Enjoying the product, flavor is great and makes me want to drink more, thumbs up!!!. The samples were not meant for calories but more to encourage hydration with electrolytes added. Would like to see more calories if possible in another version but this would be great to wash down a PowerGel of similiar flavor.

I also like the flavor ( only tried the orange so far). I have only been using one scoop per water bottle, two seem a bit strong to me.

I would also like to see some more calories but that said it does seem to do a good job on hydration, I've done a number of hard long hot and humid ride and had no problems. Really like the high level of sodium.

Also enjoying flavor, using lemon berry burst first (and just about done with it and switching to Orange).

No stomach issues. Not a ton of ingredients. Good mix of electrolytes. I've pretty much run my course of Heed, Gatorade, EFS, and GU Brew mostly when I burnout on flavor. I still really like Skratch Macha Green Tea and the extreme Mango but close to burned on those flavor too.

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“Bloom wherever you are planted"

So I was lucky enough to be picked as a reviewer and EAS promptly shipped two packs of EAS Hydrate Lemonberry Burst Hydrate (6 packets each for 16oz), a tub of the orange flavor (9oz tub for 36x8oz servings) and a pack of three EAS Protein which i use anyway. I've used Heed, Gu Brew, store brand hydration packs, endurolyte fizz in the past and currently use Skratch Labs for hydration or water and endurolyte tabs.

The first I tried was the Lemonberry Burst into a bike bottle and topped up to about 20oz so a bit more dilute that recommended and glad I did, the mix is just for hydration, so not a source of calories but seemed to thicken it up from regular water. I'm not a regular gatorade drinker but I compared it to some of the wifes and it definitely had a heavier consistency. The flavor was pretty good though - I like something more citrusy as personal preference. On a long run (12miles) though the thickness got a bit much and I know if I had just water I would have consumed more fluids, the thickness was a bit off putting. Trying the tub was a bit more helpful as it enabled me to play around with concentration a bit more and i've finally settled on a heaped scoop per 20oz bottle (a regular serving is 1 scoop per 8oz). That gives me enough flavor without the extra thickness and I probably drink more fluid than making it up to the regular strength and I find it more thirst quenching. After a long ride or run, I also add as scoop to the protein powder to make a rather pleasant choc-orange recovery shake.

Overall I'd say it was OK, probably not something I'd run out to buy over other products and if you give it a go, experiment with different concentrations. It sits in the stomach really well though, I had no issues during long runs or rides so thats a plus and to be honest the flavors are pretty nice, they have that dialed in - especially the lemonberry. And it does go down and sits very well if you need to rehydrate from non-bike or run situations in the early morning......

I really appreciate the opportunity from EAS Sports Nutrition to review their Hydrate products. After being selected, I was quickly mailed a tub of their Orange flavor and a box of six packets of Lemonberry Burst flavor. I was able to test both flavors during a mix of runs and bike rides over the past several weeks. I thought it would be easiest to give my thoughts relative to the other hydration mixes I currently use: Skratch Labs (Pineapples), EFS Pro (Lemon Water), and Fluid Performance (Passion Fruit Tea). In addition to the above, I have also previously used Gatorade, Hammer Nutrition Heed, and Osmo Active Hydration.

First, just some numbers for comparison sake (all scaled to 24oz of mixed fluid, since that is the bottle size I tend to use when running or cycling):

Hydration Mix: Skratch Labs EFS Pro Fluid Performance EAS Hydrate
Serving Size: 24g 53g 36g 15g
Servings: 20 19 23 18
Calories: 80 160 133 50
Total Carbs: 20g 40g 32g 12g
Fat: 0g 0g 0g 0g
Protein: 0g 0g 0g 0g
Sodium: 360mg 650mg 267mg 540mg
Potassium: 40mg 293mg 87mg 360mg
MSRP: $19.50 $49.95 $26.95 $15.99
$/Serving: $0.98 $2.63 $1.17 $0.89

[Note: The numbers for the EAS Hydrate above are for the Orange flavor. Those for the Lemonberry packets are slightly different, but not by much.]

I found both flavors of the EAS Hydrate to be very sweet. At the suggested serving size, for me, it is actually too sweet. Certainly sweeter tasting than any other hydration mix I have used, and more along the lines of the flavor (but not the consistency) of a gel. Neither flavor is bad (at all), just really, really sweet. I do not doubt some will love this, but I needed to dilute the mixes. I found that a third of the recommended serving tasted much better; still sweet, but not cloyingly so. In terms of taste, I would say the EAS Hydrate has more in common with Fluid Performance (and Heed and Gatorade) than Skratch Labs, Osmo or EFS Pro. While I prefer the latter three most, I do not find any of them offensive. Of the Orange and Lemonberry flavors, I liked the Orange best.

Given the small number of calories per serving, EAS Hydrate is really about hydration and electrolyte replacement. The sodium and potassium numbers both seem good and generally inline with similar offerings from other manufacturers. While the EAS Hydrate tub is small (272g), the recommended serving size (7.5g Hydrate / 12oz water) is also very small (as compared to the other brands), and given I was only using about a half to a third of that recommended amount of Hydrate, the number of servings and cost per serving are both quite attractive.

In terms of use, I had no problems with Hydrate on any runs or rides. It goes down easy. No stomach issues at all. I do not seem to notice a performance difference regardless of which hydration mix I use, so tend to choose based on personal taste and cost. Given that EAS makes packets of their Hydrate mix, I would recommend trying the various flavors and see if it might work well for you, too.

I've now moved on to the orange flavor. As other posters said I too have diluted more than recommended portion but flavor is good and I'm not normally a fan of orange because it reminds me of flat orange soda. At full strength it's too sweet after an hour of working.

I've not had any issues with stomach which is great and it's nice to use so little - packs a powerful punch. The other flavor I liked a tad more but it had a slight chemical taste.

Assuming this is cost efficienct relative to other brands and especially if there are more flavored I'd buy it.

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“Bloom wherever you are planted"

I received the product just in time to start ramping up marathon training and in conjunction with one of the hottest/most humid stretches of the year here in Hawaii. I'm really enjoying the hydration benefits of the mixture, and I actually like that it doesn't have many calories because I want it just to rehydrate rather than to fuel my training. As others have mentioned, I find that the mixture is way too strong if it's mixed according to the instructions. I use less than half of the recommended amount, and it's still quite sweet and strong. If I mix it full strength, I really can't take the sweetness. Other than that, I am very happy with the mixture, and I notice a significant increase in rehydration over just water. I will post more when I've been using for a couple more weeks. I'm particularly interested in seeing how tolerable the taste is when the mixture is warm and in trying it during (rather than after or before) long runs/rides. I will say that I have experienced no stomach upset drinking it immediately prior to long, hot, humid runs.

I have been enjoying the EAS hydrate for the past couple of weeks. I have been using the Orange flavor and found that the recommended 3 scoops for a 24 ounce bottle is too strong a flavor for my preferences. At the recommended usage it reminds me of Tang from my childhood. The first ride I did with it was my standard Saturday morning ride of 50 miles with a group and it was quite hot and humid (think mid 90's and 80-90% humidity by the end of the ride). I experienced some slight GI distress but not sure that I can narrow down the cause of that to one thing. In my rides since then I have tried diluting it from the recommended levels and that seems to help from a taste standpoint and have not experienced any more GI distress.

Overall I think it is a good product but I will probably go back to Skratch after the trial is over, mostly because I like the flavors and ingredients more.

Not done with the trial period yet but I wanted to post my results so far. I have mainly used the EAS Hydrate mix for longer rides, as I stick to water in sessions under 90 minutes.

At first I thought the flavor (Lemonberry Blast) was going to be too strong but that was more based on the smell of the powder during mixing. I have been using one package per bottle and that seems like a nice level of taste. Package lists one package to 16 oz. but that might an overpowering taste during exercise. With the recent hot muggy weather in Wisconsin, I have had a good chance to see how well it performs at keeping cramping down as I sweat a lot.

Taste on the bike is good, a little sweet and a little salty, not super sugary like some other options. The flavor is still appealing when warm. No cramping, or even twinges, which I sometimes get in hotter weather. No stomach issues, empties quickly after drinking and no bloating. To be honest, I don't often have issues with drink products but the competitors can sit a little heavy in warmer weather. EAS Hydrate also did not seem to leave a super sticky residue on the outside of bottle when the inevitable leaks oor drips occurred.

I like the option of individual bottle size packaging to be able to reload during a longer ride with just cold water from a tap or store. The tear off top was not always easy to remove and sometimes does not tear below the seal, so you have to take a second piece off. Easy enough at home with a pair of scissors but tough on the road with sweaty hands and teeth for the cutting tools.

I typically have used HEED, Gatorade powder and Skratch in the past and the EAS Hydrate product is as good or better in flavor and performance. Very happy with the product so far. I would be happy to see this on the market and in use at events.

I also like that it is easy to clean out of my bottles. Some mixes, particularly HEED, leave a trace or lingering scent, even in Camelbak Chill and Specialized Purist bottles. EAS Hydrate rinsed cleanly and completely with just a water rinse, both in the valve and in the bottle itself.

Good flavors and good performance. Just need to see where the price falls to see where EAS Hydrate slots into the marketplace.

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Alan Stewart

I, too, was lucky enough to be selected.

ckhirsch above posted the nutritional information for various products, which I think is helpful.

I'm only about 15 days into my trial, so mid-way. I'll post again in another 15 days.

I have been using EAS Hydrate as a hydration supplement, not a calorie supplement. I use it like how I've been using skratch or nuun. It's not really, if I understand things correctly, supposed to replace a product like Gatorade Pro or EFS. I continue to make sure I get my calories in other ways (solid food, gels, etc.).

First, the taste. Like other testers, I found the taste to be rather strong, almost like a Gatorade, which I found a little odd since it doesn't have the calories that Gatorade does. I liked the orange better than the lemonberry. Orange does taste almost exactly like Tang. I used 2 scoops for a 20-24 ounce bike bottle.

Second, the performance. For shorter stuff I find everything does a pretty decent job, and even water will do the trick. However, I wanted to find out how this stuff really worked. I tried it when I was getting pretty dehydrated, either from multiple hot workouts or from a long, hot bike ride or run. I found that EAS Hydrate restored me noticeably better than water, nuun, skratch, or even EFS/Gatorade. I also tried the reverse, where I went for a long ride (3-4 hours) or long run using EAS Hydrate vs. skratch. In this case, I found that skratch held off the fatigue slightly better.

I'm guessing that it might have something to do with the sodium levels. EAS Hydrate, having higher sodium, packs a more immediate punch. However maybe the ingredient mix in skratch better promotes overall hydration. Heck if I know.

All in all, it's a great weapon to have in the arsenal, and I will continue after the trial to have some to take on those long rides as my last bottle, at least.

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Chris Harris

I'm training for Louisville and was interested in trying EAS. EAS has worked well for my son. I started with another product in early spring that has worked well for me on bike but created stomach issues on the run. It appears EAS has solved my run issues. It mixes well and I enjoy the light flavor. Some see the need for calories but I'm mostly looking for a hydration solution and seem to have found it. The lack of protein with EAS may be the thing that solved my run issues. I stress tested the mix by increasing recommended dosage and still had no stomach issues. I've used it during four 5 hour rides and four 3 hour runs and been pleased. I agree with the tester who commented on convenience of small packages. A chore to open but easy to mix on the fly. For some reason bottle clean up seems much easier with EAS than other mixes I've used. I have a couple more longer rides and runs planned before I start my race prep and I see no reason I won't get the same good results.

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KQ strategy - Outlive the competition

This!! I also mix with perpetuem when I need calories. Love it!

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It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing!
@trecca17

Happy to take part in review of the EAS Hydrate product.

Training for IM in Oct.

I have no GI/stomach issues on bike or run unless drink product has too much sugar or are too sweet.

I water down most drinks or use 1/2 of the recommended concentration.

EAS sent me Hydrate in 2 flavors Lemonberry Burst and Orange Wave.

Yesterday I used the Lemonberry Burst in the recommended concentration for 80mi bike ~ one powder pack to 16 oz.

Pros:
Good Sodium and Potassium levels compared to IM Perform or Gatorade
Good for during and pre workout hydration
Taste is very good (but on the strong side)

Cons:
Too Sweet/Sugary with recommended concentrate - will try to reduce it today for run
Watering down the concentrate to reduce sweetness will also reduce the Potassium/Sodium levels

Recommendation - reformulate with less sugar

As a follow on to my earlier review, I have found the orange flavor to be not as workable for me. This is the flavor that I received in the tub, as opposed to the berry lemonade in the individual serving packs.

I was hesitant to post this without multiple verification efforts and I wanted to have several rides in different conditions and separated by several days to ensure it was not a one-off problem.

What I have found is that the orange flavor does not agree with my on higher intensity rides. Flavor is good and the product goes down well, with the same blend of sweet and salty that I got from the berry lemonade. Unfortunately, the orange version causes stomach distress in just a few minutes. On a fast group ride where we had a rotating pace line working at a high rate of speed into a 10to 20 mph headwind, I drank as I rotated back from my pull. With about 12-14 riders, by the time a got to the front again and moved back, I was getting strong cramps and discomfort. Dropped back, tried to ride a little softer but still tacked on the back of the line (but not rotating thru), but only lasted a few more miles before I had to drop. On the way back solo, I nabbed a couple of Strava PR's so I was still working hard but not quite at the same level as in the pace line, and had no additional distress. Rode easier for 10 minutes and then brought the pace back up (but not quite as high of effort) and was fine the rest of the way home.

Tried several more rides with higher intensity to verify and after 2 weeks now, I can say that the orange mix is not my option for harder rides.

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Alan Stewart