History:
I’ve been using lemon-lime NUUN is combination with gels for long training runs for the past 16 months or so. I got in on this trial to see how lemon-lime ZYM Endurance stacked up to lemon-lime NUUN in this application. The following is my comparison of these two products only in this application. I also received a tube of berry ZYM CATAPULT. But, I have not used it yet. (I have GI issues and, thus, avoid caffeine during training.)
Mixing:
Nuun does dissolve slightly faster. But, it’s not really an issue in my application. I typically mix enough to last the duration of the workout prior to starting. However, if I were to use it “on the fly”, this could be a (slight) issue. Both products mix easily and stay mixed - especially with the constant aggitation of running.
Taste:
I like a very mild taste. (That’s one of the reasons that I avoid Gatorade and similar drinks during exercise.) And, for this reason, I mix my NUUN and mixed my ZYM as 1 tablet/22oz of water. (The recommendation is 1 tablet/16oz of water.) While lemon-lime ZYM is slightly stronger in taste than lemon-lime NUUN (and tastes slightly different), it’s still mild enough to not be an issue for me. Both have a very clean, non-sticky taste. I use a custom Infinit mix on the bike with the flavor turned all the way down. But, since I mix it strong (3x concentrated), it’s still a little sticky tasting. None of that with either of these products.
Performance:
Both products seem to work as advertised. I am not a huge sweater. But, prior to using NUUN last season, I would sometimes fight slight cramping during long training runs in hot weather. And, I did notice an improvement when I started using NUUN. While I haven’t given ZYM as thorough of a test in this regard (it just hasn’t been that hot where I live), I haven’t had any cramping, either. So, the jury is still out…
Price:
When I noticed that there were only 10 ZYM tablets/tube (compared to 12/tube for NUUN), I was intrigued enough to do a bit of research. ZYM Endurance costs $24 for 30 tablets, while NUUN costs $20 for 36 tablets. Or, in other words, ZYM Endurance is $0.80/bottle, while NUUN is $0.56/bottle. (Not sure how that compares to Gatorade powder.?.) And, for the record, ZYM Catapult is $27 for 30 tablets, or $0.90/bottle. So, each product is less than $1/bottle. Close enough to be a wash in by book.
Overall:
I still have to give ZYM a more thorough test in hotter weather. But, it appears that both ZYM & NUUN will work in my application. So, it’ll probably come down to convenience (how easy it is to get) for which I’ll use at any particular time.
Steve