We bought some PowerBar 4X Energy Gel to try over tha past week. I’ve used it on three runs, all eight milers when I usually take one gel at about 35 minutes depending on what I’ve had to eat inthe few hours before the run.
4X Energy Gel has 4 times the sodium as regular PowerGel. This seems to continue the trend started by E-Gel and with Gatorade Endurance to include more sodium and electrolytes.
The calorie count is about the same with 110 calories in 1.44 ounces of Gel. There are 200 mg of sodium and 20 mg of potassium.
For me, the taste was the best part. I have used the Apple flavor (I think it is called sour apple) and another strawberry flavor- both very, very tasty. There is a flavor called “plain energy” that is tough to describe but OK, not great- just kind of there. It has a rather chemically taste. The 2X caffeinated flavor of the 4X Gel called “double latte” is, well, not that hot. The fruit flavors seem to be the best and they are pretty darn good.
While this gel seems like an attempt to compete with Crank Sports E-Gel the gel packet for 4X PowerGel is still .46 ounces smaller than the E-Gel packet and that is part of the reason E-Gel remains a nice product.
E-Gel is 150 calories, right? Bigger package for those extra cals and it is thinner than most, too, requiring more bulk. But, I’m still waiting for new flavors like grocery store five-buck cluck and two-buck chuck.
I went into Powerbar’s site and the information I found on the new PowerBar Gels says the gels only have 45mg of sodium and 45mg of potassium per serving. A serving is 41g = 1 packet.
Where did you get your info. I’m only asking because I got tired of carrying salt tablets so I’m looking for solutions. Gatorade Endurance and InfinIt solve the issue for me on the bike but I’m still looking for other alternatives for the run.
If I go on an 8 miler by itself I carry one gel in case I start to feel rotten. In this case Sarah had ridden 25 miles before the run relatively hard in windy conditions and for me it was about four hours since I ate last so I was primed for a bonk.
It was chilly out, mid 40’s, so I just swallowed the gel in one big gulp and then drank some water from a drinking fountain at our turn around point at City Hall.
Or do like the Kenyans…no water or food for anything under 2:09 (which usually gets them to the finish line of most marathons).
I use the following rule…if you are within 40 min of the start or within 30 min of the finish it is pointless to take anything. For the first 40 min, you are already nicely topped up. For the final 30 min if you have to take anything, you waited too late as it will slow you down more than make your faster, robbing your legs of valuable blood flow. So for a half marathon something between 40 to 60 min. For an Olympic tri, I down my liquid during the latter half of the bike. Nothing needed on the run. Just my 2 cents worth about when you actually need nutrition in a short event. In a half Ironman, you’d be taking in nutrition for most of the bike and the first hour or so of the run.
I’d love to be in St. Croix but I am in the middle of two pretty sizeable projects that i can’t leave. I’ll be at Alcatraz though.
I think you can buy this stuff from all3sports.com and other e-tailers. It may not be on their website yet but they may have it. If you want, call us at (313) 278-1350 and I’ll hook you up too.
The have the picture or image of the new PowerBar Gels on the website with the 4X on it and the falvor selection includes the new Double Latte so perhaps the have not yet updated the nutritional information.
Hmmmm. That’s a good question. Some of the E-Gel flavors (especially cherry) is too strong and sweet for my liking. I like the “mountain rush” flavor in E-Gel.
The PowerGel 4X apple flavor is pretty good- it isn’t too strong. I think a lot of it has to do with when you eat the stuff. It never fails, if you are just sitting around and taste one they are pretty bad. But when you need one bad and you are bonking they can sometimes hit the spot. It’s pretty individual.
Hypertonic? Probably, but it’s all I had. Picked up a bunch at FMS at random, and when I was climbing Diablo, it’s what I grabbed - twice. My eyes were really puffy after that ride.
I typically use the Gu/GEF combo. It’s not bad. Plain Gu is my favorite right now.