Skratch. Really, really good, and easily tolerable. Alan Lim is pretty brilliant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTLxmgEJG40

Nuun. It is easy on the stomach and is very easy to use with the tablets.

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"You just gotta keep livin' man, L-I-V-I-N." - Wooderson

NormaLyte. It actually has FDA labeling so they have to scientifically support their claims unlike any of the other stuff we take.

You can buy it here:

http://www.amazon.com/...kId=ECUX4MMQUQS4S3FO[/url]

Infinit.

I have a sensitive stomach and it's always been great for me. It's why I rep them :-)

Has the added bonus of being all your calories too. Really simple. Easily repeatable.

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This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time. - Fight Club
Industry Brat.

+1 and Nuun has some tasty flavors. Watermelon is my personal favorite.

Clif Shot Cran-Razz.

First Endurance Pro - use 1 serving for 24oz bottle. After that then Skratch

I like Osmo. Not super strong taste and the flavor mixing tastes really good.

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Twitter - Instagram

HEED...

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#swimmingmatters
Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.
The Doctor (#12)

I will second the vote for skratch. Excellent stuff. Its amazing how it keeps tasting great, even after a lot of bottles on a long, hot day.

Yep, definitely Nuun

Try the Clif Bar Electrolyte Hydration drink mix. I like it because the flavor (Cran Razz or Lemon Lime) is light, it's got half the calories of full-on Gatorade, but all the electrolytes, and no artificial sweeteners. It's formulated to not over-sugar you when you're also taking Clif Shot energy gels, or Bloks or whatever solid fuel you're using. It's certified organic by QAI and the sweetener in it is Organic Glucose and Organic dried cane syrup. No GMOs.

Disclaimer, I'm one of their sponsored athletes, but I wouldn't recommend it if I didn't like it and use it all the time.

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Sharon McN
@IronCharo
#TeamZoot
Clif Bar Pace Team 2003-2018

I also use Nuun. Not too sweet, which I prefer.

I make my own a mix of maltodextrin/a sugar, small amount of pea/rice protein mix, salt, dehydrated coconut water, and small amount of baking soda. Very glycemic and high insulin response, very dense in electrolytes.

I use nuun for shorter workouts where I don't need the extra carbs or calories. Longer workouts I use Skratch labs.

I have been using drip drop. pretty delicious stuff. sweeter, but if you like sweet, it is the bomb.

Pineapple juice.

Nuun or shorter stuff. Longer stuff I use what will be on course for my race.

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Chris Harris

I use a mix of a few drops from 40,000 Volts Electrolyte Concentrate (by Trace Minerals), glutamine, BCAA, Hawaiian Punch single flavor to cover the BCAA in 24oz. water bottle.
I add/adjust maltodextrin based on the amount of time or distance of course. Most of the time I do not add maltodextrin for courses less than 40 miles and will use a single gel if needed.

Another vote for Nuun here. Great range of taste for everyone and even mix the tabs half/half to create even more.


I once saw a post a while back on another site which even gave recipes for making cocktails with them!!! Must try that soon!

I prefer Brawndo. It's got electrolytes.

http://www.brawndo.com

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

Skratch

Surprised to so see many Nuun lovers. I guess I'm one of the few that finds the fizzy texture unpalatable.

I'm also one of the few that loves Powerbar Perform. Have been using it for around 8 years now. Anything under an hour and I'll have water, if anything.

GU Roctane with caffeine

Tailwind Endurance Fuel

Just switched to Tailwind Nutrition a couple of months ago. Awesome stuff. My wife and I use the raspberry caffeine flavor.

You are not the only one. Nuun is disgusting.

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DISH is how we do it.

I hate any drink that is fizzy. I can do Nuun if it flattens after 15-20 minutes. Oddly enought, I don't mind powerbar perform either, but I will drink anything if it isn't fizzy. Sometimes that is just regular gatorade from the grocery store cut with water.

I'm with you all. It messes up my stomach.

Another for Nuun, been digging the new Cola flavor.

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<We all know that light travels faster than sound. That's why certain people appear bright until you hear them speak>

some good info on the hyper here:

http://www.skratchlabs.com/...on-from-skratch-labs

The regular tastes so good....not sweet, and light flavors that go down easy in hard efforts.

+1 I don't like the fizzyness in the NUUN tablets. I use GuBrew myself now and I've been happy with the Orange flavor thus far.

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"Train so you have no regrets @ the finish line"

Eload or Nuun if I'm not wanting any calories.

All you people who dont like Nuun have broken taste buds.

Skratch. I've tried them all, and Skratch resolved long standing GI and electrolyte issues.And it tastes great!

I'm still using Cytomax.... I'm considering changing...

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Hook Em' Horns

Not Sure:
What are electrolytes?

Fluid performance, the raspberry lemonade flavor. Haven't had good luck with Gu, Clif, Osmo, or especially Skratch, but Fluid works really well for me.

For anyone into electrolyte drinks who does not know the history, there is a great little documentary on ESPN about the invention of Gatorade which, even if kind of out of favor now, was the first and was based on some cutting edge science. It was invented by a guy who just wanted to help the football team after 20 or so kids ended up on IVs after a particular hot practice but, he happened to also be a world class doctor specializing in kidney function so it was right up his alley. There was actually a lot of good science and disciplined experimentation behind it at the time. They interview some old football players about going from the old school no water because it will make you tough days to unlimited Gatorade and what a huge effect it had on performance, particularly late in games. The coolest part was that they also immediately started using it with sick babies in the university hospital too as an electrolyte replacement and it saved some lives.

^^ Stone Temple Pilots or Spanning Tree Protocol? ^^

There are some pretty big differences between some of the products being mentioned. Nuun is really just an electrolyte drink, it has very few calories (3-4 per 8 oz.).

Most of the other products are energy/electrolyte drinks. Some of them are made with a mixture of maltodextrin and sugar(s), other ones get most of their calories from simple sugars. Many people experience GI distress when taking in too high a concentration of sugars during a race or hard workout, especially if they're already dehydrated. Many people can tolerate a higher calorie drink during race conditions, if the majority of the calories are coming from more complex, but easily absorbed carbs, such as maltodextrin. My guess is that that's the reason why most of the products that avoid maltodextrin have a somewhat lower calorie content, so that athletes won't experience GI distress.

I've adjusted the calorie content for each of these so that it would be for 12 oz. of drink:
PowerBar Perform - 105 calories
Fluid Perform - 100
GU Brew w/ Light Carbs - 40
Scratch - 60
Clif Shot - 60
Osmo - 53

The first three contain maltodextrin, the last three do not.

My preference: I'm a big fan of Fluid Performance in either Raspberry Lemonade or Fresh Citrus. It's a nice light, not overly sweet taste. During marathons or half marathons, I stick to water and GU or Power gels, since I know my stomach tolerates that well.

That's a helpful breakdown.

Someone might want to also compare the amount of electrolytes in the same volume of mix. I say this because one of my cycling buddies switched recently to Scratch (I don't know what he used before) and found he started to get cramping issues on very long, hard rides with lots of climbing. He then checked the sodium content and found he was getting a substantially lower amount of sodium from Scatch compared to his prior drink.

To the OP -- I use HEED. But I generally search what's being handed out on the course of an upcoming race (if it's a 70.3 or 140.6) and try as best as possible to stomach that product in my own training so I get used to it and don't have to carry my own powder on race day.

Many of the products that have been mentioned are available here: http://www.runningwarehouse.com/catpage-DRINKS.html
By clicking on a product and then on the Nutritional Details tab, you can see the ingredients and nutritional info, including electrolyte amounts. Just be aware that "one serving" for one product may be 8 oz., while for another it could be 12, 16 or even 21 oz. The description of the product generally will say the serving size, such as "2 servings (1 scoop) per 16 fluid ounces" - for Clif Shot, as an example.

I go with First Endurance's EFS Drink. I never seem to cramp up ever when using it. I used to really struggle in the last 2:15 - 3:00 of 3 hour swim practices when using just water. I put this in my bottle and feel much fresher at the end of long workouts.

I'm posting this just to watch the aftermath....

I race with Nuun because it is convenient and have tried almost everything that is listed in this thread. That said, I use plain old Gatorade mix on a day to day basis.

Infinit - either custom blend or their pre-mixed Jet Fuel, which has caffeine.
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Straightenin' the curves; Flattenin' the hills
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Coached by Mike Plumb @ TriPower MultiSports
https://www.strava.com/athletes/1149072 - https://www.instagram.com/thoswoods/

Since this is a semi anonymous board, I too will confess to using Gatorade. It's readily available everywhere and the big powder cans at Costco are super cheap. It does not bother my stomach and works just fine for me. I just never have had a need to move to something that was more expensive and harder to keep in stock.

Whatever they hand out at aide stations so I only need 1-2 bottles on my bike for long course.

I feel like it's all a bunch of sugar water with some salt in it. Train with a variety, and live off the course.... unless you seem ot hae specific GI issues.

But for GI issues rule out nutrition timing, air in your stomach, pace ans specific fitness as culprits first.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

+1.

Hate NUUN. Love Perform.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

I go through a lot of the powdered Gatorade from the big cans although I have trouble with the Gatorade bought in the pre-mixed bottles.

For Racing I've been using Infinit Hot weather or speed mixes. For some reason Infinit settles my stomach after a rough swim and I'm able to eat on schedule after that. Don't know why but it works really well.

jaretj

I like TriFuel a lot. I train on lemon lime (caffeine free) and race on Wild Berry (has caffeine). It's high in electorlytes, but doesn't taste as salty as EFS or others. It doesn't bother my gut like some others (heed espcially).

http://brlsports.com/trifuel-energy-and-recovery-drink/

Yeah, I use it too, but it tastes awful. I have the Cucumber Water flavor now and just toss in a spoonful of Gatoraid mix into the water bottle to kill the taste. I guess it's the amino acids? The stuff works for me....

-Robert

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"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank

Skratch Matcha+Lemons when I can find Skratch products. Which is extremely hard it seems in Canada.

LG Maple lemonade if I can't find Skratch.

I guess Gatorade puts me into the minority here. But hey, if something is proven to work for you, don't fix it if it ain't broken.

Powdered fruit punch flavor is my go-to. I mix it to whatever concentration I need depending on the nature/length of my bike ride. When racing HIM/IM I mix in CarboPro to make a potent nutrition bottle, and crack in a few SaltStick caps to boost the electrolyte content. On the run, I survive on Clif Bloks and whatever I come across (usually the cola) at the aid stations.

From Spring-Fall I typically use Infinit but during winter months I typically use Gu Brew. Its cheaper and easier to find on the fly and since most of my training is indoors I don't need everything the Infinit has to offer. That said I went through a container of Sword Ginger Citrus earlier this year and loved it. Taste was great, dissolved very well, no color which can be good or bad, sat well in my stomach.

Scratch works for me.

Do you guys race with skratch? What do you do for additional calories if your aiming for ~300/hr or can you mix it strong like EFS and increase the concentration of it for calories?

I like Skratch on long training rides (and its great when your actually sick) , but wasn't sure how to use it in an actual race environment.

I used EFS last year, mixed stronger for calories, but tastes like battery acid.

For calories, they suggest actual food sources, which are outlined in their books and blogs. Makes great sense to eliminate any gastric distress. Otherwise, a separate source of calories can be used.

I ended up getting Nuun and Scratch.

Wow, Scratch is one of the best drink mixes in terms of tastes! Nuun tastes Okay...

I can't do Nuun bc of the sugar alcohols. They don't sit well in my gut.
But you're right about Skratch, I love the taste! Pineapple is my favorite.

I'm still on Cytomax, despite the change to stevia (the flavors are wonky to me since the swap, but the performance seems fine). But I'm pretty easy - most things work for me/my gut. On long rides, I just stop at a convenience store and use whatever is on sale - Gatorade, etc.

Another vote for nuun. Great flavors, easy to use, and I like the separation of electrolytes from other nutrition.

I also very much prefer to live off the course. I have not raced anything long in a couple of years, what is currently being used at aid stations for 70.3, 140.6 and Challenge races?

Another vote for Skratch. I like chewing on my food and Skratch is not too sweet, is very light and doesn't add a lot of calories. I've always gotten the Raspberries flavor but recently purchased the Matcha+Lemon for the caffeine and love it. Based on that experience I'll try the other flavors next.

Before I used Gu Roctane and liked it until I got tired of it and wanted to try getting my calories from real food on the bike. For a better value I'd probably go for Gu Brew.

I'm a vote for Skratch but still use Gatorade a lot. BTW during the summer season, Costco has the very large cans of Gatorade powder at great price. Problem last year was that someone from corporate decided that most of it was being purchased for kids and only stocked the hideous blue crap instead of the usual Orange or Lemon Lime. Walmart carries the medium large cans as well and is only a little more expensive with Orange and LL being available. The powder is not only hugely cheaper but also allows you to mix your own favorite strength and carry pre-measured baggies to mix when only water is available on your ride.

Due to an ongoing intestinal issue, fresh squeezed orange juice is all I can tolerate. Two years ago, I used Trace Mineral Power Paks and their 40,000 Volt Electrolyte drops. A year before that, I used Nuun tablets.

Do they sell the gatorade endurance stuff that IM will be using or is it just the thirst quencher?

What?! No love for Xtend by Scivation?

That's my go to when there isn't a need for sugar/carbs. I think it comes out cheaper than a NUUN or most other brands of tabs. It tastes so much better too. I love the Mango Nectar flavor.

I saw a couple people make the solid point of using whatever is on course for your bigger races. Very important the closer you get to the event.

I really liked the old version of GU's Electrolyte Brew in blueberry pomegranate. The taste and electrolyte profile worked well for me. I haven't tried the updated version with the higher fructose blend and "lighter" taste yet. It wasn't exactly cheap, so I often go to......

When I need carbs and electrolytes together, I keep going back to giant tubs of Gatorade. It's pennies on the dollar compared to Skratch and many others. It's constantly served at running races, so I just got used to it.

Smaller servings of lemon lime Gatorade and lemon lime Xtend go really well together. They also leave the cool BCAA streaks on your bike frame.

I have only seen gatorade endurance at one place, my local tri shop started carrying it when Ironman went to gatorade. I get it on Amazon but I am fine with G2 or regular gatorade cut with water. You can ALWAYS find gatorade at a gas station. I haven't tried the "gatorlytes" which are designed to dissolve into gatorade for added sodium and what not, I will when it gets nice and hot out.

Gatorade, available anywhere. Usually though, I just take an electrolyte tablet and water.

Anyone tried the Louis Garneau Maple Lemonade?

112cal
28g carb
20 g sugar
500mg sodium
150mg potassium
+vtc c/Calcium/Magnesium

It's just regular Gatorade G series 02 Perform Thirst Quencher 3lb. 3 oz can makes 24 quarts

Guinness.