you before race day. You don’t want any surprises out on the course.

This guide highlights popular, well-reviewed running gels that’ll work for a variety of athletes, whether you want all-natural ingredients, unique flavors, or an all-in-one fuel and hydration solution.