SPARK, Maurten, GU, Cliff, Stinger, Rekarb, Brix, Endurance Tap... The competition is fierce in the field, and that's why we want to show you the differences between each. It will be up to you to decide which type of gel best suits your needs!
The format of the gel is the first thing you'll notice: SPARK currently contains 40g and its packaging has a more slim shape. This packaging was designed to allow you to fold the gel without having any damage, and to better insert it in a back pocket on a bike jersey, triathlon, or running vest. The majority of gels have a portion of 32 to 38g, Maurten being the only one with SPARK to contain 40grams.
Who says energy gel, says carbohydrates. SPARK consists of 18g of fast sugars for 23g of carbohydrates. Slow sugars will prevent energy peaks and downs during your training. Rekarb is the gel with the same proportions.
For electrolytes, the numbers are too numerous to compare them all! For SPARK (we have a favorite, obviously), we have : 115mg of Sodium, 235mg of Potassium, 65mg of Calcium and 21mg of Magnesium. Most of the gels compared do not contain calcium or magnesium.
We've said it before, but SPARK is the only company on this list offering 4g of protein inside each gel. Maurten, on the other hand, is the one that contains the least nutritional values, with only fast sugars and sodium, and a very low amount of calcium.
Finally, the price. For the same quantity, a SPARK gel can sell for $3.49 in stores, against the big winner, Maurten, with $5.00 per unit.
So, after all this information, is your gel up to par?
*A comparative table of energy gels is available here. Please note that it was created in 2018, and that some information will be updated shortly.
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