This is a product review for 3 different GU products. I tried the lemon berry Roctane hydration powder, the new GU Liquid Energy Gel – lemonade flavour, and a new flavour of GU energy chews – Rainbow Fruit Mix.
I was disappointed to learn that GU has discontinued its regular hydration mix, so I opted for the lemon berry Roctane powder. The Roctane powder costs significantly more than the regular hydration mix, so I only bought 1 1560 g tub. I honestly can’t tell the difference between the Roctane Ultra Endurance powder and the regular hydration powder, so I don’t know if the cost is worth it. The powder dissolves easily with a quick shake of the water bottle, and I like the taste of the lemon berry flavour. The supplement facts on the tub label show 250 calories per 2 scoops (65 g), 59g of carbs (16 g or sugar), and 320 mg of sodium. There is 1900 mg of a special Roctane Amino Acid blend, and 35 mg of caffeine. The GU hydration mix is still my top choice for hydration for training rides, but I wish they would bring back the regular (and cheaper) hydration powder. My other suggestion is to include a smaller scoop in the Roctane tub. I tried to dump 2 scoops of powder into my water bottles, but kept spilling powder because the scoop was too wide. I finally switched to a different scoop which was narrower to avoid spilling (and wasting) powder.
I wanted to try the GU Liquid Energy gels, but I wasn’t training for any long runs, so I chose to try it during a bike ride instead. The 51 mL serving was gluten-free and vegan, and provided 100 calories, 24 g of carbs (7 g of sugar), 75 mg of sodium, and 450 mg of GU Amino Acid blend (seems similar to the blend in the energy chews). I find regular gels thick and hard to swallow, so I thought the liquid gel would be runnier and easier to consume. It was definitely runnier, but not necessarily easier to consume because it is liable to spill if you aren’t careful. I liked the lemonade flavour, but found it a bit too thin and runny for me. I will go back to the regular gels next time.
I also like to bring chews on long bike rides to replace calories and electrolytes. The GU energy chews pack 16 chews in a 60 g package. Each “serving” is 8 chews, so there are 2 servings in each package. Because my training sessions are 2.5 – 3.5 hours long, I can easily justify both servings on a single ride or race. They are bite-sized, which is very convenient for popping one in my mouth every once in a while. They are easy to chew and swallow, making them perfect choices for nutrition on the go. They pack 100 calories per serving, with 24 g of carbohydrates (11 g of sugar), 40 mg of sodium, and 420 mg of GU Amino Acid Blend (seems to be different that the blend in the Roctane powder). Note: the rainbow fruit mix flavour is vegan , gluten-free, and does not contain caffeine. There is a mix of flavours, which I really liked, so I would buy this product and this flavour again.
Overall, I am very pleased with the taste, convenience, and nutritional benefits of all of these GU products, and I will happily purchase more of these products in the future.
